Texas Tech vs Nebraska (1:00pm Sunday)

[Husker Eponymous]

The rules committee is concerned about unnecessary and violent
collisions with the catcher at home plate, and with infielders at all bases

Do you see the words "at all bases"? Asche wasn't at third base.

From Mondays OWH:

It was McGruder's left shoulder that appeared to hit Asche's head, just as the baseball bounced away. NCAA rules state that collisions are allowed when a defender is blocking the basepath, as long as the runner doesn't deliberately seek out contact and doesn't attempt to dislodge the ball.

http://www.omaha.com/article/201103...nu-to-be-cautious-with-asche-after-concussion


We can argue about this till we are blue in the face, but the facts remain: The umpire didn't call it (and rightly so). MA isn't mentioning it being illegal in subsequent interviews. And Asche was clearly in the baseline, where he should not have been.

You stated that he was too far away too slide, and I am pointing out that that is not at all the case

You probably know more about baseball then I do, but when I see baserunners slide, it is usually to avoid being tagged out at the bag. Rarely, if ever, have I witnessed a baserunner slide when the fielder is 6 foot up the baseline without the ball. If the baserunner wanted to slide to avoid a collision, he would've had to start his slide halfway down the baseline and somehow, defying the various laws of friction, momentum, and gravity, slide from there all the way into third base (all this when the rules state clearly that collisions are allowed when a defender is blocking the basepath...

 

[BraskyMan]

Do you see the words "at all bases"? Asche wasn't at third base.

From Mondays OWH:

It was McGruder's left shoulder that appeared to hit Asche's head, just as the baseball bounced away. NCAA rules state that collisions are allowed when a defender is blocking the basepath, as long as the runner doesn't deliberately seek out contact and doesn't attempt to dislodge the ball.

http://www.omaha.com/article/201103...nu-to-be-cautious-with-asche-after-concussion


We can argue about this till we are blue in the face, but the facts remain: The umpire didn't call it (and rightly so). MA isn't mentioning it being illegal in subsequent interviews. And Asche was clearly in the baseline, where he should not have been.




You probably know more about baseball then I do, but when I see baserunners slide, it is usually to avoid being tagged out at the bag. Rarely, if ever, have I witnessed a baserunner slide when the fielder is 6 foot up the baseline without the ball. If the baserunner wanted to slide to avoid a collision, he would've had to start his slide halfway down the baseline and somehow, defying the various laws of friction, momentum, and gravity, slide from there all the way into third base (all this when the rules state clearly that collisions are allowed when a defender is blocking the basepath...

the runner may make contact, slide into or make contact with a fielder as
long as the runner is making a legitimate attempt to reach the base (plate).
104 RULE 8 / BASE RUNING
Contact above the waist that was initiated by the base runner shall not be judged as an
attempt to reach the base or plate.

Yes it was up the baseline, I have not argued it was not, however that is absolutely still a play at 3rd. It is a relatively common play in baseball to see a runner slide to the inside or outside of the bag, reaching out with his arm to touch the base.

Usually it is to avoid a tag, but it can be done to avoid a collision just as well.

Its interesting that your quote states that McGruder's shoulder hit around Asche's head, because per the NCAA rules on collisions, that should not be interpreted as an attempt by the runner to reach the base, which is a necessary condition in case of a collision. Basically, there can be contact, but contact that high is not legal. I'm not saying the call was right or wrong, I think it could have been called either way depending on how the umpire interprets the play and the intent of the runner. However, to state that this is all Asche's fault for making what was a typical baseball play is way off base (no pun intended) because it is not that uncommon to see a tag applied up the line. The only thing that I think McGruder had going for him in this case was that Asche did not yet have clear possession of the ball (the ball gets to him almost simultaneous to the runner).

 

[Husker Eponymous]

why was asche off the bag?

 

[CrnhskrBob]

why was asche off the bag?

That question has already been asked!. Still no answer to that one. I believe,
Cody did not think Kurt was going to throw the ball to third, after he received
the ball from the outfield. Thusly, Cody was caught, lurking around the 3b area.

When the ball was thrown to him, he was in a bad spot, and not able to make
a move toward 3b, until the ball came to him. So, he was stuck at that spot.

When he got the ball, simultaneously, he was hit by the elbow, as he turned,
looking for McGruder.

Now, according to the rules, McGruder hit Cody illegally, IF Cody had the ball.
It looked like Cody had the ball, and dropped it, or it just caromed off his body.
Not getting a good look, I just don't know. In any case, glad to see, Cody is going
to be all right.

 

[BraskyMan]

why was asche off the bag?

I don't know for sure and I don't really want to speculate too much because you can't see Asche on the replay until the ball is almost there. However, I would say that just because he is not standing immediately on the bag, it does not mean he didn't know what was happening. Watching the replay it is a very fast, bang-bang type of play, and I doubt that anyone expected McGruder to try to advance to 3rd all the way from 1st on a ground ball to the shortstop.

Ultimately, if Asche had been on the bag this wouldn't have mattered because McGruder would have been out by three feet. However, sometimes plays don't always happen the way you might expect and you have to improvise the best you can. I think that is probably what happened here. It was a bit of a fluke play with the runner trying to go to 3rd from 1st on a ground ball in the infield.

 

[Husker Eponymous]

It was a bit of a fluke play with the runner trying to go to 3rd from 1st on a ground ball in the infield.

Is this correct? I thought the runner was on 2nd? If he was on first, why didn't they try and turn two? And if he was on first, why didn't he round 2nd on his way to third?

Again, Asche was caught with his pants down. The baserunner had no obligation to avoid collision in the baseline. In fact, the baserunner was prolly licking his chops when he saw Asche standing in the line off the bag...

 

[Husker Eponymous]

it is not that uncommon to see a tag applied up the line.

Asche should've been on the bag. Period.

 

[BraskyMan]

Is this correct? I thought the runner was on 2nd? If he was on first, why didn't they try and turn two? And if he was on first, why didn't he round 2nd on his way to third?

Again, Asche was caught with his pants down. The baserunner had no obligation to avoid collision in the baseline. In fact, the baserunner was prolly licking his chops when he saw Asche standing in the line off the bag...

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=103&SPID=33&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=205124175

Trailing 2-0 Jamodrick McGruder on first, Barrett Barnes hit a ball deep in the hole at short. Chad Christensen made a nice backhanded stop but his throw to first was not in time as the speedy McGruder rounded second base. Kurt Farmer threw back across the diamond to Asche to tag out McGruder, but a hard collision jarred the ball loose and left Asche on the ground for a 16-minute injury delay

Man, watch the replay, the shortstop and to make a diving stop in the hole and McGruder is probably the fastest guy on the field. They had no shot at a double play.
As I have stated before, this is not MLB. The runner cannot deliberately plow players over. Incidental contact is allowed in these situations but an umpire has the right to eject a player for something as you suggest.