Erick Aybar

[Mudville]

I don't watch stupid sports like American football.

Oh... not sure how to make an analogy to Cricket. Well, no matter, you're wrong.

[ispy45]

Aybar clearly veer left  on the grass if you watched the replay. The A's will have a hard time proving the outcome since we didn't score in that inning.

Edited August 29, 2014 by ispy45

[tdawg87]

Allahu Aybar

[The God of Runs]

He is to the angels, what Murdoch was to the A Team.

Scioscia = Hannibal

Trout = Face

[Kenny]

I want to do an "Aybar" chant every time Moss is up, and if Otero comes in to pitch.

[Lou]

Inside Aybar's head is a an island of "genius" surrounded by an ocean of "WTF!".  He's a peanut-head but he's our peanut-head...and could be a lot of worse.

 

Classic

[Inside Pitch]

 

Have you guys watched the video? Aybar ran along the foul line while Moss and Otero were in the process of fielding the ball on the infield green. That scenario is incredibly common and by no definition is it considered obstruction. They only collided because Aybar veered to his left. A runner cannot do that for the same reason he can't get in front of a ball being thrown to first base. 

 

 

He went inside because the two fielders were going outside.   If you want to avoid someone coming at you moving to their left, you don't move in that same direction.  More importantly, Aybar has no idea where the ball is -- typically the pitcher gives way to the 1B on that sort of a play, the fact that the pitcher made a basket catch at Moss's midsection tells you everything you need to know about the amount of uncertainty involved on the defense's side.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[HaloMagic]

I don't understand how people are saying that Aybar had to go left because otherwise he would have been out of the baseline. Are we all aware that on the way to first base being in fair territory is out of the baseline? The runner is supposed to be in the runners lane. That is why it is there. Watch the relay again. The runners lane was completely clear. Not once was Aybar in it. He was in fair territory the whole way to first.

[Angel Oracle]

He had no ability to chose a safe path to avoid either the ball in play or either fielder. They put up a wall between him and the base. The call was correct simply because no matter who fielded the ball the other player was interfering.

What was amazing was Aybar immediately appealed to the home plate umpire knowing he going to be awarded first base. I'm not sure how many other players in baseball know to make the appeal. It was obvious Melvin doesn't know the rules and played the the game under protest.

Melvin was just channeling his inner Bo Porter.

[Inside Pitch]

Scioscia = Hannibal

Trout = Face

 

If you make a Silence of the Lambs connection then we are left with no other conclusion that you believe Mike Scioscia will eat Mike Trout.   

 

[HaloMagic]

He went inside because the two fielders were going outside.

Moss was running in towards the plate right along the infield grass.

[Inside Pitch]

I don't understand how people are saying that Aybar had to go left because otherwise he would have been out of the baseline. Are we all aware that on the way to first base being in fair territory is out of the baseline? The runner is supposed to be in the runners lane. That is why it is there. Watch the relay again. The runners lane was completely clear. Not once was Aybar in it. He was in fair territory the whole way to first.

 

Rule 6.05 (k) covers this rule and is (from the Major League Rulebook):

 

In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire's judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three foot line or inside (to the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball; Rule 6.05(k) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter- runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.

[Inside Pitch]

Moss was running in towards the plate right along the infield grass.

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v35758245/oaklaa-aybar-reaches-first-on-oteros-obstruction

[Butcher'd]

We should give Aybar an extension for that gritty performance last night. Love how butthurt the A's fan base is at him!

[HaloMagic]

except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three foot line or inside (to the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball

Two things. First, people are suggesting that Aybar had to run inside because he would have been called out for being outside the baseline if he ran to the right. Wrong. It says so very clearly that if he it's avoiding a defensive player fielding the ball he can run in either direction. Running in the runners lane was what he was supposed to do. If he needed to avoid the fielders trying to get the ball he is allowed to run more to the right without being called out. As long as he is trying to avoid them while they are fielding and not while they are trying to tag him. But I agree with a point that I'm sure some will make so I'll make it now. He's ALLOWED to go to the right, not REQUIRED. Running to the left is also an option. But that moves us to point number two...

Point two: Aybar ran to the left to avoid the fielders and ran right in to the guy holding the ball. Otero didn't obstruct as he made the play. Moss didn't block Aybar's path as the whole lane was open to the right. And Moss was standing there because he was attempting to make a play. Had Aybay ran in the runners lane and collided with Moss who was just standing there after Otero got the ball it would have been clear obstruction.

But that isn't what happened. Two players stayed in fair territory to try to field a ball and the batter-runner never took his completely clear runners lane. Had he done so no deviation would have been required but he could have move right if needed. Instead he chose to run in fair territory and the run into even more fair territory to "avoid" the fielders. But he didn't avoid the fielders. He ran right into Otero who had every right to be there because he had the ball. I want to be clear, I'm not saying that Aybar somehow interfered out anything. I just think he's out. He ryan left to avoid the ball but the ball found him. He chose wrong.

[sneaky_flute]

The rule you're referencing doesn't apply to last night's play. A runner can move a couple of feet in either direction in order to avoid a tag but he can't make a beeline for first base and then suddenly veer toward a player who's fielding the ball. 

 

 

 

[Lou]

I'm going with the ump made the wrong call. Not because I believe it to be true, but so Ath's fans feel like they got screwed and keep crying about it

[Jay]

Aybar looked out to me, he ran straight into a guy who had the ball in his glove.

[The God of Runs]

It would have been better for all parties had they just called Aybar out. I just don't like tainted wins.

[Lou]

It would have been better for all parties had they just called Aybar out. I just don't like tainted wins.

 

Lol oh wait,  you're serious? 

 

(btw, TD is better at it)

[Lou]

Coincidentally,  Aybar's Taint is the name of Adam's fantasy team. 

 

and fantasy

[Sam Sanchez]

Wouldn't the smarter move for Aybar be to keep running straight and crash into Moss? Moss was actually partly in the baseline and without the ball.The decision to veer into Otero makes it more than a discussion that I think it would have been if he ran into Moss without the ball.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Sam Sanchez

[Troll Daddy]

Aybar should of been called out imo ... he also initiated the contact. It's sort of like the flop play in basketball.

 

 

It worked ... I like it!

[Sully151]

Scioscia = Hannibal

Trout = Face

Does tha mean Pujols is afraid to fly?

[Inside Pitch]

Personally, I don't think Aybar kept from running to the right to avoid being called out, he's running straight up the line, he's looking at the 1B with his hand up as if to field the ball and moving slightly to his right and I'm assuming he thought the 1B would make the play and that momentum might keep him moving slightly to his right -- I do think he was trying to avoid being called out on an interference play.  His choice of action is IMO debatable.  Ultimately it's Aybar and lord knows what he is ever thinking.  But his Divac flop at the end of that was Oscar worthy.

 

Unlike the stupid light wave thing, I totally get why A's fans would be chapped about the play.  It's easy to look at the play after the fact and question motives and the validity of the call.

 

Judgement calls blow.