I’ve been racking my brain for a few minutes trying to think of what NESN’s Dave O’Brien or WEEI’s Will Fleming say during Sawx broadcasts and for the life of me, I can’t remember. Why? Well, yes I’m 58 and that sort of thing can happen, but I think it has more to do with whatever they say, my brain replaces it with “Manfred Man” (h/t Craig Calcaterra for embedding it firmly in my mind) because, did I mention, 58 years old?
My kids just roll their eyes and say … something else that they’re not even sold on … and it varies.
Would we be remiss not to mention Joe Sheehan’s “the stupid runner”? That also has a certain charm.
How about we use this as an opportunity to honor somebody and keep Manfred's name as far away as possible? Tris Speaker is the career leader in doubles--how about "Free Speaker"? I couldn't quickly find who the leader in leadoff doubles is, but that player would have a similar case, maybe a better one.
This is outstanding work, Rob, and for the record, I'm voting for Manfred Man. I actually believe we can safely ignore the Manfred Mann of it all - solid band, obviously - and just think of it as a shortening of "Rob Manfred's Man." He gave us the misbegotten thing, so gets to own it. However, a small quibble: I would suggest that "ghost runner" works as well as "zombie runner" by virtue of the same logic. That runner died with the end of the previous inning, but his spirit has now gone out to second. Zombie's maybe a little better because the runner is corporeal. Anyway, while I'm here, I just have to repeat what many have said, which is that whatever we call this runner, the problem is that we now know for sure that he gives a small advantage to the visiting team in extra innings and I don't like that. In fact, I hate it. I've warmed to the other rules. I'm not a traditionalist crank. I seem to be the only one, for instance, who approves of the shift limits. But the Manfred Man is a bummer.
Just want to say I'm for 'zombie runner,' and that I hate the rule. Hate it. I hate it when it hurts my team, and I hate it when it helps.
Spoke to a Spanish language fan briefly and he was not aware of any clever or fun terminology, and that 'corredor automatico' is what he sees in print, at any rate.
Should point to this reddit page, where a poster refers to it as 'mierda monumental' and common language or no, I can get behind that.
If I called a game, I'd use auto runner as the default, Manfred man and rulebook runner as variety, and zombie runner when I wanted to specifically explain how he made the prior out. Most likely if it was a significant play (gaffe, out at home, etc.).
Manfred Man will always be number one for me on this list. Of course, I am over 50 ... Zombie runner is very good, but there can be occasions in which the runner was not put out the previous inning (base hit but runner thrown out at the plate trying to win the game). But that's OK. Gimmicky is OK since this whole stupid runner in extra innings is gimmicky. I have not watched an extra inning on TV in the regular season since it was instituted — even when the team I root for went into extras on opening day last season. Just refuse to watch it.
I know! I thought about that! But I'm guessing that by the time there's a non-man runner at second (in an MLB game anyway), "Manfred Man" will (alas) have itself become a ghost.
A lot of complaining about the extra-inning zombie runner rule. But hockey has shoot-outs, soccer has shoot-outs, the NFL has a limited OT period during the regular season. Tennis uses tie breakers.
And like the NFL and the NHL, MLB does away with its time-limiting artificialities in the playoffs. The so-called "beautiful game" uses shootouts to decide the World Cup winner when a game is tied after so long - now there's an abomination.
Because baseball doesn't use a game clock (except the brilliant pitch clock, which probably saved MLB), if they wanted to limit the length of games, the way they went about it is probably the least intrusive. Everybody stop whining about it.
I’ve been racking my brain for a few minutes trying to think of what NESN’s Dave O’Brien or WEEI’s Will Fleming say during Sawx broadcasts and for the life of me, I can’t remember. Why? Well, yes I’m 58 and that sort of thing can happen, but I think it has more to do with whatever they say, my brain replaces it with “Manfred Man” (h/t Craig Calcaterra for embedding it firmly in my mind) because, did I mention, 58 years old?
My kids just roll their eyes and say … something else that they’re not even sold on … and it varies.
Would we be remiss not to mention Joe Sheehan’s “the stupid runner”? That also has a certain charm.
Ah yes, I should mentioned Joe's creation. As usual, he gets to the meat of the thing.
How about we use this as an opportunity to honor somebody and keep Manfred's name as far away as possible? Tris Speaker is the career leader in doubles--how about "Free Speaker"? I couldn't quickly find who the leader in leadoff doubles is, but that player would have a similar case, maybe a better one.
This is outstanding work, Rob, and for the record, I'm voting for Manfred Man. I actually believe we can safely ignore the Manfred Mann of it all - solid band, obviously - and just think of it as a shortening of "Rob Manfred's Man." He gave us the misbegotten thing, so gets to own it. However, a small quibble: I would suggest that "ghost runner" works as well as "zombie runner" by virtue of the same logic. That runner died with the end of the previous inning, but his spirit has now gone out to second. Zombie's maybe a little better because the runner is corporeal. Anyway, while I'm here, I just have to repeat what many have said, which is that whatever we call this runner, the problem is that we now know for sure that he gives a small advantage to the visiting team in extra innings and I don't like that. In fact, I hate it. I've warmed to the other rules. I'm not a traditionalist crank. I seem to be the only one, for instance, who approves of the shift limits. But the Manfred Man is a bummer.
Just want to say I'm for 'zombie runner,' and that I hate the rule. Hate it. I hate it when it hurts my team, and I hate it when it helps.
Spoke to a Spanish language fan briefly and he was not aware of any clever or fun terminology, and that 'corredor automatico' is what he sees in print, at any rate.
Should point to this reddit page, where a poster refers to it as 'mierda monumental' and common language or no, I can get behind that.
https://www.reddit.com/r/mlb/comments/1k0vvm0/what_are_your_thoughts_on_the_automatic_runner_in/?tl=es-es
If I called a game, I'd use auto runner as the default, Manfred man and rulebook runner as variety, and zombie runner when I wanted to specifically explain how he made the prior out. Most likely if it was a significant play (gaffe, out at home, etc.).
Manfred Man will always be number one for me on this list. Of course, I am over 50 ... Zombie runner is very good, but there can be occasions in which the runner was not put out the previous inning (base hit but runner thrown out at the plate trying to win the game). But that's OK. Gimmicky is OK since this whole stupid runner in extra innings is gimmicky. I have not watched an extra inning on TV in the regular season since it was instituted — even when the team I root for went into extras on opening day last season. Just refuse to watch it.
Rick, I respect your commitment.
I do love Manfred Man for all the noted reasons. But what would we do if the runner were not a man? You never know. Could happen someday.
PS: Had no idea about courtesy runners. Now I'm reading all those odd scenarios!
I know! I thought about that! But I'm guessing that by the time there's a non-man runner at second (in an MLB game anyway), "Manfred Man" will (alas) have itself become a ghost.
Do they play woman-to-woman defense in basketball?
I suppose if I watched any women's basketball, I'd know the answer.
Do you know the name of Manfred Mann’s last hit 40 years ago was? Runner!
Immaculate Doubler?
A lot of complaining about the extra-inning zombie runner rule. But hockey has shoot-outs, soccer has shoot-outs, the NFL has a limited OT period during the regular season. Tennis uses tie breakers.
And like the NFL and the NHL, MLB does away with its time-limiting artificialities in the playoffs. The so-called "beautiful game" uses shootouts to decide the World Cup winner when a game is tied after so long - now there's an abomination.
Because baseball doesn't use a game clock (except the brilliant pitch clock, which probably saved MLB), if they wanted to limit the length of games, the way they went about it is probably the least intrusive. Everybody stop whining about it.