CHICAGO -- In the midst of a wild top of the sixth inning in the Mets' NLCS Game 3 win over the Cubs, we saw how much a team can be jobbed by a ground rule. Here is the play, off the bat of Wilmer Flores with Michael Conforto on first base.
Now, realistically, where would those two runners have ended up if there wasn't ivy on the walls? Conforto was already in the dugout and Flores was likely headed there. Anyone paying attention knows that Conforto -- who was stealing and nearly to second when the ball hit the bat anyway -- was going to score no matter what while Flores was easily getting to third at a bare minimum.
The Wrigley Field ground rules, however, dictate that each runner gets two bases. Yes, even with Conforto already close to second base when the ball was struck. The rule states two bases from where the runner was at the time of the pitch.
"I know the rule," Collins said. "We all know what the rule is. My argument was my runner's halfway to third base, if not three-quarters of the way to third base. I just ask him if -- he said, I can't do it. That's just the rule, can't even challenge it. I wanted him to go to the cameras upstairs. But I knew the rule. It's just, it kind of sucks when it happens to you."
The most pertinent part here is "it kind of sucks." Though I'd say it really sucks that the umpires can't operate with common sense discretion here. Everyone knows where the runners should have been, if not for a miraculous ivy save.
Umpires are only allowed to operate with discretion in instances of interference, per the rulebook.
Sure, some might argue it's a slippery slope to give umpires discretion, but I will submit there's no harm in giving them the directive that they are to be conservative. If any reasonable person might possibly believe that the runner would end up in a close play at home plate, then leave the runner at third, for example.
The umpires can handle something like that. They are maligned in many ways, but they are still the best game officials in professional sports (widening strike zone in the playoffs aside). They could have handled putting Conforto's run on the board and placing Flores at third.
From the Cubs' perspective, let's say that the umpires were allowed discretion. Would anyone have argued that Conforto was not going to score? I'm not seeing that. It was plain-as-day obvious that he would have.
Simply: If everyone in the world watching the game thinks a runner would have scored if not for a ground rule, maybe the ground rule needs to leave a little wiggle room.
