If Phillies...

win Coach M for the Rays should take blame for the loss for pulling in the infield in the bottom of the 6th to allow the bloop single to knockk in the 3rd run!

 

Not as questionable to me as the decision to wait to bring in David Price until after they lost the lead!!

 

definitely..

the correct assessment on that one!

 

Yeah, I questioned the infield in in that situation, but once again, if it works, your a genius. Bigger for me was the Rays second baseman, Iwana-something. While he made some unreal plays for sure, there were several times in the series, at critical times, he failed to look the ball into his glove. Absoultely, had he made the over the shoulder, back to the plate, catch it would have been an exceptional play. While it certainly wasn't routine by any definition, it was certainly catchable. Replay showed clearly he did not follow the ball into his glove. Even catching it, may not have been able to throw home to get the runner. Runner, I believe correctly took care of his business, moving halfway down the line on the play. So if the catch is made, runner would have had to return to the bag for the tag up so he probably doesn't score.
Bottom line, Phillies 2nd baseman made the plays, Rays 2nd baseman, while making some plays, failed to make THE play.

 

I agree Cap, second baseman should have made that play even when the infield was in. I was supprised the centerfielder with the speed I saw in previous games didn't eat that up.

 

I actually thought Iwamura turned the catch into an over-the-shoulder catch. He took a terrible angle when the proper one would have been a 45 degree one leaving the ball out in front of him.

 

How often does it work?

In all of our esteamed couch coaching careers, how many times have you pulled the infield- IN, and it worked. I get so frustrated every time i see this done. Rarely does the hitter hit one directly back to an infielder. While we all agree that in most cases, it has to be done, rarely does it work- Blooper, dying quail, shot through the infield, ground ball w/ eyes, or in my pitchers case: over the left field wall

Just curious, What do y'all think? How often has it worked for you?

 

rarely...but I loved Ryan Howard's comment when the Ray's brought in their infield, including one outfielder. He said it felt like they were blitzing for a sack.

 

Iwa who???

agree with all here! Iwa was def a handicap at least in the series to the Rays!!! Roberts for the birds make ALLLLLL those plays with his eyes closed!