Comments on: Lowell’s shoulder on Saturday

By: Rusty Priske

Rusty Priske — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:46:33 +0000

I just hate seeing comments like “but why not try it?”

The main reason would be because you have a sense of fair play and sportsmanship.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:09:50 +0000

Watching the game, it appeared to me that Lowell *stopped*. Cano kept running. It wasn’t so much as Lowell running into Cano, but Cano running into a (stopped) Lowell.

Lesson: don’t run into a baseball player.

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:48:27 +0000

Even Yankee-fan extraordinaire, Tim McCarver, said during this play, “That was a smart play by Lowell.”

Fielders aren’t allowed to stand in the path of the runner and force the runner to dodge them. Lowell’s play only looks a bit odd because he stopped first before throwing the shoulder.

By: Fred

Fred — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:46:22 +0000

Evan makes an interesting point that reminds me of a play I encountered in slow pitch softball a few weeks ago. Guy on first runs to 2nd on a ground ball to 3rd, 3rd baseman throws to 2nd, but instead of sliding or stopping at 2nd, the runner just keeps running hard to 3rd. With only one umpire calling the game, the play was close enough that he called the runner safe even though he was clearly out by my view at 1st. By running through 2nd base, the runner was able to trick the umpire into calling him safe. It would be much more difficult to pull off with a full officiating crew, but why not try it?

By: Nathan

Nathan — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:58:02 +0000

The non-reaction to this play totally baffles me. On an imaginary spectrum that ranges from a hard slide into second to Albert Belle’s elbow to Fernando Vina’s head, what Lowell did strikes me as closer to latter.

By: DMZ

DMZ — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:48:01 +0000

I’m going to have to finish up that post on the applicable rules and interpretations on taking out the guy at second.

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 18:23:26 +0000

But baserunners are allowed to run over fielders who are in their way – that’s always been the explanation for the take-out slide at second.

I’ve always wondered why players who could disrupt the play more by running through second (turning for third as if the out hadn’t been made) don’t do that.

Lowell running over Cano is Lowell behaving as he would have had Cano not been there – Lowell’s specific job there is to run to the bag. A-Rod shouting at Clark is A-Rod specifically acting to distract Clark.

By: Frank Jordan

Frank Jordan — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:05:50 +0000

I think the reason this was considered “clean” compared to Alex is because it wasn’t deceptive. The rules state the runner has the rights to the baseline and he very openly planted and lowered his shoulder. The A-Rod play was deceptive, like a balk call, and considered unsportsmanlike.