Manager

Expert Analysis

Catcher’s Interference

Topics: Batted Ball, Batter, Batter's Box, Blog, Catcher, Catcher Interference, Dead Ball Area, Definitions, Equipment, Expert Analysis, Fair Territory, Fielding, Interference, Latest News, Manager, Obstruction, Official Baseball Rules, Rule of the Week, Rules Controversy, Umpire

On Sunday the Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros played at Minute Maid.  In the bottom of the second, Tony Kemp was batting with the bases loaded and one out when Kemp’s swing made contact with the mitt of Royals’ catcher Drew Butera.  Plate umpire Lance Barrett ruled the ball dead because it was a…

Expert Analysis

Batter Interferes With Catcher’s Throw – Two MLB Examples

Topics: Batter, Batter Interference, Batter's Box, Interference, Latest News, Manager, Manager Ejection, Runners, Umpire

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…

Expert Analysis

Double Switch Delirium Reds Send Wrong Players into the Field

Topics: Batting Out of Order, Latest News, Manager, Substitutions, Umpire, Uncategorized

Someone once said, “Patience is the mother of all virtues.” That certainly holds true in the baseball sense. Every major league and minor league manager and bench coach needs to show patience in certain situations to maximize the benefits of the rule book. As we saw last week, Reds’ interim manager Jim Riggleman showed his…

Expert Analysis

Lineup Snafu, Mets Bat Out of Order

Topics: Batting Out of Order, Expert Analysis, Latest News, Manager, Umpire

Confusion reigned in the first inning yesterday, May 9, 2018,  at Great American Ball Park, where the Mets batted out of order in their game against the Reds. Before we look at what happened, a fundamental point of the rule is, when a batter bats out of order and it’s appealed, the batter who failed to bat…

Expert Analysis

Seven Surefire Ways to Get Ejected

Topics: Blog, Manager, Manager Ejection, Rule of the Week, Umpire

“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…

Expert Analysis

The New MLB Intentional Walk Rule

Topics: Blog, Manager, Pitcher, Rules Changes

The new MLB intentional walk rule has had little effect on the overall length of major league games. It was not a particularly bold move, but it does represent a changing of the mindset of those decision makers to speed up the pace of play. The estimated time shaving is around 35 seconds per game….

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