Not Bob & Friends
 

Yeah! (What he said.)

Question for str8
 

I was away for the weekend too. So I bought it in my weekend-destination locale! (duh)

What about doing the sex AND Harry Potter thing at the same time? Multi-tasking GWINK!

I will say it helped that it was a rainy day yesterday. What better way to spend a rainy weekend afternoon? (OK, I can think of a better way too, but if that's not an available option -- marathon Harry-Potter-reading is a second-best alternative.)

Do ya'll want a Harry Potter spoiler thread?

Incidently, the Oompa Loompas in Tim Burton's Chocolate Factory kick ass.

I think it's just one guy . . . which is pretty cool. I should have gone to a movie this weekend.

Not Bob & Friends
 

Caveat that I didn't see the play, but I heard about it after. Slides to break up a double play are different -- they are legal, while slapping the glove apparently isn't. I've seen some ridiculous stuff at second when the runner rolls over the ss trying to turn the play, and no one ever says much about it.

And others may say that ARod is forever tarred, but I don't think that.

Apropos of nothing, Cano is quite the find. Ironic that on a $20 million payroll, he is one of the bright spots this season.

How about a discussion thread?

aV

Not Bob & Friends
 

I understand that you haven't seen it, but now you're just ignoring my description of the play.

Millar was halfway (if that) between first and second. The ball was hit in front of him. Cano applied the tag to Millar when Millar was backing up. Millar fell on his back trying to avoid the tag. As he was lying on his back (not sliding, because if he was doing any sliding it would be towards first, since that is the direction in which he fell), he deliberately stuck his legs out to trip Cano, who was stepping over him to throw to first.

Now, had he been sliding into second, you would have a point, although the rule requires you to be at least within an arm's or a leg's reach of the bag. Of course, that never gets followed, and if that's what happened, it would be a typical slide into second, trying to break up the double play. But that's not what happened. Millar was trying to break up the double play when he was 30 feet away from second base (as I already said) and wasn't even in the process of sliding. That is interference and it's just as cheap as ARod's slap.

You will undoubtedly attempt to find a way to distinguish this, but the only differences are (1) it was a Red Sox player who did it in this instance and (2) it didn't happen in the ALCS, so no one paid any attention to it. The fact is, if you think ARod's slap was somehow different than Manny's trying to sell a trapped ball as a catch, then you have to agree that Millar tripping Cano is as "dishonest" or cheap as ARod's slap.

I think it's funny that they dangled both him and Wang in front of every team out there for an established pitcher and every single scout said that our farm system was completely depleted and those two guys weren't worth anything. Oops.

The craziest thing about last night was Al Leiter's performance. I wonder if he has any more of those in him.

TM

Done.

And did you see the New York Times magazine article on Battlestar Galactica this Sunday?

Not Bob & Friends
 

Is this true?

7.09
It is interference by a batter or a runner when: (a) After a third strike he hinders the catcher in his attempt to field the ball; (b) After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. If the batter runner drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory and, in the umpire's judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play; (c) He intentionally deflects the course of a foul ball in any manner; (d) Before two are out and a runner on third base, the batter hinders a fielder in making a play at home base; the runner is out; (e) Any member or members of the offensive team stand or gather around any base to which a runner is advancing, to confuse, hinder or add to the difficulty of the fielders. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate or teammates; (f) Any batter or runner who has just been put out hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate; If the batter or a runner continues to advance after he has been put out, he shall not by that act alone be considered as confusing, hindering or impeding the fielders. (g) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner. (h) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a batter runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball, with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead; the umpire shall call the batter runner out for interference and shall also call out the runner who had advanced closest to the home plate regardless where the double play might have been possible. In no event shall bases be run because of such interference.

What does "the act of fielding a batted ball" mean?

I have not read the article yet. Did see the episode. Very well done.

aV

Not Bob & Friends
 

Good lord, you're a nerd.

While watching Baseball Tonight recently, they were discussing the rule and how it gets applied in a double play situation. An umpire in some game called the runner breaking up a double play, who slid more than two body lengths behind second base, out (as well as the batter). I guess the rule of thumb is, if you can't justify your taking someone out with a slide into second because you can't even reach the bag, then it should be interference.

TM

Not Bob & Friends
 

FYI, nerds are on another thread just this minute. Until Coltrane starts using acronyms to describe the titles of Harry Potter books I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Not Bob & Friends
 

Good point. And it's very lonely around here if you don't read HP or watch much baseball.

Not Bob & Friends
 

Now, that is unkind.

I wouldn't get too high up there on my "cool" horse, oh chatter-on-lawyer-internet-board person!

Not Bob & Friends
 

Maybe I should go back to my Lamba Lamda Lamda avatar.


I can't watch Baseball Tonight. Like Chris Berman with NFL Primetime, John Kruk has ruined Baseball Tonight for me.