Mark Spahn (no relation to Warren, though Warren was born in Buffalo) asked some good questions about my recent post on Omar Vizquel. As the play turned out, Vizquel will not be charged with an error. It functioned like a force out at second base. But suppose that the shortstop, Elvis Andrus, had not been alert enough to cover second on the play, and Ichiro reached the base. Then Vizquel would have been charged with an error. Each base must be accounted for, somehow. Since the batter would not have been credited with a hit on the play (it was an easy popup), someone must be charged with an error. That player would have been Vizquel rather than Andrus. You can't expect players to read other players' minds.
Mark's other question is about why Vizquel didn't communicate (quickly!) with Andrus. The answer is that he would—thereby—have communicated with Ichiro, who, being a smart player himself, would have rushed toward second base, thus thwarting Vizquel's plan. Of course, if Ichiro bolted toward second too early, Vizquel could have caught the ball and doubled him off first. Ichiro was in a terrible position. Break for second too early and Vizquel catches the popup and doubles you off first. Don't break for second and Vizquel lets the ball drop and throws you out at second (which is what happened). You might say that Vizquel had Ichiro by the balls.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 