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Ejections 186-187 - After Jose Abreu's HBP from P Lange, L Barrett Ejects CWS Before Benches Clear
HP Umpire Lance Barrett ejected White Sox bench coach Miguel Cairo and bench player Tim Anderson following Jose Abreu being hit by a pitch from Tigers reliever Alex Lange, which preceded a benches-clearing brawl. Report: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/09/mlb-ejection-186-lance-barrett-5-miguel.html No warnings were issued in the immediate aftermath of the Abreu HBP as the umpires deemed that Lange's 0-2 offering that struck Abreu on the elbow in the top of the 9th inning and one out of a one-run game was not intentionally thrown at the batter, but after Abreu slid hard into second base as Detroit shortstop Niko Goodrum tagged him out on a stolen base attempt, a benches-clearing incident ensued during which a baseball-esque fight occurred. Neither Lange nor Abreu were ejected from the contest despite 2B Umpire Tim Timmons appearing to restrain Abreu from physically trying to fight at least one member of the opposing team and shoving Timmons out of the way in an attempt to do so.
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.
Ejections 178-9 - Joe West ejects Blue Jays' Ryan Borucki for plunking Kevin Kiermaier in Tampa Bay
3B Umpire and Crew Chief Joe West ejected Blue Jays pitcher Ryan Borucki and pitching coach-not-manager Pete Walker after Borucki hit Kevin Kiermaier with the first pitch of Tampa Bay's 8th inning. Report: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/09/mlb-ejections-178-179-joe-west-tor-x2.html Two days earlier, Kiemaier upon being tagged out to end a half inning on a play at the plate picked up a scouting card dropped by Toronto and took the card to the Rays dugout. The Blue Jays were reportedly upset after the incident occurred and Rays manager Kevin Cash issued an apology to Toronto skipper Charlie Montoyo. Warnings had not previously been issued.
Astros Deke Diamondbacks into Losing Chance to Appeal that Yuli Gurriel Left Early
The Houston Astros baited the Arizona Diamondbacks into losing the opportunity to appeal a runner's leaving third base early on a play that gave Houston a game-tying run. Article: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/09/losing-appeal-astros-draw-d-backs-into.html The heads-up baseball play came when, after Houston baserunner R3 Gurriel had scored on a sacrifice fly by teammate Carlos Correa. As Diamondbacks pitcher Bradyn Sittinger stepped off the rubber to appeal Gurriel's early departure, Houston's new baserunner on third base, Kyle Tucker, took off for home plate and drew Sittinger's attention. Sittinger then threw the baseball to third baseman Josh VanMeter who focused on retiring Tucker and eventually chased down and tagged Tucker without ever having touched third base to appeal on Gurriel. According to Official Baseball Rule 5.09(c), "appeals under this rule must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play." Because VanMeter made a play on Tucker by virtue of tagging him out, the D-Backs lost their opportunity to appeal on Gurriel because of this "play or attempted play." There are two ways to appeal. First is the traditional "delayed" appeal wherein a pitcher waits until the play ends, Time is called, etc., then after the ball is put back into play, steps off the rubber and throws to the base where the appeal will take place. That's what happened here and "any play or attempted play" that happens before the appeal is executed (before the fielder tags the base) will nullify the opportunity to appeal. Second is the better way to appeal, which colloquially may be deemed the "real-time" appeal. This appeal occurs during the play itself in which the baserunning infraction occurred. To effect a real-time appeal, all one has to do is tag the base while the ball is still live during the continuous action created by and following the batted [or thrown, or pitched] ball. The MLB Umpire Manual clearly identifies the continuous action of the original play (e.g., before time is called or the ball is returned to the pitcher on the mound) as exempt from the appeal's "play or attempted play" statute of limitations. Obviously, this continuous action exemption does not apply to delayed/traditional appeals after the play has ended. Had Arizona 3B VanMeter simply tagged third base during the tail-end of the prior play while appealing to 3B Umpire Jeff Nelson that Astros R3 Gurriel had left early, Nelson would have ruled on the appeal then and there. But because the Diamondbacks waited until "Time" was called and then the ball put back into play with the pitcher on the mound and next batter in the box, they became subject to the "play or attempted play" clause that Houston took advantage of when third base coach Omar Lopez sent baserunner R3 Kyle Tucker in order to distract Arizona from the planned Gurriel appeal and draw them into making a play to close the door on that potential appeal opportunity.
Ejection 174 - Phil Cuzzi ejects Jayce Tingler as San Diego skipper complains about strikeout call
HP Umpire Phil Cuzzi ejected Padres manager Jayce Tingler over a strike three call to end Fernando Tatis' 5th inning at-bat vs St Louis as Adam Wainwright paints the top of the strike zone. Report: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/09/mlb-ejection-174-phil-cuzzi-3-jayce.html
Aces Batter Ramos & Rainiers' F6 Walton Fight During Home Run Trot - Does the HR Still Count?
We were asked about a batter-runner fighting a fielder during a home run trot and whether or not the HR still counts despite the runner failing to touch all of their awarded bases. Here's the rule. Article: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/09/ask-uefl-batter-runner-fights-fielder.html Today's example is a play during this weekend's Reno Aces vs Tacoma Rainier's minor league game. Aces batter Henry Ramos had just hit an out-of-the-park home run and flipped his bat, leading to a prolonged series of shouting, gestures, and taunting as Ramos rounded the bases. As Ramos rounded (and touched) second base, Rainiers shortstop Donovan Walton engaged Ramos. Although Ramos continued jogging toward third base, Walton ran toward and followed Ramos as a bench-clearing brawl ensued with punches thrown. After the dust settled, Ramos had not touched third base or home plate. What's the call? In 2013, Braves catcher Brian McCann confronted Brewers batter-runner Carlos Gomez during a home run trot. The fight that followed resulted in Gomez's ejection, amongst others. Even though Gomez was ejected and failed to physically touch home plate, umpire Paul Nauert and crew awarded Gomez with a base touch of home plate, ruling that McCann had obstructed Gomez, who was entitled to run and touch all four bases without liability to be put out due to the out-of-the-park home run. In other words, the runner failed to touch the base because of an illegal act by the defense during a dead ball in which the runner was entitled to advance to and touch all bases. Had the defense not confronted the offensive player entitled to touch the bases, the runner likely would have completed such base-running responsibilities. Thus, we have obstruction and the penalty is to award the runner with appropriate base touches. Had the runner CLEARLY indicated they did not wish to run the bases—for instance charging the mound or making a beeline toward a player immediately upon hitting a fair ball out of the playing field in flight—one could prepare for a potential defensive appeal or, alternatively, possibly rule abandonment. This was not the case here as Ramos was in the process of rounding the bases (even if Ramos was taunting/yelling at the opposing team while doing so) when the melee occurred.
Analysis of 5-Minute Replay Review'd Batter's Interference During Braves-Dodgers Game in LA
Braves batter Jorge Soler was out and interfered with Dodgers catcher Will Smith as Atlanta runner Ozzie Albies attempted to steal second base, that much was always clear. Article: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/08/batters-interference-in-la-or-bad-time.html Yet while HP Umpire Mike Estabrook initially called "Time" upon Smith's throw sailing into center field and signaled batter Soler out, while pointing Albies to return to first base, at some point, umpires appeared to declare Albies out, too, for an inning-ending double play. It would appear that at some point after Estabrook's initial (and correct) ruling, someone made the decision that Soler had struck out instead of simply swung and missed for strike two (and then interfered). The difference is that with a 1-1 batter's interference, the batter is out for the interference and runner returns to first base. But for a 1-2 batter's interference, the batter is already out for the strikeout (strike three) on the swing-and-miss, and the interference is thus deemed retired batter/runner's interference, meaning that the runner is declared out for the interference of the retired teammate, which would be the batter. After a Replay Review visit to the headsets, Crew Chief Jeff Nelson signaled the count should have been 1-2 following the swing-and-miss (but prior to the interference....it's confusing without umpires being mic'd up), and as a result, the batter was NOT out for the strikeout but for batter's interference, the penalty for which is to return the runner to first base and resume play with the batter declared out.
Obstruction Deja Vu - Umpires Kulpa & Lentz Echo Joyce & DeMuth as Boston Hindrance Leads to CLE Run
When HP Umpire Nic Lentz awarded Indians baserunner Oscar Mercado home plate during Sunday's Boston-Cleveland game, he enforced the penalty phase of 3B Umpire Ron Kulpa obstruction call moments earlier. Article: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/08/kulpa-lentzs-obstruction-shades-of.html The crew communication of Kulpa's call and Lentz's enforcement of the call mirrored 3B Umpire Jim Joyce and HP Umpire Dana DeMuth's game-ending obstruction call in Game 3 of the 2013 World Series when the umpires ruled that Red Sox 3B Will Middlebrooks had obstructed Cardinals baserunner Allen Craig, awarding St. Louis a walk-off win on Boston's obstruction error. While Boston second baseman Yairo Muñoz's obstruction of Cleveland runner Mercado didn't result in a walk-off error, it did similarly result in a run being awarded to Boston's opponent. This was an example of Obstruction B or Type 2, as in Official Baseball Rule 6.02(h)(2): "If no play is being made on the obstructed runner, the play shall proceed until no further action is possible. The umpire shall then call “Time” and impose such penalties, if any, as in their judgment will nullify the act of obstruction."
Highlights
E122 - Jo Adell Ejected Arguing Pitch Clock Violation as Dan Iassogna Said He Wasn't Alert in Time
HP Umpire Dan Iassogna ejected Angels RF Jo Adell for arguing a pitch clock violation/automatic strike vs Dodgers pitcher ...
E121 - Todd Tichenor Ejects Johnny Washington Late in Angels Latest Loss (To Detroit) on Strike Call
HP Umpire Todd Tichenor ejected Angels hitting coach Johnny Washington for arguing a strike three call to Christian Moore in the ...
E115 - Mark Kotsay Ejected After John Bacon's Ball Call on Knee-High Pitch from Bowden to Gurriel
HP Umpire John Bacon ejected Athletics manager Mark Kotsay for arguing a ball one call to Lourdes Gurriel in Sacramento that ...
E114 - Miguel Cairo Ejected as Chris Guccione Calls Check Swing Strikeout on James Wood
HP Umpire Chris Guccione ejected Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo for arguing a check swing strike three call on James ...
AGAIN? Boston's Narváez Called for Catcher's Balk & Interference by Umpire Wolcott's Crew in Philly
Called for catcher's interference on Monday, Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez committed interference AND a "catcher's balk" in ...
Phillies Win on Catcher's Interference Walk-Off as Red Sox Catcher Narváez Touches Batter Sosa's Bat
Philadelphia secured a walk-off win over Boston on catcher's interference when Phillies batter Edmundo Sosa's bat made contact ...
Tigers Trap vs Catch Replay & Out of Base Path No Call vs Rangers Analysis of Umpire Márquez's Crew
Consecutive plays confused Tigers manager AJ Hinch as Replay upheld a no catch/trap call on Rangers batter Kyle Higashioka's ...
E99 - Oliver Marmol Ejected on Jurickson Profar Ball Three Call by Brennan Miller in St Louis
HP Umpire Brennan Miller ejected Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol for arguing a ball three call to Braves batter Jurickson Profar ...
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