Langford’s Missed Base and Gonzalez’s Missed Tag: Appeal Play
Play No. 1 The Rangers and Red Sox played at Fenway on May 7th. In the top of the third, the Rangers had Josh Jung on second and Jonah Heim on third with one out when Wyatt Langford hit a tapper to the third base side of the mound. The ball was fielded by Tanner…
July 2025 Question and Answer
Question No. 1 In the following play, the batter-runner was running on the infield grass on the way to first base. Why wasn’t the batter-runner called out for interference because he was running out of the Runner’s Lane? This is the play you are referring to. The Cubs and Phils played at Citizen’s Bank on…
Rare Visual Obstruction Calls in Dodgers vs Mets
The Dodgers beat the Mets 7-5 in 13 innings on May 23, 2025 when third base umpire Tripp Gibson, gave a clinic on the topic of visual obstruction by making two such calls. The last time I saw such a call made was in 2004. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Pete Alonso was…
Robles Catch and Carry
The Mariners and Giants met at Oracle Park on April 6, 2025. In the bottom of the ninth with the score tied, 4-4, the Giants had Luis Matos on first base and one out when Patrick Bailey sent a fly ball into the corner deep down the right field line. Mariners’ right fielder Victor Robles…
Batter Runner Interference Costs Guardians vs Orioles
The Guardians and the Orioles played at Camden Yards on April 16th. In the top of the eighth, the Guardians had the bases loaded and one out when Ángel Martínez, facing Yennier Canó, hit a tapper back to the mound. Canó flipped the ball underhand to catcher Adley Rutschman for the force. Rutschman then fired…
Elly De La Cruz’s Stolen Base Thwarted by Batter Interference Call
The Reds hosted the Mariners at Great American Park on April 16, 2025. In the bottom of the eighth, Austin Hays was batting with a 0-2 count facing Gabe Speier with Elly De La Cruz on first base. Hays struck out, and De La Cruz, who was stealing on the play was also called out…
Type 1 Obstruction: Fielders Illegally Blocking a Base
A few years ago, MLB distributed a video prior to the start of the season demonstrating how catchers should adhere to the Collision at Home Plate rule 6.01 (i). The video coupled with the language of the rule has been a huge success in eliminating runner/catcher collisions at the plate. Now, MLB needs to provide…
Passing The Runner: Juan Soto Passes Brandon Nimmo
The White Sox and Mets played at Citi Field on May 27, 2025. In the bottom of the first inning, the Mets had Brandon Nimmo on first base and no outs when Juan Soto, facing Jonathan Cannon, drove a ball deep to Michael A. Taylor in right center. Nimmo was off and running. It wasn’t…
Controversial Calls and Rule Interpretations in 2025
Play No. 1 The Twins and A’s played at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on June 3, 2025. In the top of the sixth inning, Brooks Lee, facing Jacob Lopez, hit a bouncer toward first base with two outs. A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom attempted to field the ball, he slipped and the ball deflected…
Batter-Runner Interference Results in Ejection
The Marlins and Rays played at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on June 6, 2025 in front of 8,448 fans. In the top of the third, Xavier Edwards was batting facing the Rays’ Zack Littell with Dane Myers on second and no outs trailing, 1-0. Edwards bunted the ball to the third base side…