MLB Ejection 066 - Bill Welke (2; Bud Black)

1B Umpire Bill Welke ejected Rockies Manager Bud Black (out of the base path call; QOCY) in the bottom of the 4th inning of the Mets-Rockies game. With one out and one on (R1), Rockies batter Gerardo Parra hit a line drive to Mets first baseman Wilmer Flores, who caught the batted ball on the fly and reached to tag baserunner R1 Trevor Story as he attempted to return to first base, ruled out by Welke for running more than three feet from his base path to avoid being tagged.* Replays indicate that as Flores fielded the ball and began his tag attempt, runner Story initially veered to his right and his waist was contained within the horizontal confines of the baseline between first and second base; by the conclusion of the play, Story's waist appeared to have deviated by more than three feet from this direct path to first base as he avoided Flores' tag and lunged back into the base from the right-field side of the bag, the call was correct.^ Ruling was reviewed and affirmed by the UEFL Appeals Board (5-3-1), the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Mets were leading, 3-1. The Mets ultimately won the contest, 12-2.

This is Bill Welke (3)'s second ejection of 2018.
Bill Welke now has 6 points in the UEFL Standings (2 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 6).
Crew Chief Bill Welke now has 2 points in Crew Division (1 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 2).
*Rule 5.09(b)(1) states that "any runner is out when—He runs more than three feet away from his base path to avoid being tagged unless his 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 he is attempting to reach safely."
^The Wendelstedt interpretation concerning the base path holds that the "center of [the runner's] body" shall be used as the primary point of consideration for determining where a base path has been established and by what distance a runner has deviated from it.

*R1 Story's mistake here was taking a step to his right (toward the third-base line) as Flores was completing his catch and beginning his tag attempt, thus restricting his legal base path and ability to avoid Flores' tag attempt. Had Story instead veered to his left (toward the right-field wall), his base path would not have been as greatly restricted to the outfield side (his left), and he likely would have stayed within his three-foot allotment, all things equal. Recall, the runner chooses his starting point and establishes his base path; the fielder by his actions of attempting a tag (or imminent play if no physical attempt is made) chooses at which point the runner's position is captured and at which point the base path is established.
Related Post: No No-No? Out of Base Path Call Voids Potential Sox Hit (4/22/18).
Related Post: Baez Out of Base Path in Rare Runner's Lane Appearance (5/23/16).
Related Post: Whose Call - Runner Out of Base Path Considerations (5/17/16).

This is the 66th ejection report of the 2018 MLB regular season.
This is the 27th Manager ejection of 2018.
This is Colorado's 4th ejection of 2018, T-2nd in the NL West (SD 5; ARI, COL, SF 4; LAD 2).
This is Bud Black's first ejection since July 8, 2017 (Sam Holbrook; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).
This is Bill Welke's 2nd ejection of 2018, 1st since March 30 (Ron Gardenhire; QOC = N [Replay Review]).

Wrap: New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies, 6/18/18 | Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Bill bounces Black because of baserunner's bumbling base path breach (NYM)