Toronto Blue Jays

[bondon]

Incredible catch from Pillar last night - in fact might have saved the game for them. Only a two game sample size but in both games they've had strong first halfs to the game and then crawled to the finish line. If that one goes for a double who knows what might have happened.

Colabello is also having a pretty rough start. He doesn't look like he's seeing the ball that well when he's at the plate. His defense has been superb in the first two games though.

Osuna looks strong too.

[Zorro]

I normally think that Pillar unnecessarily leaves his feet to make the TV highlight catch, but that catch last night was absolutely awesome.

As Zauny says >> "the TV dive"

[bondon]

Baseball keeps getting ****ing softer what a joke.

[Zorro]

That was pretty much the worst ending to a Jays game that I've ever seen..

[hockeyrobot]

Ok....while I get that changing these rules to make it softer is no good......he DID swipe at his ankle. You can't deny that. Now I don't really think that had much of an impact......he still blatantly did it.

Sucks either way. I do prefer the right call happening as a result of all these replays but ya.....kind of soft here

[2014olympicgold]

They better call this new rule this tight every game. The worse part about the swipe is that I can see Bautista doing it subconsciously. It’s not like he slide inside the bag and his right arm to swipe the bag. He was down the middle of the bag.

Can’t say I’m a fan of how tight they have gone out to call this rule, but 1^st one of the yr maybe it’s to send the message they aren’t messing around.

Sanchez tho. Such a solid start. Ball got away from him, and he was losing his balance a bit in the latter part of the game, but his stuff is nasty. That curve must mess with people after seeing 97mph fastballs with movement, and 90mph (should be a tad slower tho) changeups. The curve moved hard and slow (77mph). I said it on a thread somewhere here; Sanchez has the best raw pitching talent on this TBJ squad to win a CY Young in the future. Not knocking Stroman, but Sanchez pumped 8ks (I think) on a team that doesn’t strike out too much. The only thing I wish was if he had a 4^th big pitch. He has a 2-seam, 4-seam, change, and curve, but I want a slider, cutter, or sinker in there. Maybe Stroman can teach him one of the 32 pitches Stroman can throw.

[Slug]

Aslong as they call things consistently it's fine to me. I always felt sliding hard at a player to break up a play was dirty. Problem is once you leave it in the umps/refs hands to decide intent on a play they never are consistent.

[Goldendelicious]

If Joey Bats didn't give him the love tap on the foot, there probably would not have been any call. Letter of the law, it was the right call but jesus, if you're going to do that, may as well Utley him

...worse than a drive by in hockey

[2014olympicgold]

Aslong as they call things consistently it's fine to me. I always felt sliding hard at a player to break up a play was dirty. Problem is once you leave it in the umps/refs hands to decide intent on a play they never are consistent.

Tampa challenged the play I’m pretty sure, so NY made the call. Umps called JB out, then EE safe. Because JB interfered with the double play, they called both out.

If Joey Bats didn't give him the love tap on the foot, there probably would not have been any call. Letter of the law, it was the right call but jesus, if you're going to do that, may as well Utley him

...worse than a drive by in hockey

In addition, interference shall not be called where a runner's contact with the fielder was caused by the fielder being positioned in (or moving into) the runner's legal pathway to the base.

This is going to be the worst part of the rule. If JB doesn’t move his arm into his body after touching the fielder, shouldn’t be interference. Just watch, this is going to be the part of the rule that messes everyone up.

[Slug]

If Joey Bats didn't give him the love tap on the foot, there probably would not have been any call. Letter of the law, it was the right call but jesus, if you're going to do that, may as well Utley him

...worse than a drive by in hockey

According to the wording of the new rule I don't think he did anything wrong. Nowhere does it say you can't attempt to break up the play, it also does not say that zero contact is allowed during the slide. This exact same slide will happen during the season and the player won't turn his head slightly to make sure he made contact and the umps will deem it to be fine.

Under the new Rule 6.01(j), a runner will have to make a "bona fide slide," which is defined as making contact with the ground before reaching the base, being able to and attempting to reach the base with a hand or foot, being able to and attempting to remain on the base at the completion of the slide (except at home plate) and not changing his path for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

I realize his arm swiped at the player but he definitely did not "change his path" his feet which he was sliding with remained going straight towards the bag.

[bondon]

I'm so sick of reactionary rules in pro sports. Every year you get one overblown incident and you've got rules introduced that have player names stapled to them. Pro sports in general are getting so f'ing soft...and this is the exact kind of shit that a sport like baseball that many already like to joke about doesn't need.

To me this is the part that's complete bullshit

After the replay ruling came down, Gibbons ran out on the field to argue. There was no point, as Everitt, could offer no explanation, and later speaking to a pool reporter, was instructed to limit his comments to the replay ruling.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...al-slide-play/

So the umpire was given a ruling, but was told not to give an explanation and INSTRUCTED to limit his comments to the replay ruling.

So basically what we've been told is it was the Utley rule and to just trust them on it?

**** off MLB

Hope Tampa enjoys their shitty win wrapped with a little bow. Shitheads boot the ball and get bailed out.

[2014olympicgold]

According to the wording of the new rule I don't think he did anything wrong. Nowhere does it say you can't attempt to break up the play, it also does not say that zero contact is allowed during the slide. This exact same slide will happen during the season and the player won't turn his head slightly to make sure he made contact and the umps will deem it to be fine.

Under the new Rule 6.01(j), a runner will have to make a "bona fide slide," which is defined as making contact with the ground before reaching the base, being able to and attempting to reach the base with a hand or foot, being able to and attempting to remain on the base at the completion of the slide (except at home plate) and not changing his path for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

I realize his arm swiped at the player but he definitely did not "change his path" his feet which he was sliding with remained going straight towards the bag.

Rule 6.01(i) -- Sliding to Bases on Double Play Attempts
If a runner does not engage in a bona fide slide, and initiates (or attempts to make) contact with the fielder for the purpose of breaking up a double play, he should be called for interference under this Rule 6.01. A "bona fide slide" for purposes of Rule 6.01 occurs when the runner:
(1) begins his slide (i.e., makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base;
(2) is able and attempts to reach the base with his hand or foot;
(3) is able and attempts to remain on the base (except home plate) after completion of the slide; and
(4) slides within reach of the base without changing his pathway for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

My guess is they thought the swipe was contact with the fielder to break up the DB.

Except by definition it is a bona fide slide, so it should have negated the thing I bolded.

[bondon]

Sanchez tho. Such a solid start. Ball got away from him, and he was losing his balance a bit in the latter part of the game, but his stuff is nasty. That curve must mess with people after seeing 97mph fastballs with movement, and 90mph (should be a tad slower tho) changeups. The curve moved hard and slow (77mph). I said it on a thread somewhere here; Sanchez has the best raw pitching talent on this TBJ squad to win a CY Young in the future. Not knocking Stroman, but Sanchez pumped 8ks (I think) on a team that doesn’t strike out too much. The only thing I wish was if he had a 4^th big pitch. He has a 2-seam, 4-seam, change, and curve, but I want a slider, cutter, or sinker in there. Maybe Stroman can teach him one of the 32 pitches Stroman can throw.

Yeah, lost in all of this bs was the fact that Sanchez had a great start.

[Big Ev]

The call was correct based on the new rules. Not sure why Gibbons and everyone is crying. They put the rule in, live with it.

[Slug]

Rule 6.01(i) -- Sliding to Bases on Double Play Attempts
If a runner does not engage in a bona fide slide, and initiates (or attempts to make) contact with the fielder for the purpose of breaking up a double play, he should be called for interference under this Rule 6.01. A "bona fide slide" for purposes of Rule 6.01 occurs when the runner:
(1) begins his slide (i.e., makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base;
(2) is able and attempts to reach the base with his hand or foot;
(3) is able and attempts to remain on the base (except home plate) after completion of the slide; and
(4) slides within reach of the base without changing his pathway for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

My guess is they thought the swipe was contact with the fielder to break up the DB.

Except by definition it is a bona fide slide, so it should have negated the thing I bolded.

Exactly the contact by the definition of the rule does not matter aslong as the runner has made a bona-fide slide.