Headline sent to us from today’s News and Record:
†Fla State Knocks Out Pack in ACC Tourney ..
You probably have had to the chance to review the footage by now and if not, did you see that play at the plate, in Sunday’s final at the ACC Baseball Tournament Championship game, at NewBridge Bank Park?????
The Florida State runner, James Ramsey, lowered the boom on N.C State’s catcher Chris Schaeffer and Schaeffer woke up as he was being lifted into a Guilford County Emergency Medical Services vehicle as they drove him away to the Moses H. Cone Hospital….
The N&R on-line photo shows Ramsey plowing into Schaeffer and one of his arms is coming forward, like he was leaning in and bringing his arms and body forward/flailing, to increase his momentum, as he prepared to make contact with Schaeffer….As I watched from the NewBridge Bank Park Grand Stand on Sunday, it appeared that Ramsey was bringing his arms forward and that would have allowed him to make forearm contact with Schaeffer and that would make Ramsey become a human freight train, coming down the line from third base to home….
The talk in the Grand Stand, focused on whether or not Ramsey did intentionally plow into Schaeffer, and if he did so with malice and used malicious intent to take his opponent out, as Schaeffer blocked his path to the plate. You can run the catcher over if he is blocking the plate, but you can not throw your forearms into the man, as it now appears that Ramsey did on Sunday……
What do you think, Clean Play or Dirty Deed done by Ramsey, as he barrelled over Schaeffer????????????
We hope to get the video footage on this one, so we can all watch it back a few times, as we all try to mentally sort this one out…….
Again, the News and Record photo that accompanies today’s on-line account of the game and the incident, by Brian Hendrickson, shows at least one of Ramsey’s arms coming forward, in a forearm windup-type motion……
Did Florida State win this title cleanly, or was it like one of those dirty deeds done dirt cheapo???????
Additional info from Charlotte Observer.com and Click Here for the full account…
Schaeffer was injured in the eighth inning. Standing roughly 10 feet up the third base line, the Wolfpack catcher was waiting for a throw from right field when FSU outfielder James Ramsey, sprinting from third to home plate, ran him over. Schaeffer, who took a forearm to the face, lost consciousness and Ramsey was given the run. It was ruled an obstruction on the catcher because Schaeffer didn’t have the ball, according to home plate umpire David Savage.
State coach Elliott Avent disagreed strongly, and felt Ramsey should have been ejected for not avoiding Schaeffer.
“We thought the wrong the decision was made,” Avent said. “I respect these umpires. We had a good umpiring crew here. They made what they thought was the best decision and we respect that, but we totally disagree with it.”
Glenn Beil from the Tallahassee Democrat – photographer covering Florida State – sat with us in the K-Zone the first part of the game was in the State Dugout area during the collision. He took some amazing images that can be found on their website – http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=CD&Dato=20100530&Kategori=FSU02&Lopenr=5300803&Ref=PH
Sure looks like a forearm to the head of the N.C. State catcher Schaffer, in photo #3.
Was Chris blocking the baseline? Looks to me like he was clearly on the field side of the line. Was contact avoidable? Certainly. Was the collision flagrant? Gee I don’t know since his forearm and elbow was raised and Chris was knocked out… probably just incidental contact. I think the kid said it was like a second baseman running into an outfielder. Plllleeeeeaaaasssseeee!!!
Even if Chris caused obstruction (which he did not), the runner shoud have been ejected from the game for a flagrant collision.
By guessing wrong at which team would occupy third base dugout my seats were directly behind the FS dugout. Not sure if anyone else noticed but their catcher had to be reminded by his dugout to remove his hat during the national anthem at the beginning of the game. Did you just move here son? Also noticed many fans and players yucking it up while Chris layed motionless on the field. This speaks volumes on the well known lack of integrity of Florida State atheletes and fans. One FS fan yelled “This ain’t T-ball” well it ain’t football either. Learn to respect the game, your country, and your fellow players.
It wasn’t like the Seminoles won by a run, they won by a LOT.
That was a clean play. State may have a better argument with the play at the plate the night before.
When you look at the rules…the forearm was used by Ramsey to take out the catcher. It was just another dirty little play that we see coming from the Seminoles whenever they think they can get away with something. It would not hurt my feelings one bit if FSU, Miami, and Maryland made the bolt to the Big 10…Thugs from the south and crybabies from the north…
I saw the play and that was not the Best in Sports Today.
Should have kicked the Florida State kid out of the game and he was out at the plate too.
I have seen the play many times and it could have been called the way it was or the FSU player could have been ejected. It was pretty much a judgement call.
The baserunner could have been smarter however. I think he should have gone around the NC State catcher and slid home about 2 feet behind home plate and touched home with his left hand. that would have been smarter.Obviously the catcher got hurt this time with contact but contact could have hurt the runner instead. the smartest play was the one I suggested for a runner coming from 3rd.
Poor journalism by The News-Record. Making the headline read ” Florida state Knocks pack out of ACC Baseball Tourney” was in mega poor taste. They would have never done that if the injured player was from UNC instead of NC State.
I was at the game and saw the play. The Florida State kid should have been kicked out of the game and he was out at the plate as a result of this play.
This was not the Best in Sports Today.
ok, so you call the seminole out. I guess because of a flying forearm, not because he was tagged out. He’s out. He’s ejected. Who wins the game?
FSU probably still wins.
Unbiased makes a great point. You want to avoid contact. The runner could have also been hurt. No one wants to take unnecessary chances that could remove them from the game due to injury. The runner did not have to run into the catcher.
The Pack will not argue over a six pack. KEEP THE BEER OUTTA HERE!
We want baseball and our Championship back from Florida State.
Some may agree with Sammy and say:
The ‘Nole stole the whole thing……