Another Collision

[njlawrence]

This team can ill afford another injury, especially one that could have been caused by a needless collision such as the one between Spivey and Grace in Sunday's game with the Braves. As Gonzo can testify, the lack of the art of calling the ball and "backing off" while still "backing up" can be very costly.

We didn't lose a player, but we lost the game largely because someone didn't do what Little Leaguers all over America are practicing every day.

 

[BC867]

Junior was probably hesitant to call off the veteran even though he had a better angle.

Gracie's comment was that you can't call for it on a diving or better-than-average-catch play.

There's no better fielding 1B than Mark Grace. I wonder if, in the heat of the moment, there is a way for both of them to communicate, "I don't know if I can get to it, do you?" and decide who has the better chance for the catch, a better angle for the throw, etc. Then call off the other.

With an outfielder coming in and a 1B going out, it's clearly the outfielder's call. With two infielders, you'd think it would be the 2B's call.

 

[FORKTUNG]

It's amazing how much range Junior has to his left and the lack of range he has to his right, heh

 

[unc84steve]

I didn't see that many replays, but it didn't look like the type of play where either player had the chance to call the other off. It looked like a shallow pop-up in a spot both got to at the same time--farther for Junior who had the better angle, closer for Grace who had to look over his shoulder. Both were hustling hard to make the play.

Given the collision, I thought Mark made a quick recovery to make a do-or-die effort to make an inning-ending DP. It didn't work out. These things happen in baseball.