OPINION 2: HOMERUN CALL WAS WRONG IN THREE WAYS, NOT TO MENTION MENTAL AFFECT ON GAME

 Note the blurry image of the baseball in downward motion perhaps a couple feet from Reddick's glove as fans are about to deter the flight of the ball. Ball may not have even gone over yellow line.

We'll never know but the bottom line, according to CBS Sports/replay , was the only thing conclusive from the video replay was that  the ball was interfered with.

OPINION :
In the playoff game between the Oakland A's and Detroit Tigers October 8, the umpires call of a ball  interfered with by fans on its way down 'a HOMERUN' was wrong on two, er, make it 3 counts:

1) As mentioned in previous blog, the ball's trajectory was almost straight down and into Josh Reddick's glove; certainly Reddick was '100% sure' he would have caught it. Looking a the replay itself one cannot accurately judge where the ball would have come down since it was interfered with by fans before it had a chance to drop; however, it was a high fly ball well on its way down rather than a line drive shot with little time to drop.

2) The ball MAY NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN A HOMERUN if fans let it fall. Umpires assumed the ball would stay over the yellow line but with its trajectory it could have dropped below the line. In that case , it would have not been a home run - and A's Reddick would have probably caught it.

But wait, there is yet a THIRD REASON the homerun should not have counted:

3)In addition, The baseball rule book states that fan interference can result in the batter being called out. Clearly, fans interred with the ball as it came down still within the perimeter of the playing field . So, this is yet a third reason the homerun should not have counted.


CBS Sports give us a little more help with a good still shot of the interference (admitted to by the fans who touched the ball). We quote:

Replays showed a fan (two fans, really) reached over the railing in right field and interfered with the ball. It not only looked like the ball might not have cleared the wall, but it looked like Josh Reddick may have even been able to catch it. Here's a still photo of the ball in flight:
Click the photo for an even larger view.
As for the fans in question, CBS Detroit has the details:

A local chef and a long-time season ticket holder, John Bendzinski, 49, of Macomb almost changed the course of Game 4 for the Tigers.
“It was coming to me and I didn't know if it had enough – I didn't really want to reach over,” he told WWJ's Russ McNamara. “Next thing you know, I'm switching hands with my beer and it hits me right in the hands.”
Bendzinski didn't catch the ball but he did hold on to his beer.
Bendzinski's friend Mark Beauchamp was right next to the action: “The ball was coming out and we had to like ‘go for it' we were above the yellow,” he said.”That's all we knew.”

In any event, the only thing the replays showed conclusively was that the ball was interfered with. That's it. Without enough evidence to overturn it, the homer stood and the game was tied at four. A few batters later, the Tigers took a 5-4 lead on an Austin Jackson single. (CBS Sports)


OPINION 2: HOMERUN CALL WAS WRONG IN THREE WAYS, NOT TO MENTION MENTAL AFFECT ON GAME

OPINION: CONTROVERSIAL HOMERUN Affected Game Several Ways , Why Colon Should Start, New A's Store

 

 CLICK FOR VIDEO

Slow Motion video of controversial homerun only sure takeaway is that there was fan interference @LBSports http://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/fan-interference-victor-martinez-home-run-video/206621  We believe fan interference should have been called, per Baseball rule book, especially since there was no conclusive evidence whether or not 1) the ball could have been caught or not by Reddick and 2) whether the ball would definitely hit above the yellow homerun line Fan interference helps give Victor Martinez home run (Video)  

At first we didn't make much   over 'the homerun.'  I thought it could've gone either way but after thinking about it , it did have a significant role in the game, affecting Oakland negatively on several counts.

The fact it was a controversial homerun made it worse then if it were a clean home run because it changed the momentum of the game and made the As quickly regroup and try to put the pieces back together after being fairly comfortable in the driver seat .  One could say the the As missed their chances but had the homerun been caught one doesn't know how things would have played out differently. It was a bitter blow - and probably an unfair one -  to the A's in a close game.

Ideally, manager Melvin and the team would have regrouped with the game still in hand.   But, things don't happen that easily in a situation like this. It quickly puts more pressure on the team and forces some  quick decision changes   as to  which pitchers and  pinch hitters to use.

The homerun,  by the way,  may have appeared on the replay to be well above Reddick's glove to when the fans interfered ,however , it was still coming down -  almost straight down- and Reddick feels 'one hundred percent' he would've caught it  -and he's caught many like that before. 

Ideally, yes, the A's would have regrouped and stepped back a moment with two men on in scoring position and no outs; it's not like them to have two guys in a row strike out with runners in scoring position. They're usually good at battling and getting the bat on the ball, at least,  in tough situations like with Vogt the other night battling Verlander some 10 pitches . But this night it all happened so quickly after the shock of the homerun; there was little time to think about the next step and Reddick and Vogt went up rather shell-shocked, although, the previous two batters were able to get on base.

Melvin's Judgment Could Have Been Affected by Homerun, Too, re. Other Issues

That aside from the homerun controversy there were some issues in the game which we can look at. There were probably a couple decisions that may   be questioned regarding  Melvin strategies in the game, but, again, those are things he might not of done if he was not put under duress due to the 'shocking' homer .

The biggest question mark  was bringing in Brent Anderson rather then Jerry Blevins or another true reliever.

Melvin says he likes to bring in his set relievers but in this case it was after his main relievers were used up    so you could've brought anyone and we would've gone with the righty- lefty strategy which has some science to it,at least. If your remaining bull pen pitchers are of similar caliber than just figure if more righties or left handed batters were coming up next and use the one of opposite (ie lefty picther if more righty batters or vice versa).

 

Finally Melvin should've strongly considered using Guiaspo(sp)   rather than Reddick in right field. Reddick has been struggling and Guiaspo is more likely to hit the ball - and all we needed was a fly or slow infield hit with no outs in the seventh to score that run, yet Reddick and then Vogt, under additional pressue from the homerun call, not to mention facing the tuff Shirzer, both struck out .It's all hindsight but there is some science to which players are more likely to NOT strike out

SUNNY GRAY vs BARTOLO COLON To Start Game Five?

 But we must look ahead to game five we have at least even chance of winning the game  playing our home park. Perhaps the biggest question now is whether to start for Bartolo Colon or Sunny Gray. I would say to go ahead and stick with Colon,  who has been 'the man' all season, with consistency. Just because he had a hickup in the first inning of the first playoff game, just make sure he gets a lot of warm up pitches and   have Sunny Gray available and ready to come in at any time. Plus, there's no assurance Sunny Gray could repeat his shutout performance of Game Two, again; Colon has the track record that Gray doesn't have.  So,  it's like you have two chances that way. Theres no tomorrow  in this first playoff series if the A's lose and you don't have to worry so much about the upcoming starter as there will be several day break before the next series would begin.

NEW A'S STORE - SUPPORT YOUR A's - Wide Variety of   A's  Clothing and Souvenirs

 OPINION: CONTROVERSIAL HOMERUN Affected Game Several Ways , Why Colon Should Start, New A's Store

NEW MONEYBALL MOVIE IN THE MAKING plus AMAZING A'S STORE

Joe D would have loved the 2013 Oakland A's. You may or may not remember the native Martinez boy who came back to Oakland where he began his famous career with the Oakland Oaks   and worked for Charlie Finley and the Oakland A's in the 1970s/80s.  So, Joe  is still around out there somewhere cheering on these boys of summer who remind him NOT of the common modern day 'money' player and even PED users like those who got into the World Series across the Bay two of the last four years more for extraneous reasons than real talent and hard work,  but a lot of the  Field of Dreams  boys  of  yesteryear who played hard and won for the love of the game...

Amazing Oakland A's with walk off win in Second Game of American League Playoffs Oct 5   NEW MONEYBALL MOVIE  IN THE WORKS  courtesy ESPN Baseball Tonight breaks down Sonny Gray's stellar performance in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.Tags: Stephen Vogt, Justin Verlander, Sonny Gray OAKLAND -- This is the big question as the Athletics and Tigers fly to Detroit with their division series tied 1-1: Who will play Stephen Vogt in the "Moneyball" sequel? I mean, Vogt is the natural candidate for a major role in the movie. Few players epitomize the entire Athletics economic approach to building a team better than the soon-to-be 29-year-old catcher. Vogt played six seasons in the minors before reaching the big leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays last summer -- and then went hitless in 25 at-bats spread out over four months. [+] Enlarge AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez To the victor -- Stephen Vogt, in this case -- goes the shaving cream pie. With a lifetime average of .000 (his WAR was not very good, either), he was designated for assignment by the Rays at the start of the year. While other players were beginning the season, Vogt was walking through a shopping mall in -- where else? -- Durham, N.C., wondering if, like Crash Davis, his baseball career was over. Then his cell phone rang and he learned that the Oakland Athletics had just purchased his contract for $150,000. Jump ahead six months - MORE  AMAZING A'S STORE Go Oakland A's ! All the Way to the World Series Coupon Country CoupLetter SPECIAL Edition  - Celebrate Your OAKLAND A's In the Playoffs!  OCTOBER 2013 Get Your A's Caps, Tshirts and Playoff Souvenirs, here!

OCTOBER 2013 Celebrate the OAKLAND A'S WEST DIVISION CHAMPIONS While Cheering the Boys on toward the World Series FORGET MONEYBALL - THESE 2013 A'S ARE REAL WINNERS - A's PLAYOFF HATS, TSHIRTS, SOUVENIRS   BUY NOW - Support the Team - Authentic Oakland A's Onfield Caps and Tshirts OAKLAND A'S 2013 MORE THAN MONEYBALL... GET READY FOR THE POSTSEASON HEROICS - TSHIRTS , HATS, SOURVENIRS by Mark PURDY, San Jose Mercury News OAKLAND -- The Hollywood producers blew it. Completely. Perhaps you saw "Moneyball" a few years ago, the movie about the 2002 Oakland Athletics team supposedly composed of inferior players that shocked the baseball world with the killer combination of creative strategic thinking and Brad Pitt's extremely evocative close-ups. Mundane stuff, compared with 2013. The current A's team is the one that really deserves to have a film made about it. Maybe that will happen if the month of October becomes a rousing final reel. We'll see if that happens, beginning here Friday when the A's face the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. MORE  OAKLAND A'S PLAYOFF CENTRAL STORE FORGET MONEYBALL - THESE 2013 A'S ARE REAL WINNERS - A's PLAYOFF HATS, TSHIRTS, SOUVENIRS - See more at: http://bayareacouponseastbaycoupons.blogspot.com/#sthash.cuMIEakJ.dpuf FORGET MONEYBALL - THESE 2013 A'S ARE REAL WINNERS - A's PLAYOFF HATS, TSHIRTS, SOUVENIRS   BUY NOW - Support the Team - Authentic Oakland A's Onfield Caps and Tshirts OAKLAND A'S 2013 MORE THAN MONEYBALL... GET READY FOR THE POSTSEASON HEROICS - TSHIRTS , HATS, SOURVENIRS by Mark PURDY, San Jose Mercury News OAKLAND -- The Hollywood producers blew it. Completely. Perhaps you saw "Moneyball" a few years ago, the movie about the 2002 Oakland Athletics team supposedly composed of inferior players that shocked the baseball world with the killer combination of creative strategic thinking and Brad Pitt's extremely evocative close-ups. Mundane stuff, compared with 2013. The current A's team is the one that really deserves to have a film made about it. Maybe that will happen if the month of October becomes a rousing final reel. We'll see if that happens, beginning here Friday when the A's face the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. MORE  OAKLAND A'S PLAYOFF CENTRAL STORE FORGET MONEYBALL - THESE 2013 A'S ARE REAL WINNERS - A's PLAYOFF HATS, TSHIRTS, SOUVENIRS - See more at: http://bayareacouponseastbaycoupons.blogspot.com/#sthash.cuMIEakJ.dpuf FORGET MONEYBALL - THESE 2013 A'S ARE REAL WINNERS - A's PLAYOFF HATS, TSHIRTS, SOUVENIRS   BUY NOW - Support the Team - Authentic Oakland A's Onfield Caps and Tshirts OAKLAND A'S 2013 MORE THAN MONEYBALL... GET READY FOR THE POSTSEASON HEROICS - TSHIRTS , HATS, SOURVENIRS by Mark PURDY, San Jose Mercury News OAKLAND -- The Hollywood producers blew it. Completely. Perhaps you saw "Moneyball" a few years ago, the movie about the 2002 Oakland Athletics team supposedly composed of inferior players that shocked the baseball world with the killer combination of creative strategic thinking and Brad Pitt's extremely evocative close-ups. Mundane stuff, compared with 2013. The current A's team is the one that really deserves to have a film made about it. Maybe that will happen if the month of October becomes a rousing final reel. We'll see if that happens, beginning here Friday when the A's face the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. MORE  OAKLAND A'S PLAYOFF CENTRAL STORE FORGET MONEYBALL - THESE 2013 A'S ARE REAL WINNERS - A's PLAYOFF HATS, TSHIRTS, SOUVENIRS - See more at: http://bayareacouponseastbaycoupons.blogspot.com/#sthash.cuMIEakJ.dpuf THE Oakland A's again this year surprised the baseball world finishing off the Western Division  in first place, again supplanting the vaunted Texas Rangers  with 90 wins, no big name stars and one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.  Meanwhile,   cross Bay rival San Francisco Giants  just escaped being the first team to go from the World Series to last place in years,  despite having the fourth highest payroll , several stars , a lot of high priced players and a history of PED players and suspected performance enhancing drug users, in our opinion. Do the A's have enough to go all the Way to the World Series?  Purchase Tshirt - Classic 'A's' over Oak Tree in Circle Forget Moneyball - 2013 Oakland A's The REAL Story                OAKLAND A'S Official On-field Caps and Tshirts and Playoff Souvenirs  ON SALE NOW Joe DiMaggio once worked with the Oakland A's and Charlie Finley in the 1970s/80s and would be proud of the current team,  which plays much in the style of the old Yankee Clipper....good old, hard-nosed, no nonsense , smart baseball. There are no big name stars, just a lot of eager, aggressive, intelligent fun-loving 'lower paid' players who are playing for the love of the game as much as anything. There is also a manager, Bob Melvin, who has upset GM Billy Beane's old theory that the manager doesn't make a difference, who took over a team that revolted against it's previous manager - and the coaching staff is second to none. They've gotten the most out of their young team.  No help from modern technology, ie PEDs, like the cross Bay team.  This is good old, real  Golden Era Baseball like when DiMaggio played. FORGET MONEYBALL - WHAT MONEY? 'Low  Paid'  2013 A's The Real Hollywood Story by Mark Purdy, San Jose Mercury News OAKLAND -- The Hollywood producers blew it. Completely. Perhaps you saw "Moneyball" a few years ago, the movie about the 2002 Oakland Athletics team supposedly composed of inferior players that shocked the baseball world with the killer combination of creative strategic thinking and Brad Pitt's extremely evocative close-ups. Mundane stuff, compared with 2013. The current A's team is the one that really deserves to have a film made about it. Maybe that will happen if the month of October becomes a rousing final reel. We'll see if that happens, beginning here Friday when the A's face the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. To be sure, the A's of 2002 were intriguing. Oakland Athletics players and fans exult as the last out of the game is made against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. (D. ROSS CAMERON) They had a 20-game win streak and did break ground when general manager Billy Beane (portrayed by Pitt in the film) started using statistical data to make personnel and lineup decisions.But come on. Those A's did not feature a stadium that leaked raw sewage; or an uncertain future in their home city; or a relief pitcher from Australia who screams a lot and grew up playing rugby; or a right fielder nicknamed "Hillbilly Jesus"; or a powerfully exotic slugger from Cuba who obliterated the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game. The A's of 2013 have given us all of the above. And then some. "We do have some interesting guys," A's manager Bob Melvin conceded this week. Not that many casual sports fans in the Bay Area would know.  MORE                          OAKLAND A'S PLAYOFFS CENTRAL How The (2013 American League) West Was Won   There were a lot of great months in the A's 2013 playoff run, but none better than the month of September, that saw the A's overcome a 2-game deficit to eventually win the Division and finish the season five games ahead of the Rangers, who were knocked out in the play-in Wild Card game. The A's played strong when it counted, and as Texas faded, they took complete advantage; even Texas' end-of-the-season winning streak was too little too late to dethrone the 2-time defending American League West Champions, and that's why the Oakland Athletics will be playing tomorrow. The A's started September by finishing a sweep of the Rays, obviously catching them, too, at their weakest point of the season. A lot of the A's success--winning the Division with a full week to spare--came by playing Texas and Tampa Bay at exactly the right time. Had the AL West and Wild Card gone down to the wire with the A's still in the mix, they would have had to win out to keep pace with the other teams, who won the remainder of their last games to get into the playoffs, even briefly. Before the penultimate showdown between the A's and the Rangers, the A's first took out the Rays, in game #136. Nico has the call: Joe Maddon thought he would try as many different pitchers as possible, so the A's decided to score in as many creative ways as they could and the end result was a 5-1 victory, a sweep of Tampa Bay, and just 1 game between Oakland and Texas in the standings as the Rangers come to town. This left the A's just one game back, as they geared up to face the Rangers. Unlike previous experiences with the Rangers, the A's did not waste this opportunity, fighting hard to take two out of three, and climbing back on top of the AL West. Game one was recapped by Lev Facher, who coaxed the A's to a tie: A solid five innings from Dan Straily, home runs from Coco Crisp and Yoenis Cespedes, and scoreless relief work from Dan Otero, Brett Anderson, Ryan Cook, and Grant Balfour have the A's back in a tie for first place. In front of 23,495 frenzied fans on a sun-splashed day at the Oakland Coliseum, a few costly mistakes on Texas' part and a nerve-wracking yet effective four innings from the bullpen gave the A's a 4-2 win, and seemingly all of the momentum in the AL West race. There really wasn't anything "seemingly" about it. Aside from losing the following night, the game also handled by Lev Facher: Well, the A's are back in second place. An all-around uninspiring evening from the green and gold has the A's a game behind the Rangers, making the rubber match tomorrow afternoon almost a must-win with three games in Arlington looming on the horizon. Bartolo Colon was both mediocre and unlucky tonight, while the A's offense stalled repeatedly with runners in scoring position. The bullpen wasn't great, either. Heard this one before?, the A's would strap on their playoff underoos and decimate the rest of the month, winning series after series. They finished the Rangers' series with a win, as baseballgirl tells us, the game also marking the return of Daric. Barton. The plucky A's, winners of eight of their last ten games, shook off yesterday's loss like it didn't even matter, and continued their trend of stomping all over ace pitchers as they dismantled Rangers' starter Yu Darvish and gutted the rest of the Texas bullpen to the tune of 11-4. The big blows of the game were home runs off the bats of Moss, Donaldson, and Coco. Oh, and also: Daric. Barton. This tied the A's and Rangers for first place, with barely 20 games to go in the season.. MORE

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