The new FOX infrared toy is neat, sure, but is it practical? That was debatable until Adrian Beltre came up in the ninth inning of a one-run game in the World Series. He hit a ball off his foot that went down the third-base line. He hopped and puffed and did the things you're supposed to do when you hit a rock-hard projectile off your foot, but the home-plate umpire ruled it in play, and Beltre was thrown out.
World Series Game 1: Rangers Lose An Out In The Ninth To Blown Call (Video)
FOX’s new fancy toy said something different:
Right off the ol' tootsie. Unfortunately, you know that. I know that. We all know that. But the umpire couldn't know that, and the Rangers lost an out. It was a really, really, really, really important out. Who knows what Beltre would have done with that out? Stretched Motte out more? Hit a single? A double? A homer?
He probably would have made an out because Motte is a nasty, nasty pitcher. But it's always tough to have to include a "what-if" in your game analysis. What if the call were made correctly? Don't know, but the end result was that the Cardinals took the first game of the World Series.

















