Re: Another gem from WMTW

["Dan Cole" <dwcole@comcast.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aaron Read" <aread@speakeasy.net>


> >>Are you sure about that?  If that's the case, then by definition every
> >>double-play is assisted (unless you can run like The Flash :-)   It
would
> >>make sense for an "unassisted" double play to mean a player gets the
ball
> >>and tags the base (without tossing to another player to tag the base)
and
> >>then throws to another base (usually first).   In that sense, an
> >>"assisted" double play here would mean Nomar caught and then tossed it
to
> >>the 2nd basement who made the first tag, and who then threw to first.


Being a former umpire let me try to put this to rest (before our esteemed
moderator uncorks his bat)

Nomar fields the ball, then steps on second ahead of the runner.  That is a
put-out.  Then he threw it to first, where the first baseman had his foot on
the bag and possession of the ball ahead of the batter-runner.  That is a
put-out for the first baseman and an assist for Nomar since his throw
enabled the put-out at first.
That makes it an assisted double-play.

In our next lesson, we shall tackle the issue of the infield fly
rule.....not!


Dan C
(who retired as an umpire in order to restore his sanity)