EFL Cosmology

Prologue:  I enjoyed a late supper Tuesday, listening to the Mariners-Pirates game.  In the bottom of the fifth Ketel Marte came up with one out.  With a 1 – 2 count, he popped a foul down the first base line — and the space-time continuum split.

In the space-time continuum occupied by the M’s radio feed, Rick Rizz announced that John Jaso caught the ball for the second out.  Then he paused, and Aaron Goldsmith said Jaso dropped the ball.  Then they both said Jaso caught the ball.  Then Goldsmith went back to his original position that Jaso dropped the ball.  Eventually they both concurred:  Jaso had dropped the ball, and Marte was still up.  Three pitches later, Marte popped out to the catcher.

In the space-time continuum occupied by MLBs At-Bat feed. Marte was out on the pop-up to Jaso, and Franklin Gutierrez was out on the pop-up to the catcher. Inning over.

Back in the radio universe, Gutierrez walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Cano’s single.  Then Nelson Cruz homered, and Dae-Ho Lee singled. Kyle Seager followed with another single, sending Lee to third.

At-Bat still showed the M’s as all out with no runs scored. Their box score was still waiting patiently for the first Pirate to come to the plate in the 6th inning. Imagine the panic in the MLB control room when they realized there was another reality out there in which the M’s scored three runs after there were three outs.

After Seager’s single, the Pirates pitching coach called for a reliever. (Manager Clint Hurdle had already been ejected — I missed that play so I don’t know why.)  This was an act of cosmic mercy.  It gave MLB aa wormhole to jump back to our space-time continuum. Suddenly At-Bat had the same box score as the radio feed.

We in the EFL would take the whole thing in stride.  We make transactions simultaneously effective on three different dates.  Sometimes two of our players bat or pitch at the same time, sometimes against each other!