The momentum of the entire series was on the line this inning.
And the Nats almost just got sunk.
Here’s the video, of the worst call this postseason:
Trea Turner was called out on this play.
"That's a potentially series changing call." – Joe @Buck pic.twitter.com/E3Po7hSNcR
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2019
Forget about the rulebook. I don’t care what the rules say.
Turner is safe.
He hit the ball. He ran straight for first base. He got there in time.
Safe.
It’s the most basic play in baseball: batter hits ball, batter runs to first. And if doing what he did is a violation, on some Rule 5.0.5.6.450.9b technicality, then someone please ask that umpire:
Have you ever enforced that rule?
And did it have to be now that you started?
He’s like the nerd of all nerds, announcing on the last day of school that some arcane calendar error was missed by every faculty member. That one more day of classes must technically be needed.
An error he’s noticed every semester, for four straight years, that he’s decided to speak up about now.
Just because. To please whom? No one is sure.
As this grotesque—yes grotesque!—display almost just ruined the whole Series. This umpire and his Shylockian, letter of the law obsession, hypnotized by some statute lodged in his head that’s been whispering to him for years: We wait, and at the very most perfect moment, we become… applicable.
So—and I’m not condoning bullying here—can somebody call up Jose Canseco (fully juiced) and get this guy shoved into a locker?
Here's the biggest problem with that call: If Brad Peacock doesn't make a bad throw to first base, Yuli Gurriel isn't stretched into the baseline. If he's not stretched into the baseline, Trea Turner doesn't run into him.
So … you penalize Turner for a crap Peacock throw? Huh?
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 30, 2019
The entirety of the bag is in fair territory. So the argument must be that Turner is out for having been inside the baseline before the ball arrived — a call which I have never seen made and which would result in an out on nearly every batted ball in baseball. https://t.co/VVdDwmWCWA
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) October 30, 2019
Uproar in Baseballworld.
Clamor! Furor! Ructions!
Astros friend in DC texts to say everyone in his office is confronting him with the Trea Turner baseline tape "and analyzing it like it's the Zapruder film."
"What do they want from me?"
— Todd Zwillich (@toddzwillich) October 30, 2019
It’s one of those most rare, unifying disputes—where no one sensible can say otherwise:
Trea Turner was safe.
Because if that’s to be considered an out, then every infield dribbler from now on is an out. Every batter runs the way he did. And every time they’re called safe.
Until now.
Until an elimination game in the World Series.
A- it's a bad rule. Base is in fair territory, running lane is in foul territory. Rule needs to be changed.
B – Where is Turner supposed to go? IMO, Gurriel reached into the baseline because the throw was tailing.
C – it's a bad rule. pic.twitter.com/lDeG30ipp7— Dan Shulman (@DShulman_ESPN) October 30, 2019
So what do you do, when you’ve been wronged like that?
You send Anthony Rendon up to the plate.
You crush a ball to left field.
You take a commanding 5-2 lead.
And you set up a Game 7 for all the marbles.
RENDON GOES YARD. 5-2 NATS 😤
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/mtgw73copB
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 30, 2019
Anthony Rendon takes matters into his own hands after watching his best friend, Trea Turner, be wronged. Wow.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) October 30, 2019
Find yourself a friend who's got your back like Anthony Rendon AVENGES Trea Turner pic.twitter.com/wLn3Cc01xv
— Thomas Patchan (@TPatch19) October 30, 2019
Trea Turner… avenged.
Umpire… shoved in locker.
Nationals… in a Game 7 of the World Series.
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