Announcers are not umpires

Yadier Molina accomplished an unusual unassisted double play in Friday night's game. If you missed it, watch it here. Molina got Andy LaRoche of the Pirates into a rundown between home and third base. During the play, Andrew McCutchen ran from first base all the way over to third. As Molina chased LaRoche back to third, McCutchen was already standing on the base. Now there were two runners standing on the same base, and any little leaguer could tell you that is not allowed.

Since it wasn't a force play, meaning LaRoche wasn't being forced to run home, the base still belonged to him. So Molina tagged McCutchen, the trailing runner, and he was declared out by the umpire since he did not have the right to occupy the base. But then LaRoche made a mental blunder and started to walk off the base, thinking he was out. Once he was off the base, Molina tagged him, and then he was declared out as well. Double Play.

The next day on the pregame broadcast, Cardinals announcer Mike Shannon was being interviewed about the play, and was bragging about Molina's knowledge and awareness. Shannon stated that the result could have been different if Molina had stepped on third base before making the tag, or if he had tagged LaRoche before tagging McCutchen. Uh, . . . no. Nice try, Mike.

Then during the Saturday broadcast, announcer Al Hrabosky, stated something similar. He stated that the double play was only possible because Yadi was smart enough to tag McCutchen first. Well, uh . . . wrong again.

It was LaRoche's base. He was welcome to stand on it as long as a batted ball didn't force him to move to the next base. He could be tagged as many times, or in any sequence, that Molina wanted to and it wouldn't have mattered. LaRoche was safe, as long as he didn't vacate his base. Molina could have tagged LaRoche on the base and the umpire would have just stared at them and yawned. Perhaps he would have given the safe sign, or just shrugged his shoulders, but it wouldn't have mattered. LaRoche was safe. McCutchen, on the other hand, was going to be called out as soon as he was tagged. In any order. And tagging the base would not have made either runner out, because it was not a force play. LaRoche wasn't required to leave it, and McCutchen wasn't being required to take it. Tagging a base only makes an out if it is a force play.

So, Yadi looked like a genius. And it was a good play. But the only way the double play happens is if LaRoche leaves the bag. This is all part of baseball rule 7.03(a). How do I know this? Because unlike Shannon and Hrabosky, in my spare time, I AM an umpire.

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Bonus rule! Also in Friday's game, Hrabosky and his partner Dan McLaughlin were speculating that Pirates pitcher Evan Meek was committing a balk with Joe Mather on first base. Meek, after he takes the sign from the catcher, then begins a long slow process of reaching the "set" position. The set position is described in rule 8.01(b) as "holding the ball in both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop." Once a pitcher reaches his set position, he is restricted in his movements. He must make a legal move toward a base, or start his pitch. No twitches, flinches, or false starts are allowed at that time. Meek's unorthodox motion however, happens before he reaches the set position. While his arms move above his head and then slowly down to his chest, he rocks back and forth on his front foot. He can do this as long as he wants, until his arms come to a complete stop. The pitcher is given a lot of latitude with strange movements until he reaches that stopped position. Then he's locked down. Bottom line, it was not a balk.

Thanks for reading.