chasfh

I really do need to make a habit of scrolling down before replying.

I’s true: networks have the upper hand here, and they should take advantage of that. In big markets, there are enough independents they can strike affiliate deals with, like WDAL in DC or KWDK in Seattle or KPDX in Portland to shake off pesky affiliate groups and get clearance for their shows. In small markets, they can strike deals with other stations to run on their dot-two channels to get clearance. Affiliate groups on the other hand won't make as much money airing Golden Girls reruns, so it ends up hurting them more. I think I'd like to see networks flex their muscle in this case.

That’s fine, you don’t have to come up with anything they might have done differently. It’s not as though we know any better than they do. And you’re right, you’re not a mlb GM. It’s not your job. You don’t have to have a serious discussion with other fans just because they ask you to, or otherwise talk about or have to think about possible remedies that might would have been better than what they did. You can just continue to yell at the clouds about it. That’s a fan’s privilege and a fan’s prerogative.

I think the principle is, the game is played by the players and not the umpires. That’s probably why we never see umpires make a call and then just stop play to change their own call. They require the players to appeal the call instead, if they think the play was called wrong. I remember a softball game in which I crossed the plate to score, and then after a couple seconds the umpire yelled that I was actually out because I hadn’t touched the plate. Setting aside that I don’t think he saw it right, it’s not as though anybody on the other team chased me to tag me out, or told him I missed the plate, or anything like that. He just decided to call me out, period. I’m shocked none of us pushed back on him in the moment, but the rule in the book is, if a runner misses the plate, he’s considered safe until someone appeals, then the umpire rules as he thinks he saw it happen in the moment. It is explicitly an appeal play, and I believe that’s because of the principle that the play on the field belongs to the players, and not the umpire. The umpire is not there to rule the players like a king. He’s there to adjudicate the rules like a judge.

Sigh … I’m out … I’ll keep it on the iPad but I'm disengaging for the moment. Mental health thing.

LOL knocked the bat out of his hands!!

Got Valera on the strikeout. Good work so far by Vest. Now for the big kahuna …

If they break the dam open here, our season is essentially over.

I’m not talking about effectiveness. I’m talking about what it communicates.

Wow, short fly to center is a big break there.

Putting Vest in here to put out the fire in the seventh is basically telling everyone you know this is your season right here.

Then you burn two guys. Benches are too short to do that. And Ibanez is supposed to hit LHPs. (Insert lame joke here.)

The difference is Ibanez can take 3B and McKinstry SS. Can’t put JHen in the infield.

Herrin not looking good out of the gate here.

They’re not gonna turn Wenceel around—make ‘em pay, baby.

TTBDNS

Whoa, McKinstry beats out the relay to thwart the double play. Guy can def scoot

Wenceel draws ball three and four on what could have been strikes two and three. Two on, no out.

Riley strikes out. No big deal. Or so he says.

Flaherty gives up a #9 hitter’s second career home run. Sadness.

Another hard hit ball for the groundout. We are smacking Bibee around pretty good and getting very little for our efforts. He’s at 55 pitches now so he’s got only, maybe 35 left in him tops before that shutdown bullpen comes in, so this next inning with Tork, Riley, and Wenceel coming up is really crucial for us.

Special pleading FTW.

Nice rip by Torres to get Sweeney to second.

Another smoked ball for an out by Parker. At least we get a run out of that, courtesy of the Sweeney medium-hit single.

Sweeney sneaks one past Manzardo that time.