Stephen Piscotty had the worst trip around the bases ever

NBC ^ | April 4, 2017 | Bill Baer

[Enchante]

On Tuesday night against the Cubs, Piscotty endured the worst trip around the base paths probably ever. It started with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Piscotty was hit on the right elbow by a Jake Arrieta pitch.

[Da Bilge Troll]

Just goes to show ya, the Cubs can’t throw fer s—t.

[redhead]

Not a good day. Hope he heals quickly, bless his heart.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Thanks, Gil

[dfwgator]

Not as bad as this guy....





"How about that!"

[bankwalker]

What about Marv Throneberry?

[CommerceComet]

My understanding is that the rule against running back to a prior base only applies if the runner does so for the purpose of confusing the opposing team or "making a travesty of the game." Neither one of those applied in this case, so I believe they cleaned the rule up or issued a clarification that would apply in the future.

So would it be allowable for a runner who has already secured second to surrender the base and run back to first on the next pitch? In essence, a reverse steal. I could perhaps see the advantage in this if the open first base would allow the opposing team to walk a dangerous hitter. The new no-pitch IBB complicates this strategy and makes it a moot question but would it have been possible before?

[Alberta's Child]

That would definitely not be allowed. In fact, that scenario was what originally prompted MLB to add the rule against running the bases in reverse. The Segura case was clearly the result of confusion, but that situation is deliberate.

[CommerceComet]

In fact, that scenario was what originally prompted MLB to add the rule against running the bases in reverse.

So did someone deliberately attempt a reverse steal in a game situation? Could you imagine the confusion that would result for the defense if the runner broke from second toward first on a pitch?

[Alberta's Child]

That's exactly what happened. It was way back in the 1920s, I think.

The team at bat had runners on first and third. They attempted to pull a delayed double steal, but when the runner on first ran for second the catcher bobbled the ball and didn't throw it down to second. So now the offensive team has runners on second and third. On the next pitch the runner on second runs back to first ... so they can try the double steal again. LOL.

[SomeCallMeTim]

Ouch!

[CommerceComet]

That's exactly what happened. It was way back in the 1920s,

If this happened in the early 1920s, I would have guessed that the reverse steal would have been done by the Yankees to keep first base occupied so that the opposition had to pitch to Babe Ruth. (By the late 1920s, it would not have been attempted because most teams would be less inclined to intentionally walk Ruth because they would just be facing Lou Gehrig with another runner on base.)