Ignored Rule of Baseball
A TAG is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with his hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove.
That is the rule that is routinely ignored on the tag at second base on an attempted double play. The umpires decided not to ignore that rule because the shortstop for the Braves missed the bag by about two inches, versus the foot or two most miss by, on a play about a half hour ago.
I know most of you aren't exercised about this; but, Alberto Gonzales is expected to call it fast and loose. Umpires aren't. If they do, they are supposed to be consistent. If that is the case from this moment on, expect a lot less double plays.
5 comments:
Ticky tack calls make the game a bit more ticky tack.
Wish I could offer you better.
I didn't hear about this. :-(
Hold on a minute here Dave. Playing "Ricky Ricardo" here now, I need you to "'Splain" something apparently. I always thought "fast and loose" meant making fast, often reckless decisions or to that effect. If that's the case, and if Gonzales is "expected" to operate in that manner, but, from my interpretation then of your putting for the "tag" rule in baseball, then the law operates with a wide berth as to interpretations of "Safe" or "out" whereas baseball, a sport, must use the much closer confines and adhere strictly to the rules. Am I following this correctly or not? Be careful about confusing me -it can happen quite easily sometimes (and othertimes, not -early Altzheimer's ya know) -and if I am comprehending this correctly, isn't there something wrong, inherently wrong, about the law operating in that manner as compared to baseball and strict regulations -supposedly anyway? Clear my fog-riddled brain here will ya?
Fast and loose: "Be inconstant and unreliable." I got this definition from a website the authority of which I do not vouch.
I'm not a baseball expert by any means. In the game there's a lot of subjectivity in the way rules are applied. There is an exact strike zone which no umpire calls exactly. What players and teams want from an umpire is consistency. The ball knee high, or a touch below, and maybe a hair inside, is a strike with Umpire A. For both teams, for all of the innings.
The "tag" at second base in a double play attempt is traditionally given a lot of leeway. Having the ball in hand and being in the vicinity of the bag as you throw to first is considered a tag. I've been told the reason for the leeway is to avoid injury from the runner sliding with his spikes up to the bag; but, I don't know that that's true.
In an earlier inning, the umpire allowed a "vicinity" tag by the other team and thus, acted inconsistently, playing "fast and loose" with the rules.
In contrast, the "law," as practiced by ethical lawyers has little room for inconsistency. Indeed, one of its primary goals is to be consistent so as to "order society." As practiced by our Attorney General, the only consistent factor in his application of law is that he will act to the benefit of the Administration, regardless of how he has to mangle the rules; he plays "fast and loose."
That's all the 'splainin I got in me.
All right! At least then, from your further explanation, I DO understand completely then what you said in the initial post! Yea, yea for me!
Actually, I thought see in baseball that the infielder/outfielder (who ever is making the "tag" so to speak, had to at some point actually TOUCH either the runner or the base, regardless of the sliding/cleats up danger aspect that could be involved.
Now, with Gonzales -and with several other nominees for AG in previous years, I marveled at how much more I apparently knew and understood of at least some portions of the law that they just didn't get - silly little things like oh, immigration, green cards, hiring of illegals; or how about just not knowing they were supposed to pay social security on the employees too. Amazing how unknowledgeable those applicants were and they were being considered for the post of the head honcho over the courts and legal profession of the entire country and I actually knew more than they did in that instance any way. Absolutely mind-boggling considering how dense I am at times too, lol. And you need never worry about using too many words around me as I might hold the rank of "Queen of excess verbage." Maybe?
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