The Defense Thread, 2016

[Can_of_corn]

Rickard should have made the catch honestly. Great throw to make up for it though.

I meant the throw when he missed the cutoff man. Not sure the other play had even happened when I posted that.

[Aristotelian]

Lol, come on man. How many pitchers even think to make that throw, or even catch the ball in the first place? How many throws does Manny bury in the dirt that Davis digs out?

The guy was diving back to the bag and it still beat him by only a split second. That throw had to be rushed or he doesn't make the play.

[AdamK]

...

Wieters needs to frame/steal the pitches that Russell Martin does. Catch the low pitch with the thumb up and hold the mitt for an extra split second instead of giving up on the pitch.

...

While I don't think Wieters does enough to frame pitches, Russell Martin attempts to turn e v e r y pitch into a strike, which is irritating from a fan-of-the-other-team's perspective. I'd be surprised if his constant appealing with the frozen glove didn't have a negative effect on calls over the course of the game. As in, the home plate umpire will potentially take calls away on balls that were actually thru the zone.

[OFFNY]

4/20

Ubaldo stabbed a liner up the box and fired to Manny for a DP.

Tremendous diving catch by Jones to prevent an RBI single by Bautista.

Hardy charged a high hopper off the plate and got to it before it hit the ground; if it hits the ground, it's an infield hit.

Schoop stopped a very hard hit that short hopped him to his glove side and recovered the bounce in time to throw to first for the out.

Really nice 4-6-3 DP on a hard hit ball up the middle to bail out Givens in the 10th.

All good points.

Machado missed a groundball that was ruled a base hit, but it was very catch-able.

It cost the team a run and a handful of extra pitches for Jimenez, who was already taking about 50 pitches to get 3 outs in the first place.

[Il BuonO]

How has no one mentioned the ridiculously amazing Jones diving catch from last night? We don't see him dive much - that was a real treat.

Nice quick rebound from Joey after the missed diving catch to nab the runner. Strong throw. This is pretty much why Kim isn't going to play.

Frobby and I both mentioned it. I called it spectacular, especially the diving part.

[Il BuonO]

Lol, come on man. How many pitchers even think to make that throw, or even catch the ball in the first place? How many throws does Manny bury in the dirt that Davis digs out?

Seriously? He only had one play there after catching the ball, which wasn't hit that hard, and he nearly threw it away. I was merely mentioning Manny did well to catch a throw that was very low. And it's Davis' job to dig out throws.

[El Gordo]

I totally disagree with you. It was a great heads up play by the pitcher.

It was if you like Ubaldo and it wasn't if you don't like him.:rolleyestf:

[Il BuonO]

I totally disagree with you. It was a great heads up play by the pitcher.

So, he shouldn't have known the situation? A heads up play is Manny pump-faking a throw to first and then catching the runner off the bag at third.

[Il BuonO]

What the hell? The guy executed an extremely difficult double play that had to be rushed in order to be completed. Has nothing to do with his pitching ability or whether or not I like him.

Am I taking crazy pills?

Yes, extremely difficult. My goodness, I'm surprised he made the play whatsoever. Ubaldo should win a GG based on that play alone.

sigh

[Il BuonO]

Oh my god you're the worst. All I was saying was it was a good play! It's the defense thread! Where we talk about above average plays! Give it a rest man.

The worst, huh. So, now you care? I'm crushed. Re-lax.

[Il BuonO]

It's just silly to criticize it as a rushed throw when it obviously had to be rushed in order for it to have a chance to be executed.

It's silly to suggest it should be rushed.

[Redskins Rick]

It's silly to suggest it should be rushed.

Like he had the time to set himself and make a careful toss to 3B with the player already on his way to diving back to the bag? Right.

Are we talking about the same play?

[Il BuonO]

Lol, come on man. How many pitchers even think to make that throw, or even catch the ball in the first place? How many throws does Manny bury in the dirt that Davis digs out?

This is your first post in response to mine. Now, you make it sound as if Jimenez is one of a few guys around who can even have the mental capacity it takes to make the play let alone come up up with the impossibility of catching it.

Hyperbole much?

It it was an ok play. Or, is your description of it the only one that matters?

[Il BuonO]

Yeah I mean:

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On what ass-backwards planet is that a rushed, bad throw? If it takes a split second longer to get there, the guy's safe.

The planet where Manny's glove hits the ground because the throw was low.

[El Gordo]

Lol. Ok sure. You win.

Piece of advice. Don't feed trolls.