Bizarre play and blown call leads to phantom 3-6-3 double play for Rangers (Video)

Yahoo Sports ^ | 5-25-13 | By Mark Townsend, Big League Stew

[rawhide]

Weird baseball reached a whole new level on Friday night in Seattle.

Note: Watch the video at the link before reading the article.

[rawhide]

It took a second watch of the video at the link to see what happened. So funny.

[Chode]

OK, that was sure enough bizarre...

[JLS]

The explanation for why this call was blown is quite easy. Since a person can not watch two things at once, the call at first is made by the ump watching the foot of the runner and listening for the sound of the ball hitting the glove.

If the foot hits before the sound, the call is safe. If the sound is first, the call is out.

Alas this poor ump followed the general rule, but the sound came from the pitcher not the first baseman whose foot was on the bag catching the ball.

[illiac]

Watched the game....later the ump confessed to booting the call...cost the M’s a run, but probably not enough to have changed the outcome...

[newheart]

One thing is certain. The first baseman was safe. The pitcher tagged him, but not in time.

Hilarious

[illiac]

“first baseman whose foot was on the bag catching the ball”

Interestingly enough, in the replays during the game, the first basement’s foot was off the bag by 3 to 4 inches....

[Joe 6-pack]

The pitcher now leads the league in interceptions.

[smoothsailing]

That’s one for the books, LOL!

[Forgotten Amendments]

The umps watch the runner’s foot and listen for the 1B to catch it. Perfectly understandable.

Sometimes a 1B will pound his glove when the throw is on the way to fool the ump.

[FatherofFive]

It took a second watch of the video at the link to see what happened. So funny.

I didn't see it the first time either, but when I saw the pitcher fiddle with the ball I knew something happened.

BTW, this is the first baseball play I saw this year. Such a boring sport to watch, unless things like this happen.

[Rocky]

I’ve never seen anything like that.

[The Cajun]

That was the perfect setup for a failed call.

[llevrok]

Seattle fits the old blues lyrics, “If I didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all”.

They suck. Again.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Excuse my ignorance, but what does 3-6-3 mean?

Wins, losses, ties?

[rawhide]

3-6-3 indicates the order the ball was touched by the players to the end of the play.

Pitcher (1 / P)
Catcher (2 / C)
First baseman (3 / 1B)
Second baseman (4 / 2B)
Third baseman (5 / 3B)
Shortstop (6 / SS)
Left fielder (7 / LF)
Center fielder (8 / CF)
Right fielder (9 / RF)

[Jack Hydrazine]

Thanks for the explanation!

[Chode]

i understand it, but it was still bizarre to watch... 8^)

[Hot Tabasco]

Alas this poor ump followed the general rule, but the sound came from the pitcher not the first baseman whose foot was on the bag catching the ball.

You're absolutely right and it took me two views of the video which captured the whole sequence to figure out what happened....a luxury the umpire didn't have.

[rawhide]

Not sure what the announcer said at the end of the video, but it seems by the sound of his voice he saw what happened and was incredulous at what happened? That was funny also.

[who knows what evil?]

I was following that game last night...even the guys broadcasting the game were fooled until they saw the replay...got to love Moreland and Grimm walking away from first...”just keep your mouth shut...”