IWST 2019: WSH vs HOU — Two TONs o’ Fun

[G-Fafif]

If a world championship parade and celebration can be described as self-congratulatory, it is the Nationals'.

[Frayed Knot]

It's a self-congratulatory kind of town.



What's amazing, particularly to long time Washingtonians, is how the Nationals plus the Capitals Stanley Cup from two years ago has pushed the Redskins to [CROSSOUT]second[/CROSSOUT] third hand news status,

something that was unthinkable not all that long ago. Not that the Redskins didn't help push themselves down to 'below the fold' territory, but a sure sign of spring in DC used to be when

the Washington Post sports section cut back to only 85% Redskins coverage. They're lucky if they can scrounge that much now in-season and on game days.

[Edgy MD]

Reality strikes before the hangovers are done, as Strasburg declines his option and chooses to exercise free agency.

[Frayed Knot]

Strasburg had a 72-hour window so that he was going to declare, and that he did so now, was pretty much a given. The prevailing thought is that he's overwhelmingly likely to stay

and that this maneuver is just a contractually abetted way to get a raise and/or a longer deal, which of course is the whole purpose of negotiating an opt-out in the first place.

[bmfc1]

No reason for him not to opt-out. At worst, WSH will offer him the same money and length so nothing will have changed but maybe someone else (please, especially outside of the NL East) will offer him more and longer. Can't hurt to find out after such a great Series.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: I wouldn't have called that (the 1st base interference). If the ball hits him a stride or two earlier then, yes. But in his final stride where else is he supposed to be?

It turns out that that your question is addressed in the rule book, and you would have been right not to call that.

5.09 Making an Out (a) Retiring the Batter A batter is out when: (11) 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 5.09(a)(11) 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 threefoot 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.