MLB Ejection 001 - Brennan Miller (1; Rickie Weeks)

HP Umpire Brennan Miller ejected Brewers associate manager Rickie Weeks (ball one call; QOCY) in the top of the 7th inning of the #Royals-#Brewers game. With none out and one on, Royals batter Hunter Renfroe took a 0-2 slider from Brewers pitcher Elvis Peguero for a called first ball. Replays indicate the pitch was located off the inner edge of home plate and at the hollow of the knee (px -0.82, pz 1.64 [sz_bot 1.65 / RAD 1.53]), the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the Royals were leading, 5-0. The Royals ultimately won the contest, 11-1.

This is Brennan Miller (55)'s 1st ejection of 2025.

This is the 1st ejection report of the 2025 MLB regular season.

This is the 1st coach ejection of 2025. Ejection Tally: 0 Managers, 1 Coach, 0 Players.

This is Milwaukee's 1st ejection of 2025, 1st in the NL Central (MIL 1; CHC, CIN, PIT, STL 0).

This is Rickie Weeks' 1st ejection since July 4, 2010 (John Hirschbeck; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Brennan Miller's 1st ejection since Sept 17, 2024 (Jose Altuve; QOC = N [Fair/Foul]).

Wrap: Kansas City Royals vs Milwaukee Brewers, 3/31/25 | Video as follows:

Out of Base Path Call Against M's Solano Ends Game

Umpire Stu Scheurwater's out of the base path call against Seattle batter-runner Donovan Solano ended the A's-Mariners game as Stu ruled that Solano ran more than three feet from his established base path to avoid first baseman Tyler Soderstrom's tag. Did he?

Out of the base path calls near first base are one of the only instances in which painted lines on the baseball field are helpful for adjudication. This is because the distance from the foul line to the lane line along the first baseline is exactly three feet, by rule.

To review, out of the base path is as follows: "Any runner is out when they run more than three feet away from their base path to avoid being tagged unless their action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base they are attempting to reach safely" (Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(1)).

While the runner's lane interference rule, as pertains to the physical markings on the ground, states: "The chalk lines marking the threefoot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane" (OBR 5.09(a)(11)).

So although the runner's lane rule itself bears no relevance to this tag play at first base, because Solano was positioned on the fair territory side of the runner's lane at the beginning of F3 Soderstrom's tag attempt, and because Solano then ran onto the foul territory side of the runner's lane, we know that Solano must have run more than three feet from his base path to avoid the tag, and, thus, is out of the base path.

Video as follows:

No, You Can't Catch a Ball With Your Hat

Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham got away with an illegal play when he took off and used his hat to field Brewers batter Isaac Collins' fly ball to deep right-center, a rules infraction that should have resulted in a three-base award had the umpires spotted it.

Replays indicate that in the 9th inning of New York's 4-2 win over Milwaukee, Grisham deliberately took off his uniform cap and used it to help control a fair ball at the wall, which is against the rules, the penalty for which is a three-base award: "Three bases, if a fielder deliberately touches a fair ball with their cap, mask or any part of their uniform detached from its proper place on their person. The ball is in play and the batter may advance to home base at their peril" (Official Baseball Rule 5.06(b)(4)(B)).

The violation went uncalled, resulting in a double with Brewers baserunner R1 Joey Ortiz advancing from first to third base. Had the umpires called and enforced the violation and its penalty, Ortiz would have scored and batter-runner Collins would have been placed at third base.

Video as follows:

3B Umpire Calls Check Swing on Right-Handed Batter???

Ordinarily, crew-of-three 3B umpires handle check swing appeals for left-handed hitters and 1B umpires take righties...so why did a 3B umpire rule on a check swing for a righty in NCAA's LSU vs Louisiana game?

The prevailing wisdom for most umpire manuals in a crew of three is that check (or "checked" in softball parlance) swings for lefties get appealed to U3 and righties get appealed to U1. That's what most umpire manuals will tell you, such as a prior year's NCAA Softball Umpire Manual, which states, "The plate umpire should get help from the first base umpire for right-handed batters and the third base umpire for left-handed batters, regardless of where the base umpires are positioned on the field."

Professional baseball, at some levels, did experiment years ago with having the third base umpire take check swings on right-handed batters during situations in which the first base umpire is counter-rotated onto the infield, such as the runners on 1B & 2B situation in LSU-Louisiana...but the experiment didn't seem to work and umpire mechanics returned to the U1/righties and U3/lefties setup.

Looks like softball is angling for a new check swing mechanic experiment.

Video as follows:

Kid Umpire Calls MLB Game from the Stands

A young fan attending a Blue Jays-Cardinals Spring Training game dressed like an MLB umpire called balls and strikes from the stands, stealing the show: "This is all we want," exclaimed the St Louis broadcast.

Complete with a pro-style black umpire uniform shirt, facemask, black ball bag (sorry, Cubby!), and heather gray pants, baseball's newest real fake umpire dazzled while calling the game alongside—and, timing-wise, in sync with—HP Umpire Tom Hanahan: "that kid is on point!"

The fake ump monicker refers to the original "Fake Umpires" from 2008-10, Tim Williams and Joe Farrell of Toronto, who in 2015 took to Citi Field for a charity fundraiser, after raising over $10,000 during their first round of fake officiating from the stands. Williams and Farrell previously ejected George Washington from the Presidents' Race in Washington, DC, during a 2009 game.

Video as follows:

Shohei Ohtani's Home Run or Fan Interference in Tokyo?

Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani hit a home run in Game 2 of LA's Tokyo Series sweep over Chicago, but not after umpires reviewed the play for spectator interference. Let's take another look at this call stands decision, made due to lack of clear and convincing evidence.

With one out and none on in the top of the 5th inning, Ohtani hit a 2-2 fastball from Cubs pitcher Nate Pearson to deep right-center field, whereupon a fan reached for and touched the baseball, ruled a home run by 2B Umpire John Libka.

Crew Chief Bill Miller initiated a review for spectator interference, defined by the Official Baseball Rules as occurring "when a spectator (or an object thrown by the spectator) hinders a player’s attempt to make a play on a live ball, by going onto the playing field, or reaching out of the stands and over the playing field."

OBR 6.01(e) specifies what to do when spectator interference occurs: "When there is spectator interference with any thrown or batted ball, the ball shall be dead at the moment of interference and the umpire shall impose such penalties as in their opinion will nullify the act of interference."

Replay determined that available camera angles (which themselves suffered from varying degrees of parallax) did not provide clear/convincing evidence to confirm or overturn the call, and thus ruled the original on-field ruling of home run should stand.

Video as follows:

Is Jumping into a Thrown Ball Interference? The Báez Case

Tigers baserunner Javier Báez jumped into a thrown ball following a diving catch by Rays shortstop Carson Williams, resulting in a double play at Grapefruit League Spring Training. With umpires not ruling this interference, instead signaling Báez out only when Tampa retrieved the loose ball and tagged first base, we review baseball's rules to determine whether the runner interfered with the play or not.

Pursuant to Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(3), "any runner is out when they intentionally interfere with a thrown ball; or hinder a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball."

Replays indicate Báez jumped after Williams began his throw toward first base in an attempt to double up Báez for failing to tag up on the air out, which is indeed interference, as long as the umpire deems the runner's actions were an intentional attempt to hinder or impede the defense from making a play (in this case, completing the throw to first base). Replays indicate 2B Umpire Diaz did not signal interference, which by rule, suggests he did not deem Báez's act as intentional in accordance with OBR 5.09(b)(3).

The definition of offensive interference is "an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play."

Video as follows:

Team Loses While Celebrating Despite Missed Base Touch

Seminole St lost to McLennan on a walk-off groundout when the defense celebrated and spiked a live ball, allowing the winning run to score after the catcher missed his base touch on the tying runner.

We briefly consider interference rules - both with the team being on the field during play and potential base coach assistance (illegal if physical) and ponder the possibility of an umpire holding the safe mechanic (arms out) a tick longer so everyone can see the call for this atypical play at home plate (e.g., a pulled foot is a close call that merits additional emphasis, especially at this point in the game for the tying runner), after the other play at first base is concluded.

Video as follows:

WBC Hidden Ball Trick - Out or Balk? OBR vs NCAA

Just days after Clemson's incorrectly officiated hidden ball trick against Ole Miss, umpires nearly made another misstep on a similar play in the South Africa vs Nicaragua game in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier by calling a balk and awarding a run on what turned out to be a legal play by the defense.

Whereas the Clemson game featured an improperly ruled out call during a dead ball, with the umpire who called Ole Miss' runner out also having clearly previously signaled "Time", the WBC play didn't involve a dead ball whatsoever.

Related Post: Clemson's Hidden Ball Trick vs Ole Miss Was Illegal (2/18/24).

Related Post: Clemson's Hidden Ball Trick & Rule Requirements (6/3/24).

With one out and a runner on second base in the bottom of the 7th inning, Nicaragua's baserunner R2 tagged up and advanced to third on a fly ball to right field. After South Africa threw the ball to third base, the third baseman faked handing the ball back to the pitcher, keeping it for himself in his glove, while the pitcher slowly meandered back toward the mound.

While the pitcher stood on the back dirt on the pitcher's mound, Nicaragua's runner at third base took his lead, upon which South Africa's third baseman tagged the runner while off his base. Instead of calling the runner out, however, umpires called a balk on the South Africa pitcher, ruling that he illegally stood on the mound during a hidden ball trick attempt, which is illegal...just not under the ruleset that applied for this game.

Pursuant to NCAA Rule 9-3-f, the pitcher is not allowed to be on any part of the mound (dirt) while a hidden ball trick attempt is in progress, the penalty for which is a balk and base award for the runner(s).

But the World Baseball Classic doesn't play under college (NCAA) rules, it plays under professional (OBR)'s rulebook, which states that the pitcher's only restriction is that they may not stand "on or astride" the rubber without possession of the ball.

In other words, this play would have been illegal (and thus a balk) in college, but in pro, it is a legal play and the runner is therefore out on the tag. After conference, the umpires ultimately did arrive at the correct conclusion, reversing their earlier erroneous balk call and declaring the runner out on the tag.

Refer to this summary of the different pitcher restrictions by ruleset (college/high school/pro):

NCAA 9-3-f is the most restrictive, prohibiting pitchers from being on the dirt of the mound at all.

NFHS 6-2-5 takes a moderate approach, stating pitchers may not stand within five feet of the rubber.

OBR 6.02(a)(9) is the most lenient, only prohibiting pitchers from standing "on or astride" the rubber.

Video as follows:

Robo Ump (ABS Challenge System) Debuts at MLB Spring

Baseball's electronic 'robo ump' Automated Ball/Strike System (ABS) debuted in MLB Spring Training and it took only a half inning before Chicago challenged HP Umpire Tony Randazzo's ball call, with ABS overturning it to a strike. Here's how ABS will work during its MLB Spring Training experiment and what that could mean for the future of TV's on-screen strike zone box graphic.

MLB brings the formerly Triple-A ABS challenge system to select Spring Training games in 2025, reducing team challenges to two per club (down from three in Triple-A). As is the case in Triple-A, only a batter, catcher, or pitcher may challenge a ball or strike call and the challenge request (indicated by tapping one's head) must be made immediately after the call in question. Teams lose their challenges with an unsuccessful challenge while they retain their challenges if the review results in an overturned call.

Taking a 17-inch wide home plate, ABS calculates every batter's strike zone the same way: the bottom of the zone stands at 27% of a batter's height, while the top is 53.5% of their height, regardless of where their actual hollows-beneath-the-knee and midpoint-between-belt-and-shoulders actually line up.

ABS also calculates the depth of home plate a little differently than TV. Whereas TV broadcasts display the ball's projected location at the front edge of home plate, ABS uses the middle of the plate's depth (the back edge of the plate's rectangle portion / base of triangle vs. TV's front edge).

In other words, ABS does not address the 2D vs 3D strike zone problem nor does it address the issue of fluctuating zone height in real-time, but it appears to serve more as a game management tool than one of absolute accuracy: the hope is that teams will buy in to ABS and if it's successful in that regard, it won't matter if ABS is actually accurate because the players and managers will accept it on its face alone.

MLB has indicated it may no longer be a fan of television's graphical strike zone, since TV's methodology conflicts with ABS: the league is concerned discrepancies between TV and ABS might make it harder to sell fans and teams alike on the challenge system. Will ABS spell the end of K-Zone on TV? Will it matter that ABS makes incorrect calls sometimes? Stay tuned...

Video as follows: