beats Ole Miss 8-7 in game 1 on a wild pitch. We will be in 1st no matter what happens in game 2.
I’m glad they pulled it out tried their best to choke that one away.
I’m glad they won… But they pulled a move that I still don’t understand.
Behind by a run in the bottom of the sixth (remember - this was a seven inning game - they had runners on first and second with two out. With something like, I believe, a two and one count on the batter… They try a double steal! The lead runner was thrown out at third, ending the inning.
I just don’t get it… The key was to score that tying run with the last inning coming up… Fortunately, they rallied and won anyhow. But I don’t understand the risk/reward of that move… with the runner already In scoring position. If he had been on first, I get it… It’s worth the risk to get the guy where he can score a single.
To make matters worse, the 3-hole hitter was up.
Cardinal rule in baseball, don’t make third out at third. I don’t understand that either.
Sounds like they were trying to be a little too cute. Play for the tie at home and the win on the rd. but never at 3rd with 2 outs. They must have thought that since it is a bad move, they could catch MS not watching for that. Don’t know if the throw went to 2nd or 3rd. Probably 3rd, but in that situation, getting the trail runner at 2nd is just as good and usually that runner is off later than the lead runner. Bottom line is, it is a very risky move behind by a run. Maybe the batter was unable to hit well - still not a good move. He has to get on somehow to be of any use to the 2 already on. Just can’t see a reason for the risk. Also, if the runners are at second and 3rd, the infield plays normal setup as they no longer have to hold the runners. Sure, a hit scores 2 and all is great, but that hit is harder to come by. It also leaves an open base to walk the batter should that be the need. No - just can’t see it.
These things make baseball more fun. Most people don’t see all of that and they are missing the game within the game.
I wouldn’t have done it myself - but, I could understand BETTER if there had just been one out; then, positioning a runner at third (if the steals were successful) allows a fly ball to score the lead run. Personally, I’d rather have two shots at getting a hit (or, the batter walking, which would also move the runners up) than risk getting him thrown out. But if you try with one out and the lead runner were thrown out, at least you’d have a runner in scoring position (at second) and one more chance to get him home (and they did, by the way, throw to third - not second).
But with TWO outs, you’re still going to need a base hit (not a sac fly) to score the man (unless you get a wild pitch) from third. And a hit probably scores him from second as well. For that reason, I just think it was a bad baseball move. Risk did not justify the potential payoff. Corbin probably knows 100 times more about baseball than I do, but until he explains it to me, I think it was a bad call.
The closer I look, the deeper baseball gets.
Like an onion, it has many layers.
Amen! In fact, all my life, I have always heard it as: don’t make the 1st or 3rd out at third base.
Or, as Bill Veeck said, “Baseball is like church. Many attend; few understand.”
Ah, one of the legends, Bill Veeck. If you want a great read, find Veeck as in Wreck. It’s VERY long, but it’s a wonderful book. I loaned my copy out and it didn’t come back. Kinda sad over that because I could read it again several times and enjoy it every time. Seems like it was about 1,500 pages and you will want to devour every single one if you love baseball as I do.
The real issue is base running has become an after thought! Players don’t practice good habits on the bases and there are more mistakes now than anytime I’ve watched baseball! A lot of games are lost because of poor base running.
Making the first out at 3rd is almost as bad as having a runner on 3rd with no outs or one out and not scoring! The little things in baseball add up to big things. Bottom line the game has changed. The "I " syndrome has taken over in my opinion. Players that are trying to make the big show forget about the team. It’s not just baseball it’s in all sports.
Yeah, the double steal by Vandy was pretty questionable. Tim Corbin has won more national championships then everyone who posts on this board combined, so I defer to his knowledge of baseball, but still… Maybe he thought the aggressive move would get the OM catcher to throw it into left field and get the winning run cheaply, but if so, that plan failed miserably. Some of you seem to think that the Vandy baserunners decided to steal on their own. I highly doubt it.
The idea that it was a double steal is a clear indication that it was called by the head coach. He’s the only one who could or would make that call at that point in the game.