Giants catcher Posey directed Bumgarner to throw to third base
It's the one play that might have cost the Giants game 3 of the NL Divisional series -- a wild throw to third to get the force out on an unconventional two-strike bunt by the Nationals' Wilson Ramos.
But the idea to throw to third -- a questionable one given the circumstances -- wasn't made by the Giants starter Madison Bumgarner.
Bumgarner was asked three times if catcher Buster Posey told him to throw to third. He wouldn't bite, saying, "You have to ask him." The pitcher wasn't going to be the first on the team to say his catcher gave him wrong orders.
But the first words out of Poseys mouth told the story.
"I told him to throw to third," he said. "The way it was bunted out, I thought we might have a chance. Desmonds a fast runner. I probably shouldve just taken the out at first."
Anatomy of the play that was Game 3s turning point / San Francisco Chronicle, 10-7-14: http://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Anatomy-of-the-play-that-was-Game-3-s-turning-5805577.php
We're so quick in baseball to blame a player for not making a play. Often times it's something else entirely.
Credit Ramos for laying down a good bunt on a hard-to-bunt slider. It won the game for Washington.