Scholarship table
Puig is a tool, that was a bad call. The throw took him across the plate.
Maddon should probably be more mad that his bullpen kinda sucks than over that call.
That rule is a dumb as the NFL pass possession rule with its 50 caveats. Let the players play.
I don't disagree, flip side is if old rule is in place, Contreras likely gets bulldozed there.
The rule was intended to protect the catcher but what that play proves, is is unfair for the fielder and favors the runner. It was a bang bang play where the catcher had to swing to the left to catch and apply the tag.They review it in slow motion and determine he was blocking the plate as he is receiving the ball.
I don’t think so. He clearly kicked his leg out. And I honestly don’t find it to be a bad rule. I guess it comes down to whether or not you think a fielder should be able to block a runner from being able to touch the bag. Personally I like that the fielder can’t. The only reason the runner couldn’t touch the base was because he was blocked from the base by the fielder. If a baserunner can’t block a fielder from making a clean throw (double play situation, etc) then I don’t have a problem with a fielder not being able to block a runner from being able to touch a base.Unless the Cubs get 2 runs here it won’t end up mattering though.
And 5 minutes after I post that he makes the throw of his life.
It didn't matter but it's still an awful rule. The throw absolutely took him in that direction.
I didn't see the play, but the ESPN broadcasters seemed to immediately think the initial call would be overturned and couldn't believe Maddon was arguing.
One stupid rule helped the Cubs Thursday night. One stupid rule hurts the Cubs tonight.
Definitely a stupid rule. Lackey had it right, the softening of baseball has hurt the game.
What do the ratings say?
I sound like a broken record...Joe Maddon made some odd bullpen decisions tonight. Did Wade Davis leave the stadium or something in like the 5th inning?
Maddon lucked into the Cubs offense last year masking his poor bullpen decision making. That's not happening this year.Turner was 3-6 (now 4-7) lifetime against Lackey. Everything about bringing him in made ZERO sense, between the consecutive nights being used, bringing a starter into the middle of an inning with a runner on, his velocity hitting just low 90's. Maddon's postgame comments were just absurd. So basically he wasn't bringing Davis in unless the Cubs got a lead. Utterly ridiculous.
back to back NLCS's
Every Cubs fan saw that happening. I had NO faith in Lackey there. I was praying he lucked into an out of some sort with Taylor cause I knew at worst Turner was going to poke a single somewhere on a bad pitch.For any soccer fans, Maddon reminds me of the Mourinho effect. Provides magic in the locker room, gets teams to play together, but that wears off. He doesn't get toxic like Mourinho, but I think the spark he brings and provides is past. I firmly believe that team doesn't gel quickly and get to back to back NLCS's without him. But he couldn't manage a bullpen last year and its even worse this year. He's holding the team back. Baseball is funny and the Cubs could easily win this series in 6 or 7, but margins are very thin and he's severely disadvantaged in late game pitching talent, without him bumbling through it.KB has been as bad as Ive ever seen an elite talent be.