“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 […]
STANDARDS FOR REMOVAL FROM THE GAME MLB Umpires are entrusted with the authority to remove any participant from a game. This responsibility should never be taken lightly. Major League Baseball recognizes that every situation is unique and that umpire discretion is essential to proper rule enforcement. While there are unique and extraordinary circumstances, players and […]
Let’s look at the following play that could have resulted in a “fourth out” appeal when the Tigers and Indians played at Comerica Park on June 24, 2016.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura argued that the batter interference rule should have been invoked in the top of the 11th inning of the Astros-White Sox game in Chicago on May 17, 2016.
Things got hot in Philadelphia this past Tuesday night after the Mets’ Hansel Robles “quick pitched” Darin Ruf of the Phillies. Insider Observations: Per rule 6.02 (a) (5), a quick pitch is an illegal pitch. “Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter’s box. With […]
In the April 16 Royals/Twins game at Target Field, Kennys Vargas singled to the right fielder corner in the bottom of the seventh inning when a fan promptly picked up the ball. Umpire Joe West signaled fan interference. The umpires ruled that Vargas would have only made one base had there been no interference so […]