Posted on 04/30/2012 5:41:51 PM PDT by Pharmboy
They don’t really require the throw to first to beat the runner anymore, either.
First, in answer to your question, the practice began long, long ago. It’s one of the little things that makes baseball the best team sport ever invented. As long as the play is cleanly executed and not particularly close at 2nd, the runner is out. It has been that way for the 4+ decades I have been watching (and playing, and coaching) baseball.
Part of the reason is for the safety of the players. The runner, if he’s reasonably close to the second baseman or shortstop covering 2nd, is going to slide toward that player like a torpedo with his spikes in the air in an attempt to break up the play... even if he has to go somewhat out of the baseline to do so. Also, the defending player turning the double play needs a clear line for the throw to 1st, so he’s going to skip past the bag as quickly as possible to get that clear line and avoid the take-out slide. If he was forced to deliberately step on 2nd, he might (deliberately or not) throw the ball straight into the face of the oncoming runner. Oops.
The main thing is, everybody understands what’s going on with double plays; the informal “gentleman’s rule” for double plays is the same for everybody, and I have never seen anybody complain. Like I said, it’s one of those neat little eccentricities about baseball.
FRegards, and Go Phillies!
LH
Let's go all the way and remove the bases completely and replace them with "vicinity circles." As long as the runner and fielder are in the "vicinity circle," it will count as if the fielder was on the "base."
Being on "base" can go the way of "dialing" a number on a phone or "taping" a movie.
We still use the words, but we forget why.
-PJ
Hey, wooden bats are just fine. They just make the barrels too thin these days, IMO. Waste of time and wood.
You’re a moron.
I think you forgot the little sarcasm thingy, but it does look like that sometimes!
Get a life.
How about telling us what you do in your spare time, including what you watch on TV, and let us decide whether you need to "get a life".
When one of my daughter's played in the 4-6 year old Soccer league, they had smaller goals with no goalie. Those games were really funny to watch. My 5 year old that weighed 40 pounds and was 3 foot something (really small) was the only one to get a red card the whole season because she took a kid out doing a softball slide so he couldn't kick it into the goal. The boy was ok, so it was hard not to laugh with everyone else trying not to also. She kept asking “What did I do wrong? You don't give us a goalie what was I to do?” they explained it to her and it's on her highlight reel!
“Vicinity Circles”! That’s funny!
Therefore, umpires do NOT call 2nd base outs because of JOBS!
-PJ
Yo nOOb!
Not cool.
Big effing deal!
I pay more in taxes than most people make. So topper.
You need to cool it. This isn’t a community that tolerates that kind of outburst(unless you have turrets?)
Talking Baseball is as American as commenting on Apple Pie and God.
And why is a ball that hits the foul line or foul pole a fair ball? (needs to be renamed to the fair line or fair pole)
That’s racist!
Check back through his short history.
Does not play well with others and gets validation through confrontation and friction.
Oh and I’m guessing a RomneyBot....
LOL
Now that there’s funny...
OMG
LOL
ROTFLMAO!!!!
OMG!
LOL
Oh man. This guy isn’t gonna make it.
Hey, I had some Balvenie Caribbean the other night. Delish!
Found out they also have a rum. Gonna try Friday and will report back.
As an aside, I went to a San Jose Sabercats game a few years back. I was a little amused by the whole thing and wasn’t imagining I could find it interesting.
My thought was interrupted by football thrown directly at my head When out of no where a player appears in front of me catches the ball, just as I was standing to catch it.
Then BLAMO!!! He get crushed against the boards!!!
I swear I heard his breath leave him and WHACK of the boards sounded like a bunch of plastic being dropped on a sheet of plywood with 185 pounds in it.
Guy looks right at me as this happens and then a little blood comes out of his mouth.
I never screamed so wild eyed in my life.
Sohhhh Fun!
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