Bill Nye says Eric Hosmer messed up by sliding into first and MLB.com's Statcast agrees

All of the drama of the postseason boiled down to one final contest on Wednesday as the Royals and Giants squared off in a deciding World Series Game 7. The Giants prevailed, 3-2, thanks to a manufactured run in the top of the fourth inning. 

One of the game's most important moments came as the Royals threatened to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the third inning. With Lorenzo Cain on first, Eric Hosmer grounded to Joe Panik and the Giants squashed a would-be rally with one of the best double plays you're ever going to see:

Shortly thereafter, the world's greatest science teacher and noted baseball fan Bill Nye the Science Guy took to Twitter to remind everyone that Hosmer shouldn't have gone headfirst into first base on that play.

World Series Science: don't dive into 1st base. Instant a runner leaves his feet, he slows down. May have cost Royals a run and the game.

- Bill Nye (@TheScienceGuy) October 30, 2014

@TheScienceGuy #Statcast agrees: http://t.co/6auEz0CvyY

- #Statcast (@statcast) October 30, 2014

The man's not wrong. MLB.com's Statcast clocked Hosmer's max speed on the play at 18.1 mph, but the slide dropped him to 15.8 mph. He was out by a mere .02 seconds: 

As this MLB.com Statcast video from earlier in the World Series demonstrates, a runner immediately compromises his speed when he leaves his feet.

For all of you naysayers and devil's advocates, there are situations in which a slide to first isn't just excusable, but recommended. One such example came in World Series Game 6 when Alcides Escobar landed at first courtesy of a graceful slide to avoid Brandon Belt's attempted tag.

But if speed is your goal, stay on your feet. Bill Nye says so.