Idiocy in Pittsburgh
 

The story talks about the dumbest play of the season. I nominate it for the dumbest play in MLB history, although I haven't thought about it for more than a few minutes. PLUS THERE WERE TWO OUTS!!!!

https://sports.yahoo.com/javy-baez-f...174849767.html

Hilarious! I can't stop watching this video.
Will this play be known as "Craig's Boner" from now on?
Has a catcher ever had runners bearing down on him at the plate from both first and third base at the same time before?
The Pirates were lucky to hold Baez at second base. That throw at second got away and could have ended up in the outfield.
And then the next batter Ian Happ singled in Baez. You can not make this stuff up! A play like this is one big reason why baseball is so great.

Funny thing is, if Baez had been thrown out at 1B, then under rule 5.08(a), the run would have been erased.

Steve

Exactly.
1). Turn and walk the ball to 1b. Inning over. OR
2 Charge the runner and tag him. There is no rundown play, as the batter has no safe base where he can return. Dumb because you have to tag before runner scores, but still should be OK as you have the whole play in front of you and can sprint at the batter. If he somehow evades you AND stays in the baseline, turn and soft toss to 1b. Inning over. OR
3) Have catcher make accurate throw to 1B and have infielder already there to accept throw. Inning over, no run scores despite the preceding foolishness.
BUT NO.
Team Buffoonery. At the highest level.

The only possible explanation is that the Pirates first baseman Will Craig had no idea that there were 2 outs. Why run Baez all the way back to home and just when Baez has run out of room throw the ball to the catcher to try and tag a sliding Contreras? :eek:

And what was the Pirates second baseman doing during this whole play? Just wandering around the infield? "Oops! I better hightail it over to first base now!"

He was probably in a daze wondering what the hell the 1st Baseman was doing. :D

I don't understand why Baez wasn't called out. He's clearly out of the baseline when the throw goes home. He's standing in front of the plate. You can only run to first between the foul line and the edge of the grass. As soon as he stepped over the foul line he should have been called out.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c1c730307f.jpg


Look where he's standing.

If that were true, then wouldn't any player who hits a home run and takes a wide turn to first base via the grass be called out?

Been a long time but I believe "out of the baseline" applies when evading a tag ;TLDR.

He was caught in a run down at the time. Doesn't that meet your definition of evading a tag?

He's not out of the baseline. He runs practically right on the line for nearly the entire play. He is well within three feet of the line at any time, and in the moment captured by your screeenshot he is actually moving to avoid being hit by a throw--hardly interference of any kind.

Baez was no longer in a rundown when Craig threw the ball to the catcher to make the tag on Contreras. And as the "Associate Plate Umpire" he was getting in a better position to make his safe call! :D
And once the play at the plate ended, Baez got back on the line for his next rundown between the catcher and the late arriving second baseman. :D

This play was definitely a head scratcher! It sure was fun to watch though.