A Bobble in Real Time is a Catch in Slo-Mo
What Happened? Rich Marazzi: The Marlins beat the Tigers 5-4 in 11 innings on Tuesday night. A costly overturn of a “no catch” on the field call could have contributed to the Tigers’ defeat. The Tigers were batting in the bottom of the ninth with runners on first and third and one out when Ronny…
Broadcasters Call Machado Play “Bush League.” But is it Interference?
Diamondback Announcers did not hold back on their opinion of Manny Machado and his controversial play in San Diego versus the Padres, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. “It’s such an unnecessary thing, to say the least” Brenly said. “Obviously, it could create a potential injury. You drop a bat next to a guy who’s looking…
Batter Interferes With Catcher’s Throw – Two MLB Examples
Two Batter Interference plays that occurred six days apart are worth a look. Play Number 1 On August 31, 2017, the Astros hosted the Rangers at Tropicana Field in Florida because of Hurricane Harvey. In the bottom of the first, the Astros had George Springer on first base and no outs when Alex Bregman swung…
First Play or Second Play? Placing Runners is Tricky
According to rule 5.06 (G), when a wild throw by an infielder goes out of play or under a bench, the umpires must distinguish if it’s the “first play” or “second play” by the infielder. Remember, by rule, the fielding of a ground ball, line drive or fly ball is not the “first play.” What…
Seven Surefire Ways to Get Ejected
“What have I gotta do to get thrown out of here?” demands your favorite manager, exasperated and red faced, a vein throbbing in his forehead. He’s been arguing for almost two full minutes, and might not have taken a breath since he started. Neither umpire seems the least bit interested in doubling down on the bad call…
