Don Mattingly

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Expert Analysis

The 40th Anniversary of the Pine Tar Game

Topics: Expert Analysis

Today, marks the 40th anniversary of the historic Pine Tar Game when George Brett’s two-run homer off Yankees’ reliever “Goose” Gossage in the top of the ninth gave the Royals an “apparent” 5-4 lead but was nullified by the umpires because they ruled the amount of pine tar on Brett’s bat exceeded the legal 18-inch…

Expert Analysis

Three Balks in the Same Inning!

Topics: Expert Analysis

Rule 6.02 (a) (13) reads, “If there is a runner or runners on base, it is a balk when the pitcher delivers the pitch from Set Position without coming to a stop.” Just when you think you’ve seen everything… In the bottom of the eighth inning of the Marlins-Mets game on September 27, 2022 at…

Expert Analysis

Runner hit by batted ball…..is the runner always out?

Topics: Base Awards, Deflected Ball, Expert Analysis, Placing Runners, Runner Interference, Runners

When a runner is hit by a batted ball, he is not always out. Umpires must assess the situation and apply the proper rule. The most common form of this violation is when a runner is struck by a batted ball in front an infielder and impedes him from making a play.  The runner is…

Expert Analysis

The George Brett Pine Tar Game was not the First Pine Tar Game

Topics: Batter, Ejection, protest, Umpire, Uncategorized

It was a steamy July day in New York and George Brett was on fire. He had just stroked a Goose Gossage four-seamer into the Yankee Stadium bleachers for a dramatic two out, ninth inning, home run that put the Royals up 5-4. The Yankees manager, Billy Martin, decided to protest the home run based…

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