Saturday, August 23, 2014

MLB Ejection 160: Vic Carapazza (5; David Ross)

1B Umpire Vic Carapazza ejected Red Sox C David Ross for arguing a check swing (strike three) call in the bottom of the 8th inning of the Mariners-Red Sox game. With none out and one on, Ross attempted to check his swing on a 3-2 fastball from Mariners pitcher Yoervis Medina. Replays indicate Ross attempted to strike the pitch, the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Mariners were leading, 7-3. The Mariners ultimately won the contest, 7-3.

This is Vic Carapazza (19)'s fifth ejection of 2014.
Vic Carapazza now has 19 points in the UEFL Standings (15 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 19).
Crew Chief Larry Vanover now has 3 points in Crew Division (2 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 3).

This is the 160th ejection of 2014.
This is the 65th player ejection of 2014. Prior to ejection, Ross was 1-4 in the contest.
This is the Red Sox's 13th ejection of 2014, 1st in the AL East (BOS 13; TB 10; NYY 7; TOR 4; BAL 3).
This is David Ross' first career MLB ejection.
This is Vic Carapazza's first ejection since July 4, 2014 (Kevin Seitzer; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Seattle Mariners vs. Boston Red Sox, 8/23/14
Video: After striking out in the 8th inning, Ross jaws down the first base line, is warned, then tossed (BOS)

MLB Instant Replay Reviews 1001-1013: August 23, 2014

August 23, 2014 featured the following MLB Instant Replay Review decisions:

TypeR#PosUmpireRU#TeamRT#NameInnPreResult
r10012BFletcher, Andy11CWS32Robin Ventura6HRConfirmed
R10022BFletcher, Andy12NYY26Joe Girardi6OutOverturned
R10031BWelke, Bill12TOR44John Gibbons4SafeOverturned
r1004HPSegal, Chris8CHC50Rick Renteria7OutConfirmed
R10053BCulbreth, Fieldin12CHC51Rick Renteria8OutStands
r10062BBellino, Dan13STL28Mike Matheny92BConfirmed
R10071BReyburn, DJ21STL29Mike Matheny10OutStands
R10081BEveritt, Mike11LAA35Mike Scioscia3OutOverturned
R1009HPFairchild, Chad7OAK36Bob Melvin6OutStands
r10102BJohnson, Adrian14OAK37Bob Melvin7OutConfirmed
R10112BDiMuro, Mike15KC32Ned Yost6SafeConfirmed
R1012HPWendelstedt, Hunter11TEX35Ron Washington7SafeConfirmed
R10133BScheurwater, Stu7DET34Brad Ausmus3OutOverturned

MLB Instant Replay Review Videos (MLB Advanced Media):
Video 1001: CWS@NYY: Umpires confirm Beltran's homer in 6th
Video 1002: CWS@NYY: Yanks challenge after Prado ruled out in 6th
Video 1003: TB@TOR: Challenge overturns safe call at first in 4th | Rays protest game
Video 1004: BAL@CHC: Umpires confirm no violation of 7.13 in 7th
Video 1005: BAL@CHC: Out at third stands after challenge in 8th
Video 1006: STL@PHI: Umpires confirm ground-rule double in 9th
Video 1007: STL@PHI: Out call stands after challenge in the 10th
Video 1008: LAA@OAK: Pujols safe after challenge in the 3rd
Video 1009: LAA@OAK: Angels' relay to home stands in the 6th
Video 1010: LAA@OAK: Umpires confirm out at second in the 7th
Video 1011: KC@TEX: Andrus' stolen base confirmed in the 6th
Video 1012: KC@TEX: Cain confirmed safe at home in the 7th
Video 1013: DET@MIN: Hunter safe at third after challenge in 3rd

Friday, August 22, 2014

MLB Instant Replay Reviews 995-1000: August 22, 2014

August 22, 2014 featured the following MLB Instant Replay Review decisions:

TypeR#PosUmpireRU#TeamRT#NameInnPreResult
r995HPCulbreth, Fieldin11BAL30Buck Showalter5OutConfirmed
r996HPMuchlinski, Mike15CWS31Robin Ventura6OutConfirmed
r9973BHoberg, Pat9BOS34John Farrell2Not HRStands
R9983BHoberg, Pat10BOS35John Farrell4SafeOverturned
R9993BLittle, Will17MIL22Ron Roenicke6OutStands
R10002BScott, Dale13NYM32Terry Collins4OutStands

MLB Instant Replay Review Videos (MLB Advanced Media):
Video 995: BAL@CHC: Cubs' play at the plate reviewed in 5th
Video 996: CWS@NYY: Umpires confirm no violation of 7.13 in 6th
Video 997: SEA@BOS: Umpires review foul in the 2nd, call stands
Video 998: SEA@BOS: Red Sox win challenge on Betts' catch in 4th
Video 999: PIT@MIL: Brewers challenge out in 6th, call stands
Video 1000: NYM@LAD: Mets challenge out in 4th, call stands

Thursday, August 21, 2014

MLB Ejections 158, 159: Fletcher (3, 4; Pujols, Scioscia)

HP Umpire Andy Fletcher ejected Angels 1B Albert Pujols and Manager Mike Scioscia for arguing a prior strike two call (Unsportsmanlike-NEC) in the top of the 6th inning of the Angels-Red Sox game. With none out and none on, Pujols took a 2-1 slider from Red Sox pitcher Ruby De La Rosa for a called second strike. Replays indicate the pitch was located over the inner edge of home plate and diaphragm-high (px -.787, pz 3.306 / sz_top 3.26 [MOE 3.34]); Pujols and Scioscia were ejected at the conclusion of teammate Josh Hamilton's ensuing at-bat, the call was irrecusable . At the time of the ejections, the Angels were leading, 1-0. The Angels ultimately won the contest, 2-0.

These are Andy Fletcher (49)'s third and fourth ejections of 2014.
Andy Fletcher now has 12 points in the UEFL Standings (8 Prev + 2*[2 MLB + 0 Irrecusable] = 12).
Crew Chief Mike Winters now has 2 points in Crew Division (0 Previous + 2 Irrecusable Call = 2).

These are the 158th, 159th ejections of 2014.
This is the 64th player ejection of 2014. Prior to ejection, Pujols was 0-3 in the contest.
This is the 78th Manager ejection of 2014.
This is the Angels' 2/3rd ejection of 2014, 4th in the AL West (SEA 8; TEX 7; OAK 5; LAA 3; HOU 2).
This is Albert Pujols' first ejection since August 28, 2005 (Larry Poncino; QOC = U [Safe/Out]).
This is Mike Scioscia's first ejection since June 9, 2014 (Bob Davidson; QOC = Y [Replay Review]).
This is Andy Fletcher's first ejection since July 12, 2014 (Jake Diekman; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Boston Red Sox, 8/21/14
Video: Unhappy with a K2 call during his AB, Pujols is tossed arguing after a flyout; Sciosc, too (LAA)

MLB Instant Replay Reviews 989-994: August 21, 2014

August 21, 2014 featured the following MLB Instant Replay Review decisions:

TypeR#PosUmpireRU#TeamRT#NameInnPreResult
R9892BBucknor, CB14MIN30Ron Gardenhire6SafeOverturned
R9902BBucknor, CB15MIN31Ron Gardenhire7OutConfirmed
R9911BDavidson, Bob19ARI36Kirk Gibson1SafeOverturned
R9923BNelson, Jeff11ATL28Fredi Gonzalez3OutOverturned
R9931BMuchlinski, Mike14BOS33John Farrell3SafeOverturned
R994HPDiMuro, Mike14CHC49Rick Renteria3BallConfirmed

MLB Instant Replay Review Videos (MLB Advanced Media):
Video 989: CLE@MIN: Challenge overturns safe call in the 6th
Video 990: CLE@MIN: Challenge confirms out stealing in the 7th
Video 991: ARI@WSH: Challenge overturns safe call in the 1st
Video 992: ATL@CIN: Challenge overturns catch in left in the 3rd
Video 993: LAA@BOS: Safe call overturned in the 3rd inning
Video 994: SF@CHC: Call confirmed in 3rd, no hit-by-pitch

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

MLB Instant Replay Reviews 981-988: August 20, 2014

August 20, 2014 featured the following MLB Instant Replay Review decisions:

TypeR#PosUmpireRU#TeamRT#NameInnPreResult
R9811BCulbreth, Fieldin10TOR43John Gibbons7SafeStands
R9822BHernandez, Angel15ATL26Fredi Gonzalez1SafeOverturned
R983HPNauert, Paul8ATL27Fredi Gonzalez6OutConfirmed
R9842BHamari, Adam11CLE35Terry Francona4OutStands
R985HPScott, Dale12CLE36Terry Francona6BallConfirmed
R9861BBarry, Scott8COL37Walt Weiss8FoulStands
R9873BFairchild, Chad6SD28Bud Black8OutConfirmed
R9883BReyburn, DJ20MIA29Mike Redmond6SafeOverturned

MLB Instant Replay Review Videos (MLB Advanced Media):
Video 981: TOR@MIL: Safe call stands after challenge in the 7th
Video 982: ATL@PIT: Challenge overturns safe call in the 1st
Video 983: ATL@PIT: Out call confirmed at the plate in the 6th
Video 984: CLE@MIN: Out call overturned on a steal in the 4th
Video 985: CLE@MIN: No hit by pitch confirmed in the 6th inning
Video 986: KC@COL: Foul stands after Rockies' challenge in 8th
Video 987: SD@LAD: Out call on Liriano at third confirmed in 8th
Video 988: TEX@MIA: Challenge overturns safe call in the 6th

Protest Upheld for 1st Time in 28 Yrs in SF-CHC Rainout

MLB upheld a protest for the first time in 28 years following Tuesday's Giants-Cubs rain-shortened victory for the home team, 2-0, in five innings.

Immediately following the top half of the contest's fifth inning, umpire-in- and crew chief Hunter Wendelstedt called for a weather delay, ordering both teams off the field and the Cubs grounds crew to unravel the tarpaulin and cover the playing field. The stadium crew had difficulty in unfurling and dragging the tarp across the infield, including the positioning of the tarp at an incorrect angle, failing to cover key portions of the infield occupied by the shortstop and, in an attempt to correct the error, dumping standing water onto the uncovered dirt when wind kicked up the tarp, further submerging the infield with water collected from a brief yet very intense rainstorm.

Wendelstedt's crew of 1B Umpire Toby Basner, 2B Umpire Mike DiMuro and 3B Mike Estabrook then observed the Chicago grounds crew attempt to restore the field to playing condition, but after a rain delay in excess of four hours and 30 minutes, Wendelstedt called the game, declaring the 2-0 result final and deeming the field unplayable. Wendelstedt told a pool reporter, "I think the problem that all the parties faced was, by the baseball rulebook, there was nothing to put our hat on to suspend the game."

San Francisco disagreed.

The Giants, in the midst of a pennant chase with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, elected to file a protest, alleging that the Cubs' grounds crew - and by extension, the team itself - experienced a malfunction of a mechanical device under the control of the home team, such as a tarp. The protest was filed over the interpretation of Rule 4.12(a), which states, in part, that a game shall be rendered suspended (and not declared final) if, "Light failure or malfunction of a mechanical field device under control of the home club. (Mechanical field device shall include automatic tarpaulin or water removal equipment)."

Major League Baseball upper management, including Commissioner Bud Selig, Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred and Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations Joe Torre, agreed with the Giants, ordering the 2-0 contest suspended, rather than declared final, at the point of interruption. The Cubs will step to the plate with a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 5th inning Thursday as part of a modified doubleheader.

Hunter's Wendelstedt Umpire School established the website www.obr412.com prior to the 2014 season, posting a "Regulation and Suspended Game Outline (OBR 4.12)" infographic logic tree. When Wendelstedt declared the SF-CHC contest final on Tuesday night (or, early Wednesday morning), he invoked Rule 4.12(b)(4)(i) and justifying the decision by calling the regulation game early due to weather. When SF protested and MLB affirmed the protest, the league office invoked Rule 4.12(c), agreeing with the Giants that the reason Wendelstedt called the regulation game was because of mechanical failure on the part of the home team, not because of weather. Pursuant to rule, if this was the last contest of the season scheduled between the two teams, the score would be final (2-0 Cubs F/5). Because the Giants and Cubs were scheduled to play again following the game in question, the game was declared suspended and ordered to resume at a later date.

In a twist of fate, MLB's last upheld protest occurred on June 16, 1986 and also concerned a rule misinterpretation regarding rain delays and calling a regulation game. The protest of '86 was upheld when the Pittsburgh Pirates alleged that umpires failed to wait the required 30 consecutive minutes before calling their game against St. Louis due to rain. NL President Charles "Chub" Feeney agreed and ordered the game resumed at the point of interruption, with two outs in the 6th inning and the Cardinals leading, 4-1. St. Louis ultimately won the contest, 4-2.

Wrap: San Francisco Giants vs. Chicago Cubs, 8/19/14
Video: Multiple broadcasts cover the stormy Chicago chaos, and its aftermath (Must C)