There's nothing "lucky" about Cora's success, in general or in particular to this game.
I expect Cora to do the exact right thing.
When did he get hurt? I saw that AB against Jansen and he did seem a little odd but was watching at a party with music playing over the sound.... so I couldn't hear anything if he got hurt but I don't recall anything from earlier.
Glad to know the powers of "unhinged Chris" can be used for good, not evil.
Good work here.
You’re saying Bellinger interfered with the throw? I don’t think that would have been the right call (Although I also think it would have been defensible if it was called). Bellinger wasn’t running outside the lane intentionally to interfere (I know intent doesn’t matter). His feet seem to be in or on the lane (on the chalk counts). And the intersection in question happens right at the bag, where the runner has leeway (per the rulebook) to get back to where he can get to the bag.
Bellinger was well inside the lane within the last half of his trip to first, however, so all you need to do is argue that Pearce's view of the ball coming or his positioning was impacted by that and it's no-doubt interference by the rule. It is not solely a question of the last few feet. That is why I think it's a pretty clear call, in retrospect.
Cora is a big fan of the Two Days Off theory of player rest.
Particularly given that none of them is a lock to start in an NL park. Speaks to the depth of the team. Man I love this Red Sox team.
I agree he has looked terrible at the plate. However, when X singled in the 8th, JDM went from first to third and looked like he was moving just fine.
he was certainly in fair territory running down the line. This used to be called quite often in the past, not so much lately. Don't know why this can't be reviewed, it certainly isn't a judgment call, it's where hes feet are.
The Red Sox have been historically good with two outs and RISP this postseason.
After looking at the replay again .. Vazquez’s throw is actually to the foul side of the line - if Pearce has moved across the bag he might have had a chance at it. Mind you that’s really dangerous.
RBI is flawed as a predictor of what might happen next and as a means of comparison (given its dependency on opportunity). But as a descriptor of what actually happened - as in this case - it's perfectly good
Yeah, I think in small sample sizes it's somewhat meaningful. We don't need it to tell us anything except they're putting runs on the board.
Not a freeze frame, but here's the video:
An ankle injury usually does not bother straight line running. If you cut the bag with your good ankle you are fine.
I thought interference in real time and replay, but I think this is about right. The call is rarely made, and I can't recall it being made where the ball doesn't hit the batter/runner. Probably for the reason you say. It's harder (but far from impossible) to say "Vazquez threw an uncatchable ball because of the runner" than it is to say "Pearce would've caught it in time if the ball hadn't hit the runner."
The funny part, looking at the video again, is that I think this is exactly what Vaz was trying to do. Vaz could have gotten the out with a throw to the infield side of the foul line, a backhand reach for the righthanded Pearce. Instead he threw straight down the line, right at Bellinger -- and missed him, barely. And that actually may be why the run scored, because while Holt was a bit late getting to the play, he was in position to back up a throw to the infield side of the line if Pearce had missed it.
There is one angle of the play I saw on the international MLBNetwork feed. The HP ump made a quick and dirty safe signal after having to look that Vaz did get the corner of the plate. Cora did come out but the HP ump was the only hope of that getting to a huddle and overturned, and I think the HP ump never actually saw the play.
Cora did make a comment about Price pitching "in a National League park". So it's either what you said, or they think Price is just a better hitter.
Another question is whether Bellinger just flat out beat the throw. I'm not sure a good throw would have gotten him -- it was very, very close, and Pearce had no time to stretch for the throw.
I think he absolutely had the throw beat. And i never thought it was interference because he is entitled to be where he was when he gets to the bag.
Not to whine about whining, but if half the game thread posters were sitting behind me at the game, I'd have to change my seats (versus what I'd do if I were 30 years younger). It makes me wonder why some of them are even baseball fans.
