Erstad/Estrada Collision- Was it dirty?

[BlueandGoldRush]

Who saw the collision at home plate between Darrin Erstad and Johnny Estrada last night (Monday)?

Alot of the Braves players thought it was a dirty play, and of course the Angels said it was clean. Estrada had the ball and was moving toward Erstad, so it was a "legal" hit.

I thought it was clean, hard play, my friend thought it was a dirty thing to do.

[IgorUnchained]

Who saw the collision at home plate between Darrin Erstad and Johnny Estrada last night (Monday)?

Alot of the Braves players thought it was a dirty play, and of course the Angels said it was clean. Estrada had the ball and was moving toward Erstad, so it was a "legal" hit.

I thought it was clean, hard play, my friend thought it was a dirty thing to do.



I dont usually get into "baseball talk", but this was a pretty controversial play and I still dont know why.

The catcher was standing in the baseline......the runner cant run out of the baseline...

The runner had every right to plow the catcher, and the catcher had the right to cover/crowd the plate.

If the catcher wouldnt have been hurt this wouldnt have even been an issue.


It is just like a few years back when Sapp was a Buc and he upended that Packers Guard and broke his hip. It was a HARD legal play.

[SDRaiderH8er]

If that play happens in the Adult League here in San Diego, or if a High School student does it, or if a Pony League player does it, or of a Little League player does it,

I am tossing the Runner out of the Game for malicious contact , you must avoid the collision, you dont have to go thru the Catcher. Slide around Him

But these guys are the Pros, they get paid Millions of $$$$$, and they must win at any cost.

Then again in Little League, if you do not have the Ball you are not allowed in front of the Bag or Plate, but still you must avoid the collision

[LTfan4life]

NO WAY! That was the best hit I've seen since football season. Baseball needs more "wow" plays in it to regain its interest, like the Estrada/Erstad play. After that, I am a fan of Erstad :p The sad part is Estrada is a starter on my fantasy team :(

[BlueandGoldRush]

I think part of the "controversy" was the fact that Erstad hit him pretty high, and some people thought he was head-hunting.

The thing is, that play happens in a split-second. He had to make the slide-or-collide decision when he was rounding 3rd, and once you make that decision, you have to commit to it.

This is almost the only play in baseball where one-on-one physical contact is permitted. The catcher is the only one with protective gear. He knew what was coming. I tend to think that, like IGOR said, if Estrada didn't get hurt, this wouldn't be that big of an issue.

[SDRaiderH8er]

NO WAY! That was the best hit I've seen since football season. Baseball needs more "wow" plays in it to regain its interest, like the Estrada/Erstad play. After that, I am a fan of Erstad :p The sad part is Estrada is a starter on my fantasy team :(And thats where the difference between baseball and football comes in, because now the Braves are talking retaliation, do you want to dig in, get set, and have a 95 MPH Fastball coming at your Face? Because if you want to play old school, you know its coming.

I as a Pitcher need to protect my catcher and my team mates

[LTfan4life]

And thats where the difference between baseball and football comes in, because now the Braves are talking retaliation, do you want to dig in, get set, and have a 95 MPH Fastball coming at your Face? Because if you want to play old school, you know its coming.

I as a Pitcher need to protect my catcher and my team mates

Heh...more action! Just Kidding on that one. I get what you mean, but baseball has to find and do SOMETHING to speed up or make the game more interesting. Baseball is a game of 3 hours with maybe 20 minutes of action.

[SDRaiderH8er]

I can enjoy a 1-0 Game with 1 hit on each side, just as much as a Blowout. If you understand how the game is played, then every pitch there is a game within the Game. A nail biter won on the last a bat is just as good for me then a Game won in the Middle Innings.

Yes Megarun games are fun also, and watching Teams get Multiple hits, with runners being put in motion, then the defensive counter moves are just as fun to watch.

But when its alll over, Pitching, Pitching is what wins games. So for you a 3 hour Game might be boring, but I can enjoy just a much a 2 and half hour Game. In its truest sense, I as an Umpire, when i take the field, and we are playing a game where there is no Time limit, I am not allowed to have a watch on. The time is what it is, but the game is not over untill the last out is recorded.

[IgorUnchained]

And thats where the difference between baseball and football comes in, because now the Braves are talking retaliation, do you want to dig in, get set, and have a 95 MPH Fastball coming at your Face? Because if you want to play old school, you know its coming.

I as a Pitcher need to protect my catcher and my team mates


My dad was a pitcher and is a big baseball fan to this day....he has definately told me some stories that I would have loved to have been alive to have seen for myself! Im sure that my old man's fastball didnt clock 95 mph though!

As you have said, baseball has it's own rules and "traditions". Just as this last incident wasnt the first time any of us have seen a catcher laid out in the exact same scenario a million times, we all have seen the "chin music" that usually follows.

I dont care what sports you watch or play....there are ways of letting someone know that you dont appreciate them very much.

[SDRaiderH8er]

Traditions or the "Unwritten" Rules both mean the same thing. If you play hard expect it back, if your Pitcher hits someone, expect it back.

Pitchers are the ones who deliver the message. Because of the nature of the beast, they have the ball. And they have to have everyone on the same page. IF.........


If I was a Pitcher, and I accidently hit a batter, and that batter came towards the mound, would you or wouldnt you want protection?


You would.

Now then, I as Pitcher have to protect them, if it means sending a pitch high and tight, then so be it. I am going to pick the slowest guy on the Team, or the one who is unable to give the best support out on the bases. And he is going to get a free trip to first.

Now I as an Umpire, do you think I am going to say anything.

I am if there is any further actions.

Now then...............

What if it is a Curve ball, and it hits the batter? Fastballs mean something, does a Curve also carry the same message? What if the Batters have their Feet on the inside Line of the batters box. History is made inside. As a Pitcher you have to get them off the plate. And believe me, everything is exagerated on an inside Pitch, Batters take exception and fly out of there, yet they get right back in there.


As far as the Collision. It was legal, the Umpire did nothing about it. But that is how they play up there, and untill they stop it, then you can expect more of it. Just because it is legal, does it make it right? And if you play that way, then dont cry when it comes back.

[dmercado70]

hey guys i had seen the last few seconds of this ( drive ) on the 11:oo o'clock news were Erstad gets back up to tag the home plate , missing the hit though . anyone here have a link to post here on this thread for this second shift employee to check out ? thx . . .
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