There's no question, no controversy. Lane made a baseball play, hard and hustling. Nunez regrettably was tattooed.
Sweep the leg. Just kidding. That was clean. Nunez could have caught the ball a anywhere and applied the tag. You are taught to straddle the bag so you don't get hit. Given that couldn't happen, he should have stayed off the train tracks and tried to apply the tag from a safe place. If you want to play catcher and block the base you are allowed to do that. But plan of getting run over just like a catcher. Or plan of getting spiked. That's what becomes inevitable.
If I were a Cards fan, I would probably think it was dirty. Lane looked like he altered his slide so that it would take his feet through Nunez instead of directly to third base. He actually grabbed third with his hand, and I think his feet were well away from the bag. However, it was smart of Lane to try to break up the play. He had no way of knowing that he would have beaten the throw anyway. I don't think he was trying to hurt Nunez either. It's pretty common to see this type of play at second, but you rarely see it at third.
No way was that a 'dirty' play. If it had been a Cardinal instead of an Astro I never would have termed it 'dirty.' You can't try and block third base and then complain about getting taken out, for crying out loud.
The pictures don't show it the way it happened. Lane started his slide at the same time Nunez was coming off to catch a throw that brought him off the bag. The collision even twisted Lane around so that he tagged the base with his hand, and not with his feet as he intended at the start of the slide. Lane started his slide as Nunez was running the opposite way. Lane didn't see the throw coming. Without Lane knowing where the throw was headed he couldn't have timed it just right to do that to Nunez. Nunez had to run away from the bag in order to catch the ball. If Lane was intending to go after Nunez the collision would have happened on third base where Lane would have expected Nunez to be, and not away from the bag where Nunez had to move to catch the throw if he wanted a chance to make the out. The play was not dirty at all. It wasn't even close, and I am surprised to see so many people think it was borderline. Watching the play at full speed it is easy to see that both people were just headed in opposite directions at high speed. Nunez had to be out there in order to catch the ball in time to make an out because of the throw. Lane was sliding because he had the signal to slide. I'm not blinded to the Astros getting the benefit of some calls though. Pujols definitely did tag Burke out, and the Astros got away with one there. It didn't lead to a run, and Berkmean was out immediately afterwards so there was no harm done.
Please don't. That is a classless move, and folks were doing that on the Mavs bbs after the Rockets were up 2-0 and look what happened there. If you must do it, please wait until the series is over.
Boo hoo. Lane had already started his slide when Nunez (who was about 10 feet from the bag) slid over to grab the relay throw. Unfortunately for him, it took him right into Lane's path. Hard play, but far from dirty.
A fielder does not have the right to get in the runner's path to catch a thrown ball. Only a fielder fielding a batted ball and a fielder with the ball can legally obstruct a runner in the "basepath". I never hope for anyone to get hurt in baseball, but I like tough play. It was a gutsy play for Nunez to try to make. For that, I applaud him.
Very much so. I was reading some of the stuff they are talking about, like the umps giving the series away to the Astros and that the MLB wants the stros in the World Series. Its ridiculous.
I'm beginning to think it's all perspective. I was reading a Cards board where they were claiming that the media bias goes to the 'Stros.
IMO. the play was in no way dirty. Lane does not even have the reputation or incling of playing dirty ball. It was a bang bang play and Lane was hustling to 3rd with normal baseball instincts but unfortunate for AB he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. One could argue (from the Cards stand point) that Lane's spikes may have been high but it still does not seem intentional to me even if he was found wanting in that area. It was not even ABs fault - he was also only trying to make a play. He was trying to save the ball from going out of play or into shallow left field no thanks to Larry Walker's poor throw and decision.
Whether it was dirty or not, there is zero doubt that Lane intentionally slid into Nuñez. Just watch the highlight and read Lane's own words (below). If that's accepted in baseball (not a real big baseball fan), then I guess it's not technically "dirty" from a baseball POV. Reminded me of the play a few years ago when Preston Wilson slid into second and took out Biggio's legs, tearing ligaments in both of his knees. Bidge didn't consider it dirty then either, even though Wilson clearly was aiming for his knees. You have dirty hits in football (leading with the helmet, blow to QB's head, chop block, etc.). I guess in baseball anything goes?
I remember Craig Biggio talking about a play that ended his season a couple of years ago when a player went into 2nd base hard. I'm paraphrasing, but he said he held no ill will towards the player who knocked him out of the season. It's good hard nosed baseball!!!! It's the baserunners responsibility to not let the fielders get the ball if he can. You see it every game when the runner slides into 2nd base in the most awkward of positions trying to tackle the 2nd baseman or shortstop in an effor to twart a double play. Here is Lane in the 3rd game of a tied series and he is supposed to try to avoid contact at all cost? That is insane! Why don't people get in an uproar over the baserunners when they crash into the catchers trying to score!!! I had no idea that Cardinal fans were so whinny!!! I think it's only the hard nosed uniformed fans that are in a pissy mood about this. This game was a classic game!!! Go Astros! Keep up the hard nosed plays!
i think dirty implies malicious intent and i don't see that at all. as far as baseball goes it was totally clean and part of the game. jason had rights to that basepath and didn't go out of it to take nunez out. it looks like he slid early to take him out but he had no way of knowing the ball wasn't there yet or off path. the announcers made no mention of it being dirty either. that biggio example earlier is perfect. he didn't complain and i don't think nunez has, but i haven't seen any quotes from him.
Astros fans were whining that Reggie Sanders took a freaking curtain call. I can't imagine the reaction here if Ensberg got taken out in a similar play. Fans are whiny - everywhere. It's just an unfortunate fact of life.
