Okay - let's clear this up once and for all:
Scioscia pinch hit for one the Molinas (who know to tag the batter out of instinct and just to make sure there's no doubt)
Paul caught the third strike THEN - rolled the ball to the mound and SPRINTED TO THE DUGOUT. AJ looks over at Paul and thinks it's a dropped third strike...and runs to first.
Eddings gets confused (easily) and gets sucked into the AJ running to 1st.
SO...technically this "should" have happened: Paul needs to tag AJ just to be safe (Bengie - Jose ALWAYS DID)
The fact that Paul was so geeked at the K - he sprinted to the dugout - fooling AJ (and Eddings - but for a different reason) that he thought it was pitch that got away (you see him glance over his shoulder)
Sure...it was "only game 2" BUUUUT - lets remember: Angels Yankees series. Saturday Game 4 rained out - Sunday SHOULD HAVE been a day game - but TV rules - 8:15 pm first pitch in The Bronx - fly home on fumes (both teams) 5:00 pm start time - Halos win - fly to ChiTown (Pale Hose resting) - Paul Byrd pitches a gem in game 1 and game 2 would have been a steal. We get screwed - Pale Hose are jacked and use that mo (and their pitching) to shut down the Halos in Anaheim.
I think the jet lag caught up with the team - and the emotional BS of Eddings' incompetence added to that. The team was gassed (games Sunday in NY, Mon in ANA, Tues - Weds in Chi - then weekend back in ANA)
However - if Josh paul tags AJ - just to confirm to Dougie - then the game moves along. Maybe we still lose - but it's not the screw job.
Just like the 1985 series - Cards get screwed by ump in game 6 - then lose game 7, 11-0 . Losing like that kills you. it did the Halos -