Jason Vargas tries to take a walk after three balls

Look, American League pitchers don't get too many hitting opportunities. It's just not something they think about all that frequently.

Which is why I think we can all agree to cut Jason Vargas some slack when he forgot the count in the top of the third inning of World Series Game 4 against the Giants.

Facing Jean Machi, with the bases loaded, Vargas fouled off the first pitch of his second at-bat of the inning (and the game). Then he took two pitches for balls, and fouled the fourth pitch from Machi. Vargas took the fifth pitch for a ball -- his third -- and began making his way to first, thinking (hoping?) he had a walk.

Nope, he didn't. He had to stop halfway to first, do a weird squatting balancing act like he was playing freeze tag, and then sulk back to home plate to take the sixth pitch of his at-bat, which just happened to be strike three.

You see his teammates in the dugout laughing, you see Jarrod Dyson cracking up on first base. Even George Brett thought it was a jolly good time:

So let's all agree that we'll let this one slide for Vargas. He's certainly not the first person to forget the count, and he won't be the last. And you -- are you so infallible? No? Good.

Don't worry, Jason, we'll look the other way on this one. Just let us know how Carlos Santana is doing out there in the formless void of time.