What the heck did Verlander just do????

[OleMissCub]

Hmmmmm. Can't say I've ever seen this in a game before.

 

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13867701

[Guest]

It's like he intended to throw over to first base but his body didn't turn and he ended up making a throw to first to home.

 

That was weird.

[bukie]

What's really odd is he basically pegged the batter with no repercussion besides the balk. That seems exploitable to some capacity.

[champaignchris]

Classic, from the confused looks in the A's dugout to the Tigers' Catcher trying not to laugh.

[CubmanPi]

I like how the catcher is too busy giving Verlander a wtf look to figure out where the ball was going.

[wvcbxl]

That has all kinds of confusion going on. :lol:

He did hit the batter though, so I'm not sure about that decision.

[fromthestretch]

That has all kinds of confusion going on. :lol:

He did hit the batter though, so I'm not sure about that decision.

 

It can't be ruled an HBP though, since he stepped off the rubber before throwing. It that sense it's not an official pitch.

 

I'm also not sure I agree with the balk call, especially after re-reading the official balk rules. Once he steps off the rubber, he essentially becomes a fielder and can throw pretty much anywhere he pleases.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't think he technically left the rubber. It's a balk for throwing to an unoccupied base.

[fromthestretch]

I don't think he technically left the rubber. It's a balk for throwing to an unoccupied base.

 

That is correct if he didn't leave the rubber. Obviously, you can't throw to an unoccupied base while still in contact with the rubber.

 

I'll have to watch the video again. Upon first viewing, I thought he had stepped off.

[OleMissCub]

The last replay in the clip appears to show him leave the rubber.

[Bote McBoteface]

It looks pretty obvious to me. His foot goes back, once he does that he is a fielder. He can throw it to the outfielder if he wants to. Verlander decided to throw it at the batter. The runner gets second, not because he balked, but because Verlander threw away a live ball and he ran to second. He could have scored if he wanted to.

 

....but the umpires called it a balk. Same result, regardless.

[champaignchris]

So what happens if a live ball hits a batter who hasn't hit the ball into play?

 

A more likely situation than the Verlander incident would be if there's a wild throw on a pick-off attempt and a baserunner tries to score. Let's say there's another wild throw home that hits the batter as he's furiously trying to get out of the way. What happens then? Is it a dead ball situation and the runner has to stay at the base he's at, or is it a live ball and the runner can keep going?

[SouthSideRyan]

What happens if a guy hits the ball off the wall but breaks his leg coming out of the box? Does he still get a double?

[treebird]

What happens if a guy hits the ball off the wall but breaks his leg coming out of the box? Does he still get a double?

 

9.3

[NCCubFan]

Today he did something else. He threw his second career no-no.

[Bote McBoteface]

So what happens if a live ball hits a batter who hasn't hit the ball into play?

 

A more likely situation than the Verlander incident would be if there's a wild throw on a pick-off attempt and a baserunner tries to score. Let's say there's another wild throw home that hits the batter as he's furiously trying to get out of the way. What happens then? Is it a dead ball situation and the runner has to stay at the base he's at, or is it a live ball and the runner can keep going?

I could see that being interference on the batter since he should have gotten out of the way when the ball went to first.

[Northside Blues]

The Mets should have thought this one through and told Shawn Estes about it.