Here’s the link to the video of the play:
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6889331

Pujols makes third easy. 

Of course, if the Braves hadn’t blown a 4-run leading going into the 7th at Coors on the last day before the ASB, this would be less of a big deal.

@puck:  True on the Atkins play from ‘07. If the current replay system for boundary calls was in in place then, that’s a dinger.

Dan Iassogna also called Dexter Fowler out at first in the first game of this Rockies-Cards series on Friday night, and replay showed that Fowler was safe by quite a bit. On Saturday night, Iassogna was behind the plate and botched at least two calls—one a called third strike on Jason Giambi (replay showed it was low and inside), and one a checked-swing third strike on Mark DeRosa (replay showed he did not go around). Then on Sunday, shortly before the bloop double play in question, Skip Shoemaker was called out at first on a grounder to shortstop, and replay showed he beat the throw.

The quality of umpiring in this series left something to be desired, and we’ve talked at length about the overall state of umpiring this season. My point is this: Teams don’t win or lose, or make the playoffs or miss them, based on a call by an umpire. And blaming blue is a loser’s lament.

Again, Todd, I fully agree with the scope of what you’re saying here. But the Barmes play was really crazy—he was sprinting backwards at full speed, dove, tumbled, and popped up holding the ball. His back was turned to all four umpires, and all four of them were shielded from a view of the ball.

None of the video cameras broadcasting the game picked up the ball on the grass. None of the press photographers credentialed to cover the game captured it either. The only image that shows the loose ball was shot by a fan, in the stands far up the first base line. If that dude’s shutter clicks one instant later, or if the shadows are different, or if he chooses not to put the pic on his blog, we aren’t having this conversation.

Of course we all wish that every call was correct, and that every game was decided solely on the merits of the teams playing it. Just because that didn’t happen in this case doesn’t mean that the Rockies are somehow less deserving of the wild card (as some in this thread have suggested) or that their 88 wins to date are now suspect.