If you happened to watch Friday’s Opening Day matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, you saw a play in the sixth inning that made most baseball purists in the world cringe.
The play happened with the Tigers trailing the White Sox 3-1 with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning with runners on first and third and Miguel Cabrera at the plate.
Cabrera hit a high chopper to shortstop, which was fielded and thrown to second, where Tigers 3B Jameir Candelario was coming in hard (but right at the bag) on White Sox second baseman, Josh Harrison.
Harrison took the throw, tagging second, and threw the ball to first base to try and complete the double play but he pulled Jose Abreu off the bag, allowing Cabrera to reach safely and a run to score.
Unfortunately, for the Tigers, interference was called on Candelario, and both he and Cabrera were ruled out, taking a run off the board.
Following the game, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch spoke about the play and he said the umpire did a good job of interpreting a rule that he just so happens to “hate.”
From The Detroit News:
“By the letter of the law, you’ve got to hold second base and you can’t make contact with the guy or impede the throw,” manager AJ Hinch said. “John did a good job of interpreting the rule. I just hate the rule.”
“You’re asking Candy to go 100 percent and try to be safe not knowing where they are going to throw the ball,” Hinch said. “And then when he’s sliding just past second base with no intent, not flipping him old-school, not trying to hurt him – the spirit of the rule is to protect the guy at second base. He was protected.
“The rule was applied as it should, But I’ve always had a hard time because the intent is to not get anybody hurt. That play was not going to get anybody hurt.”
Nation, what are your thoughts on this rule?
