Ejection 185 - Bill Miller Ejects Cards' Mike Shildt After 2B Umpire Doug Eddings' Infield Fly Out

HP Umpire and Crew Chief Bill Miller ejected Cardinals manager Mike Shildt after an infield fly rule/changed out/safe/"Time" call in the 9th inning at Wrigley Field. Report: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/09/mlb-ejection-185-bill-miller-4-mike.html With one out and runners on first and second base, Cubs batter Frank Schwindel's high fly ball near the third-base line was properly declared infield fly. When the ball fell to the ground in fair territory, St Louis threw to third and second base and attempted to force out the Cubs runners, who both were attempting to advance. It should go without saying at this point (but we say it anyway) that on an infield fly, the batter is out which means the force on any preceding runners is removed. That means no force out can be gotten on the runners, so tagging the base is rather meaningless. Still, St Louis stepped on both third and second base, which, again, meant nothing. 2B Umpire Doug Eddings, however, erroneously ruled Cubs runner R1 Rafael Ortega out at second base on the force play (that didn't exist!). Immediately recognizing the mistake, Eddings then called "Time" as Ortega was tagged while off the base. The umpires convened and ruled that had Eddings not made this mistaken force out call, the Cubs runners would have stood on second and third base safely and placed the runners accordingly while sustaining the batter's out pursuant to the infield fly rule. The correcting-a-call rule states the umpires can do so after the play is over (it is not cause for calling "Time" during play when action is still occurring). So while it is true that no runner may be tagged out in this fashion while the ball is dead, it should not have been declared dead at the time that it was. The key to officiating the outcome of this play is as follows: If you believe Cubs runner Ortega stepped off of second base (and was tagged out) because of Eddings' erroneous out signal, the proper way to rectify the error is to place Ortega back on the base (the rationale being that the runner would have remained on the base if not for the umpire's out signal that was inaccurate). If you believe Ortega stepped off second base without regard to Eddings' call, or would have stepped off second base regardless of Eddings' out signal, the correct outcome would be to declare Ortega out since the incorrect mechanic did not put the runner in jeopardy. Gold stars on this play go to 3B Umpire Gabe Morales who properly called and signaled the infield fly throughout the play and to Cardinals 1B Paul Goldshmidt, who might have been the only player on either team who appeared to know the rule. Bill Miller gets the "I have to put up with this" award and everyone else should read the rulebook again.