Discussions: 2013 Wild Card Games

As the 2013 MLB Wild Card games get underway, we again open the umpire forum to discussion. Notes include home plate umpire performance according to pitch f/x and UEFL Rules 6-2-b-a (horizontal bound, "Kulpa Rule") and 6-2-b-b (vertical strike zone, "Miller Rule"). Plays include significant plays, if such plays occur. For future games, notes include home plate umpire probables.

- Final, CIN@PIT, NL WC: HP Umpire Joe West: pfx (81/83 Balls, 28/34 Strikes = 109/117 = 93.2%).
- - CIN: + 4 Called Strikes located out of strike zone - 2 Balls located in strike zone
- - PIT: + 2 Called Strikes located out of strike zone - 0 Balls located in strike zone = + 0 (Neutral).
- HP: West. 1B: Dale Scott. 2B: Dan Iassogna. 3B: Rob Drake. LF: Tim Timmons. RF: Lance Barksdale.*
- Final, TB@CLE, AL WC: HP Umpire Gerry Davis: pfx (98/99 Balls, 51/55 Strikes = 149/154  = 96.8%).
- - TB: + 2 Called Strikes located out of strike zone - 1 Ball located in strike zone
- - CLE: + 2 Called Strikes located out of strike zone - 0 Balls located in strike zone = +1 (0.6% TB).
- HP: Davis. 1B: Ted Barrett. 2B: Mike Everitt. 3B: Greg Gibson. LF: Phil Cuzzi. RF: Brian Knight.*

Notes: *Lance Barksdale (NL) and Brian Knight (AL) are working their first postseason assignments.

Plays (QOC Coloring: Green [Correct], Yellow [Irrecusable or Inconclusive] or Red [Incorrect])
CIN@PIT: 1B Umpire Dale Scott rules McCutchen safe at first on the Reds' double play attempt
CIN@PIT: LF Umpire Tim Timmons struck by bounding batted ball, fair ruled by both Tim & 3B Rob Drake
CIN@PIT: HP Umpire Joe West upholds RF Umpire Lance Barksdale's home run (no interference) call

TB@CLE: HP Umpire Gerry Davis consults with crew, properly overturns 3B Umpire Gibson's foul call
TB@CLE: 1B Umpire Ted Barrett punches out Loney at first on backend of double play
TB@CLE: 1B Umpire Barrett calls Brantley safe at first on grounder up the middle

Solution for Case Play 2013-10: Unsportsmanlike Home Run

The Carlos Gomez Brewers-Braves fighting HR Case Play (2013-10) is now complete and available below:

To refresh, with one out and none on in a scoreless Brewers-Braves game, B1 Carlos Gomez hit a home run. As he circled the bases, he and several opponents engaged in unsporting verbal barbs until Gomez was finally confronted by F2 Brian McCann nearly 15 feet from home plate, resulting in a bench clearing brawl during which Gomez was rushed to the Milwaukee clubhouse and two others were ejected. Gomez never physically touched home plate.

Answer, Group Case Play 2013-10: An Unsportsmanlike Home Run
Summary: The run is scored and play is resumed with the Brewers leading, 1-0. In this case play, it is not necessary for Gomez to physically touch home plate after the fact as he was obstructed prior to arriving at home and accordingly prevented from doing so in an unsporting act. No substitute runner is required. The Rules allow for an umpire to "award a touch" if obstruction precedes or causes a missed base or touch. Rules: 2.00, 3.01, 4.09(b), 7.06(b), 9.01(a). MLBU 43-11. Wendelstedt 188.

+1 point to all participants.

For Detailed Findings, including thorough rules citation, analysis and explanation, click below to "read on."

Recap: 2013 Tiebreaker Game (Rays vs. Rangers)

With the 2013 Tiebreaker in the books and the Tampa Bay Rays headed to a Wild Card game in Cleveland, we review Game 163 of the regular season, noting home plate umpire performance according to pitch f/x and UEFL Rules 6-2-b-a (horizontal bound, "Kulpa Rule") and 6-2-b-b (vertical strike zone, "Miller Rule"). Plays include significant plays, if such plays occur.

Martin sells his trap for an out.

- Final, TB@TEX, Tiebreaker: HP Umpire Jeff Kellogg: pfx (116/116 Balls, 46/52 Strikes = 162/168 = 96.4%).
- - TB/TEX: +0 balls (100% Accuracy); TB: +3 Called Strikes located out of strike zone / TEX: +3 Called Strike out of zone = +0 (Neutral).

Plays (New! Quality of Correctness is indicated by green [Correct], yellow [Irrecusable or Inconclusive] or red [Incorrect] highlighting):
TB@TEX, Tiebreaker: 2B Umpire Tom Hallion rules Jennings out at second base on lead-off single in Tampa Bay's first AB.
TB@TEX, Tiebreaker: 1B Umpire Tim Welke rules Andrus out on Price's pickoff as Loney blocks bag.
TB@TEX, Tiebreaker: LF Umpire Bruce Dreckman rules catch on a sinking line drive to center field.

Roster: 2013 Tiebreaker, Wild Card Games & Division Series

MLB has announced the 2013 Wild Card, ALDS and NLDS Umpires, the first two rounds of the 2013 Playoffs.

Tonight's tiebreaker Game 163 (Rays @ Rangers) will feature:

Tim Welke -cc (0 Previous + 2 Division Series [NLDS Crew B, Dodgers @ Braves] = 2).

Jeff Kellogg -UIC (home plate umpire)

Bruce Dreckman

Chris Guccione (4 Previous + 2 Division Series [ALDS Crew C, WC @ Red Sox] = 6).

Tom Hallion (8 Previous + 2 Division Series [ALDS Crew D, Tigers @ Athletics] = 10).

Ron Kulpa

Wild Card A (NLWC/CIN@PIT)
Joe West -cc (5 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game + 1 Crew Chief Assignment Bonus = 7).
Dale Scott (4 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 5).
Dan Iassogna (11 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 12).
Rob Drake (1 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 2).
Tim Timmons (8 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 9).
Lance Barksdale (2 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 3).*

Wild Card B (ALWC/CLE@TB-TEX)
Gerry Davis -cc (0 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game + 1 Crew Chief Assignment Bonus = 2).
Ted Barrett (4 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 5).
Mike Everitt (2 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 3).
Greg Gibson (6 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 7).
Phil Cuzzi (-4 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = -3).
Brian Knight (13 Previous + 1 Wild Card Game = 14).*

Crew A (NLDS/WC@STL)
Jerry Layne -cc (10 Previous + 2 Division Series + 1 Crew Chief Assignment Bonus = 13).
Wally Bell (5 Previous + 2 Division Series = 7).
Sam Holbrook (10 Previous + 2 Division Series = 12).
Jim Joyce (-2 Previous + 2 Division Series = 0).
Paul Nauert (10 Previous + 2 Division Series = 12).
Tony Randazzo (6 Previous + 2 Division Series = 8).

Crew B (NLDS/LAD@ATL)
John Hirschbeck -cc (9 Previous + 2 Division Series + 1 Crew Chief Assignment Bonus = 12).
Laz Diaz (8 Previous + 2 Division Series = 10).
Marvin Hudson (6 Previous + 2 Division Series = 8).
Bill Miller (4 Previous + 2 Division Series = 6).
Tim Welke (0 Previous + 2 Division Series = 2).
Hunter Wendelstedt (14 Previous + 2 Division Series = 16).

Crew C (ALDS/WC@BOS)
Dana DeMuth -cc (5 Previous + 2 Division Series + 1 Crew Chief Assignment Bonus = 8).
Eric Cooper (-4 Previous  + 2 Division Series = -2).
Paul Emmel (1 Previous + 2 Division Series = 3).
Chris Guccione (4 Previous + 2 Division Series = 6).
Larry Vanover (3 Previous + 2 Division Series = 5).
Mike Winters (8 Previous + 2 Division Series = 10).

Crew D (ALDS/DET@OAK)
Gary Darling -cc (12 Previous + 2 Division Series + 1 Crew Chief Assignment Bonus = 15).
CB Bucknor (12 Previous + 2 Division Series = 14).
Mike DiMuro (2 Previous + 2 Division Series = 4).
Tom Hallion (8 Previous + 2 Division Series = 10).
Jim Reynolds (9 Previous + 2 Division Series = 11).
Mark Wegner (4 Previous + 2 Division Series = 6).

-cc denotes Crew Chief, * denotes first Post-season assignment. Per UEFL Rule 4-3-c, all umpires selected to appear in the Wild Card games shall receive one bonus point for this appearance. Umpires assigned to the Division Series shall receive two bonus points for this appearance; crew chiefs shall receive one additional bonus point for this role (two or three points total).

MLB Ejection 180: Paul Schrieber (1; Joe Maddon)

HP Umpire Paul Schrieber ejected Rays Manager Joe Maddon for arguing a ball three call in the bottom of the 7th inning of the Rays-Blue Jays game. With one out and two on, Blue Jays batter Moises Sierra took a 2-

Maddon dumped during Rays' Game 162.

1 fastball from Rays pitcher Joel Peralta for a called third ball. Replays indicate the ball three pitch was located thigh high and over the inner half of home plate (sz_bot 1.510, pz 1.546), the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the Rays were leading, 7-4. The Rays ultimately won the contest, 7-6.

This is Paul Schrieber (43)'s first ejection of 2013.

Paul Schrieber now has -2 points in the UEFL (0 Previous + 2 MLB + -4 Incorrect Call = -2).

Crew Chief Jeff Kellogg now has 9 points in the UEFL's Crew Division (9 Previous + 0 Incorrect = 9).

This is the 180th ejection of the 2013 MLB season.

This is the 85th Manager of 2013.

This the Rays' 7th ejection of 2013, 3rd in the AL East (TOR 13; BOS 9; TB 7; BAL 5; NYY 4).
This is Joe Maddon's 5th ejection of 2013 and first since August 27, 2013 (Greg Gibson; QOC = Incorrect).

This is Paul Schrieber's first ejection since June 2, 2012 (Humberto Quintero; QOC = Incorrect).

Wrap: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 9/29/13

Video: Maddon ejected arguing walk during Manager's visit to the pitching mound (TB)