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| Umpire Joe West explains his ruling to Rays manager Joe Maddon as crew-mates Rob Drake (L), Sam Holbrook (facing camera) & Andy Fletcher look on. |
Initially ruled a home run by
The Rays eventually won the contest, 8-6, while Longoria nonetheless scored later that inning. The first official use of instant replay occurred in Tampa Bay on Sept. 3, 2008, when Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez's home run off reliever Troy Percival was reviewed and confirmed. 16 days later—on Sept. 19, 2008—the Rays played host to the first overturned call as a result of instant replay when an on-field decision of fan interference was overturned to a home run.
Video 1: Evan Longoria's reviewed home run (overturned to spectator interference, a double)
Meanwhile in Detroit, Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera stepped to the plate with two out and none on in the bottom of the fifth, connecting on an 87-mph offering from Red Sox starter Josh Beckett and driving the ball deep to left-center field.
Before instant replay was invoked by crew chief Dale Scott, 2B Umpire CB Bucknor had ruled the play a rules book double under the auspices of OBR Rule 6.09(f):
Any fair ball which, either before or after touching the ground, passes through or under a fence, or through or under a scoreboard, or through any opening in the fence or scoreboard, or through or under shrubbery, or vines on the fence, or which sticks in a fence or scoreboard, in which case the batter and the runners shall be entitled to two bases.Replays indicate the ball never passed through or under a fence; it cleared the wall on the fly and Scott properly overturned the call to that of a home run.
Cabrera's awarded HR was one of five home runs hit by the Tigers on Saturday (Prince Fielder, 2; Cabrera, 2; Alex Avila, 1), the most home runs ever surrendered by Beckett in his first start of any MLB season: the Boston hurler last allowed five runs on Aug. 23, 2009. The Tigers eventually won the contest, 10-0.
Video 2: Miguel Cabrera's reviewed double (overturned to a home run)
Instant replay review - that's what it's there for. Good job by Joe and Dale to get those calls right. Richie must really be loathing there was no replay back during the Orioles-Yankees ALCS. I remember Bob Costas going "and what happens now" while Jon Miller was completely losing his mind about how terrible the call was.
ReplyDeleteGood calls in both cases. There's no way the covering umpires could have gotten those calls right with the naked eye.
ReplyDeleteCabrera's shot was one of the most bizarre homers I've ever seen. I mean, how often will the ball clear the fence and then come back under it?
ReplyDeleteCB Bucknor running all the way out to the warning track to call it a double...
ReplyDeleteLooks like CB & crew had another boundary call, this time a Detroit walk-off home run that a fan caught in front of the railing. However, Comerica Park is set up in such a way that the yellow line is actually located on the fenceline at the base of the railing so that even if the fan reaches over, it's a home run anyway. Umpires conferred and decided not to review.
ReplyDeleteMy quick look at the longoria shot looks like a legit home run. Why did West take it away? The ball was going to land in the seats, not the wall.
ReplyDeleteCB ruled the ball a double when the ball was on THE OTHER SIDE IF THE FENCE. Can someone please explain to me, why you wouldn't call it a homerun????? You run all the way out there and you see it on the other side........call it a homerun. Why a double????
ReplyDelete@anonymous12:29 Gap under fence?
ReplyDelete