Terry May was beaned by Jose Canseco wild pitch for saying:
 TM> Agreed.  But that doesn't mean you "can't blame the kid for anything."
 TM> The umpire blew it, but he shouldn't have even had to make a call.
True.  But since the kid did interfere, you *can* blame the ump for making 
the wrong call.  The situation is outlined specifically in the rule book.
You can blame the kid for exactly what he did... interfere with the play.
 MY>> Personally, after seeing the replay, my judgement would have been
 MY>> that the ball would have hit the wall before being caught.  The
 MY>> fielder was *NOT* jumping up when the kid caught the ball three
 MY>> feet over his head, and seeing the trajectory of the ball, had he
 MY>> remained flat-footed on the ground, he would not have caught the
 MY>> ball on the fly.
 TM> C'mon, Mark.  I had the play on tape and watched it several times.  When
 TM> Tarasco was stretched all the way out, there was *AT MOST* a foot
 TM> between the top of his glove and the top of the wall.  He had plenty of
 TM> time to get there and get a bead on the ball.  You're telling me he
 TM> wouldn't have jumped to make up that foot or less difference?
You're certainly entitled to his opinion.  However, consider these facts, and 
I invite you to watch the replay again to see if I'm lying:
1) When the kid *caught* the ball, Tarasco was flat-footed, ie: hadn't even 
begun to jump.
  - Implication:  There is no way possible that Tarasco could have executed a 
"jump" in the time that it took the ball to fly less than three feet.
2) When the kid caught the ball, Tarasco WAS NOT "stretched out" or even have 
his arm completely extended completely skyward.
  - Again, the ball was, IMO about three feet above Tarasco when the kid 
caught it.  In your estimation, it was only one foot, which even further 
solidifies my argument.
Subjective assessment:  Look at the trajectory of the ball as it enters the 
TV screen and falls almost at a 45-degree angle towards the wall.  Mark the 
TV screen with a grease pencil (yes, I actually did this) where the ball 
enters the picture and at the point that it disappears into the kids glove.  
Place a ruler on the TV screen and mark the point at which the ball would 
have contacted the wall.  Considering the facts above, (Tarasco not jumping, 
and arm not extended) see again if you think Tarasco could have jumped up, or 
extended himself to the point of impact of ball/wall in the split-second it 
takes for the ball to travel from the kids glove to the wall.
Personally, I don't think so, at all.
 MY>> The travesty of the situation is *NOT* that an exhuberant kid
 MY>> reached out and touched a ball... the travesty is that the correct
 MY>> call was not made by the umpiring crew.
 TM> I mostly agree, but the kid is *NOT* blameless.
Agreed.  But he is a kid.  Making him a hero is the wrong answer, but 
crucifying him isn't either.
 -= .\\ark =-
... A good dog barks when told.
--- GoldED/2 2.50+ 1547US3
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