Nationals vs Braves, Game 1

[loshjott]

Well if you guys need to rewatch the play:

http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24081317&c_id=was&partnerId=aw-6398225453849127815-1047

After rewatching it a few times, I see that Uggla bobbled the ball slightly as soon as it got to him. I think that made it impossible for him to get Espy at home, which he realized. So, his only chance is a 4-6-3 DP - even that would have been tough. The SS was moving to the bag and was in position for the turn. Suzuki made a smart move and stopped which Uggla may have seen in the corner of his eye. But I think after that first bobble, even if Uggla fired to SS, Tracy would have beat out the DP. The ball was not hit as hard as I thought watching it live and Tracy was motoring down the line.

[welch]

Does anybody have a re-play of the Suzuki "hit" that set up the Tracy walk-off? I think one of the Braves fielders (Chipper?) kicked the ball...and Ray said that McCann left 3rd base uncovered.

One of the all-time most amazing endings.

[shoeshineboy]

After rewatching it a few times, I see that Uggla bobbled the ball slightly as soon as it got to him. I think that made it impossible for him to get Espy at home, which he realized. So, his only chance is a 4-6-3 DP - even that would have been tough. The SS was moving to the bag and was in position for the turn. Suzuki made a smart move and stopped which Uggla may have seen in the corner of his eye. But I think after that first bobble, even if Uggla fired to SS, Tracy would have beat out the DP. The ball was not hit as hard as I thought watching it live and Tracy was motoring down the line.

Yeah, rewatching it here, it appears that because Uggla needed to bend and stretch out a bit to field the ball, he needed a second to get in position to check Espinosa. Your thought in that situation should ne that the runner will run on contact and you need to come home. It appears that Uggla may have been thinking that since the ball was hit back to him that the runner on 3rd may not go, because when he gets up it looks like he is thinking he is moving to look the runner back to 3rd so he can then get the out at first. He's not really positioned to go home, and instead, he looks toward 3rd and then his eyes catch Espinosa on his way home. At that point, he seems to then be caught between trying to readjust to throw home and then realizing he has to go with the alternative of a DP attempt. But he realizes he has no shot. Suzuki freezing is a distraction as well. Ultimately as soon as he doesn't come home and then the distraction makes the DP impossible, the play is over.

It appears to me that his thinking that he could check the runner back as opposed to assuming he had to come home was all a matter of a first instinct being incorrect, and then in a split second he knows its over. Davey had a good comment on that after the game. He's absolutely right. You don't really have the luxury of looking for a DP or an alternative play. You have to be thinking that you come home. There's a bobble and a double clutch there, but ultimately, the hesitation on what to do seems to be the root of the issue. The hit wasn't really right at him where he could keep the play in front of him. Once his eye comes off the runner, the instinct has to be to come up firing home, and he didn't.

[mitlen]

"Suzuki freezing is a distraction."

That may be the key to the whole botched play.   

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

All of this may be true, but I'm enjoying piling ridicule on Uggla far too much to stop now 

[The Chief]

I turned the game on going into the bottom of the 12th, then thought better of it and turned it back off.  You're all welcome

[WhiteWhale]

"Any man dies with a clean sword, and I'll rape his freaking corpse!"

Does this mean that Michael Morse should be concerned for his bum after last night?

[houston-nat]

it looks like he is thinking he is moving to look the runner back to 3rd...
It appears to me that his thinking that he could check the runner back as opposed to assuming he had to come home was all a matter of a first instinct being incorrect, and then in a split second he knows its over.

This occurred to me as I rewatched as well. Part of what confused me is that his first reaction to fielding the ball was to look over to third base rather than home - and as soon as he loses the chance to throw out Espinosa, Chad Tracy's already charging so hard to first base that the game is effectively over. Chad Tracy can outrun Dan Uggla, because most people can outrun Dan Uggla.

[Copecwby20]

You drank a whole handle worth of alcohol?  By yourself??

No, I had friends over. I can put away the booze, but that's a little much, even for me.

[loshjott]

But it's not about outrunning Tracy because Freeman is at 1B waiting for the throw. If this is not a walk off situation, once Uggla bobbles the ball he has an easy 4-3 out with a run scoring.

I also think instinct took over for Uggla. He bobbles the ball, realizes he can't get Espy, so he cocks his arm and looks to first for the easy force out of Tracy. At the same split second he realizes that play won't help and the ball just falls to the ground. Look at 1:08-10 on the linked MLB.com video.

[shoeshineboy]

But it's not about outrunning Uggla because Freeman is at 1B waiting for the throw. If this is not a walk off situation, once Uggla bobbles the ball he has an easy 4-3 out with a run scoring.

I also think instinct took over for Uggla. He bobbles the ball, realizes he can't get Espy, so he cocks his arm and looks to first for the easy force out of Tracy. At the same split second he realizes that play won't help and the ball just falls to the ground. Look at 1:08-10 on the linked MLB.com video.

There is no doubt that the dropping of the ball was analogous to when an outfielder let's a flyball just drop for a walkoff because there is no play. Any bobble and doubleclutch he may have made initially certainly killed the chances, he knew it, and every reaction after that was more resignation and realization than just being a spaz. But that initial look back to 3B when he comes up is the killer. Perhaps he was looking there to see if he even had a chance when he knew he didn't field it cleanly. But even if he bobbled it a bit, his instinct needed to be to come up looking home and trying to make the play there. Once he sees Espy go home, he knows its over no matter what, and the body language makes that clear.

[GburgNatsFan]

If someone could, please clarify this for me - I admit to being a big fan, but still no expert. If Espi beats the last out of the 4-6-3 (or potentially 4-3-6) double play, does the run count? I don't think it does. It looked to me like Uggla, before he dropped the ball, still had plenty of time to go  4-3-6 as Suzuki was much closer to first than second.

[shoeshineboy]

If it is a 4 6 3 DP then it doesn't matter whether Espi crosses the plate first because both are force outs. However, if they get the force at 1B first, then Suzuki needs to be tagged out because he then has an option of going back to 1B or go on to second. In that situation, if Espi crosses home plate first, the run counts.

[Lintyfresh85]

If it is a 4 6 3 DP then it doesn't matter whether Espi crosses the plate first because both are force outs. However, if they get the force at 1B first, then Suzuki needs to be tagged out because he then has an option of going back to 1B or go on to second. In that situation, if Espi crosses home plate first, the run counts.

I assumed as much... but you know what they say when one assumes.

[shoeshineboy]

I assumed as much... but you know what they say when one assumes.

The best DP chance Uggla had was tagging Suzuki en route and the getting Tracy out on the first. But with Suzuki freezing and Tracy hustling, there wasn't time. He could have thrown to 2B first, but the SS likely wasn't there yet and it would have been tough for them to turn it. The hesitation was too much of a delay, and Tracy was charging down the line well.

[Displaced Bucco]

You know, Danny Espinosa takes a lot of grief on here and I think we've all been frustrated by him at one point or another, so I want to say two things.

1)  I think he makes the play Uggla botched...he's a pretty good second baseman

2)  His hustle and heads up baserunning by going to third on Suzuki's hit was the difference in this game.  That last play goes 4-6-3 if he's on second.

[mitlen]

You know, Danny Espinosa takes a lot of grief on here and I think we've all been frustrated by him at one point or another, so I want to say two things.

1)  I think he makes the play Uggla botched...he's a pretty good second baseman

2)  His hustle and heads up baserunning by going to third on Suzuki's hit was the difference in this game.  That last play goes 4-6-3 if he's on second.

We all know Bo Porter concocted all that.

[Displaced Bucco]

We all know Bo Porter concocted all that.

You're right!  And Bo should have sent him once he got to third...he easily beats McCann back to the plate!

[welch]

If it is a 4 6 3 DP then it doesn't matter whether Espi crosses the plate first because both are force outs. However, if they get the force at 1B first, then Suzuki needs to be tagged out because he then has an option of going back to 1B or go on to second. In that situation, if Espi crosses home plate first, the run counts.

That's exactly right...and why Suzuki stopped. Uggla could reach out and tag him and then throw to first to get Tracy...the force would have negated the run if Uggla tags Suzuki before Espi crosses home. Now I'm wondering: if Suzuki stops, Espi crosses home, Uggla tags Suzuki for out 2, I don't think the force at first erases the run. (And I can't remember an example, so that's a guess)

Will look at the play again, but it seems like the only play would have been 4-6-3 DP. Tracy is not fast, and neither is Suzuki, so that might have been possible...depending on where the SS was.

[mitlen]

“I just couldn’t get it out of my glove,” said Uggla, who also credited Suzuki for alertness in stopping quickly so he couldn’t get a quick 4-3 double play with a tag in the base path and throw to first.

From Bos in the Post  ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/washington-nationals-playoffs-baseball-get-used-to-it-dc-fans/2012/08/21/35b9b47e-eb96-11e1-b811-09036bcb182b_story_1.html

[welch]

SS was on second. Uggla should have gone for the 4-6-3. Maybe Tracy beats it out, but that looks like the only play.

[shoeshineboy]

That's exactly right...and why Suzuki stopped. Uggla could reach out and tag him and then throw to first to get Tracy...the force would have negated the run if Uggla tags Suzuki before Espi crosses home. Now I'm wondering: if Suzuki stops, Espi crosses home, Uggla tags Suzuki for out 2, I don't think the force at first erases the run. (And I can't remember an example, so that's a guess)

Will look at the play again, but it seems like the only play would have been 4-6-3 DP. Tracy is not fast, and neither is Suzuki, so that might have been possible...depending on where the SS was.

If he tags Suzuki and then gets the force at 1B, it doesn't matter when Espinosa crosses home, because it is a force at 1B. The 6 4 3 was possible, but not easy with his momentum going the other way and the hesitation. He needed to come home first. With that out of the mix, the DP was the only option. A 4-3 DP could have worked if Suzuki was taggable, but the 6-4-3 was the best option left. Unfortunately, you have to either go home first or start that DP first, you can't change your mind and have time to pull it off.

[Displaced Bucco]

Here's the rule:

4.09 HOW A TEAM SCORES.

(a) One run shall be scored each time a runner legally advances to and touches first, second, third and home base before three men are put out to end the inning.

EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made:
(1) by the batter-runner before he touches first base;
(2) by any runner being forced out; or
(3) by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases.

So if Suzuki is the second out of the inning by any means then Tracy is the "third out" at first (exception 1), the run would not have counted. 

If Tracy is the second out of the inning (put out before Suzuki), then it's a "timing" play and if Espi would have scored before Suzuki was tagged (force removed by Tracy's out) then the run would have counted.

[RL04]

well I guess he decided dropping the ball would be more useful.

Infield fly rule wasn't called.    

[RL04]

I'll always remember this game just due to the fact that shirtless Vladimir Putin made his debut in my avatar.

There are a lot of Russians I would like to see shirtless.

Putin is not one of them.