Just happened in the Cubs Pirates game. Its almost hard to believe this happened in a big league game
Yeah, the funny thing about that play, which the people on ESPN only slowly grasped, is that it was absolutely nothing other than two monumental brain cramps by the rookie first baseman, followed by physical errors by the catcher and second baseman. First, as people realized pretty quickly, the first baseman only had to turn around and walk back and step on first base, and the inning would have been over, with no run scoring. What people didn't seem to realize was that he compounded this stupidity with a second one. When he saw the runner heading for home, he threw the ball to try to get him tagged out. That was totally unnecessary and foolish. All he still had to do was turn around and run to first before Baez got there; if the batter doesn't beat the play to first base, the run doesn't count and the inning is over, even if the runner touches home plate before the out is made at first. The final mistake was a physical one, when the catcher and second baseman botched the throw back to first (mostly the second baseman's fault for not covering first anyway), since if the second baseman had caught the ball and beaten Baez to the bag, the run still wouldn't have counted, and the inning still would have been over.
The rookie first baseman, Will Craig, has been designated for assignment by the Pirates. With a slash line of .217/.277/.300 and 22 K's in 65 plate appearances, it's not too tough to understand why.
Nuts. I had to watch that clip 3x because the first two times I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Not even my Rays of our Devil Rays days ever had a blooper as EMBARRASSING as what I just watched lol
Actually it's even worse because the first baseman didn't even have to get back to first. He could have just kept chasing the runner back to the plate because the runner had nowhere to go (the runner has to get to first, and if he touches home, he's automatically out). It only broke down for good once he threw the ball instead of holding it.
One of the Yankees record setting triple plays this season was due to atrocious base running. With today's game focused so much on home runs and strikeouts, who has the time to learn the proper way to run the bases? Today's baseball is a joke. Can't stand it.
Is it necessarily the case that baserunning blunders are more common today? Or has social media just made them go viral when in previous eras they would have gone unnoticed?
I'm not sure how old you are but back when I was a kid/teenager, base running was a huge part of the game. When Ricky Henderson was on the Yankees, if he got on first, you could pencil him on at third. Today it's all about the HR. Station to station base running. The game has been ruined by the "advanced metrics." No one gives a shit about batting average these days. Just hit the long ball. Awful.
The Yankees rank last in stolen bases and some teams still play small ball yeah I hope the NL never gets rid of the pitchers batting or else it'll become the AL with DH and small ball gone forever. You bring up a good point about batting average though. My Rays only rank 24th @ .229 but yet 14th with 95 HRs and always swinging for the fences. However @bicketybam I have a question I don't know the answer to. Has hitting gone down over the years or have pitchers just evolved with hot fire? It's a question I still don't know how to answer... MLB batting averages over the years. 2021: .238% 2020: .245%. 2019: .252%. 2018: .248%. 2017: .255%. Etc. Etc. 1995: .267%. 1994: .270%. 1993: .265%. 1992: .256%. 1991: .256%. 1975: .258%. 1974: .257%. 1973: .257%. 1972: .244%. 1971: .249%. Etc. This is why I love baseball man. I remember as a kid my Grandpa once told me baseball is like no other American sport. He told me "baseball is a game of failure" and that not even Ted Williams could ever hit for over .500% and told me no player will ever even have an OBP% of over .500% because baseball has always been a game of failure. Heck even the greatest baseball player of my generation your Derek Jeter could only retire with a batting average of .310%. Think about it man would baseball even be fun anymore if everyone was Ted Williams and could have multiple seasons of +.400% batting averages and over .500% OBPs while pitchers give up 10+ runs every game? I'd hate it. Imo baseball is perfect just the way it is low batting averages just like it's always been and all I just wish MLB would stop fkn with the baseballs and keep them the same forever. But yes I don't remember an MLB era where every pitcher could throw 98-101 mph until recently. These kids throwing the baseball these days are unreal amazing man I don't even know how hitters can bat over .100% these days?
There is no doubt in my mind that the NL will adopt the DH next season. I would be shocked if they didn't. It gives more jobs to players + allows more action in the game. Your point about the ball is spot on. The fact that MLB bought the manufacturer is all you need to know.. lol. There are some conspiracy theories out there that they mess with the ball based on who is hitting FA the following year. Bunch of hitters? Okay let's give the advantage to the pitchers.
