MLB Debut of Umpire Nestor Ceja

Umpire Nestor Ceja made his MLB debut Friday in Arizona alongside Crew Chief Alfonso Marquez, Chris Guccione, and Cory Blaser.

Ceja's first stops after graduation from the MiLB Umpire Academy were the 2013 Midwest and Florida Instructional Leagues, after which he called games in the California, Texas, and Pacific Coast Leagues, in addition to the Arizona Fall League.

He officiated the 2016 XM All-Star Futures Game in San Diego and is an instructor at the MiLB Umpire Training Academy.

In 2016, he ejected San Antonio Missions Manager Phillip Wellman, leading to an extended tirade.
Related Post: Featured MiLB Ejection - Nestor Ceja (Phil Wellman) (5/27/16).

Ceja is one of 10 rookie umpires to make his MLB debut during the 2020 regular season. He becomes the second Nestor in the history of baseball to serve as a major league umpire. The other—Nestor Chylak—wound up in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Clinton "Clint" Vondrak (8/10/20).
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Nate Tomlinson (8/7/20).
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Erich Bacchus (8/7/20).
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Adam Beck (8/5/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Randy Rosenberg (8/4/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Lewis "Lew" Williams III (8/2/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Jeremy Riggs (7/28/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Jose Navas (7/24/20)

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Edwin Moscoso (7/23/20).

MLB Ejection 17 - Carlos Torres (1; Stephen Strasburg)

HP Umpire Carlos Torres ejected Nationals bench player/pitcher Stephen Strasburg (ball three call; QOCY) in the bottom of the 3rd inning of the #Nationals-#Mets game. With two outs and the bases loaded, Mets bater Pete Alonso took a 2-2 fastball from Nationals pitcher Austin Voth for a called third ball. Replays indicate the pitch was located over the inner half of home plate and below the hollow of the knee (px -0.39, pz 1.49 [sz_bot 1.60 / RAD 1.48 / MOE 1.56]), the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the game was tied, 1-1. The Mets ultimately won the contest, 7-2.

This is Carlos Torres (37)'s first ejection of 2020.
Carlos Torres now has 3 points in the UEFL Standings (-1 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 3).
Crew Chief Chad Fairchild now has 1 points in Crew Division (0 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 1).
*This pitch was located 0.84 vertical inches from being deemed an incorrect call.

This is the 17th ejection report of the 2020 MLB regular season.
This is the eighth player ejection of 2020. Prior to ejection, Strasburg did not appear in the game.
This is Washington's 1st ejection of 2020, 1st in the NL East (WAS 1; ATL, MIA, NYM, PHI 0).
This is Stephen Strasburg's 1st ejection since Aug 17, 2013 (Marvin Hudson; QOC = U [Throwing At]).
This is Carlos Torres' 1st ejection since Sept 14, 2019 (Andy Green; QOC = Y [Check Swing]).

Wrap: Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets, 8/13/20 | Video as follows:

Injury Scout - Conroy Hit in Hand, Returns

After HP Umpire Chris Conroy was hit in the hand by a foul ball, he briefly left his game in Cincinnati, only to return as the third base umpire.

In the bottom of the 1st inning of the Royals-Reds game, Reds batter Shogo Akiyama fouled a 2-1 sinker from Royals pitcher Brad Keller into Conroy's right ring finger, drawing blood as Conroy left the game, replaced behind home plate by 2B Umpire Jeff Nelson.

1B Umpire Larry Vanover and 3B Umpire CB Bucknor officiated the field in a three-person alignment until Conroy, who reportedly suffered a fractured finger, returned in the 4th inning as the third base umpire, with Bucknor assuming second base duties.

Relevant Injury History: There is no recent relevant injury history.

Last Game: August 12 | Return to Play: August 12 | Time Absent: 2 Innings | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 16 - Tim Timmons (1; Willson Contreras)

HP Umpire Tim Timmons ejected Cubs C Willson Contreras (check swing strike three call) in the top of the 5th inning of the #Cubs-#Indians game. With none out and two on (R2, R3), Contreras attempted to check his swing on a 0-2 slider from Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco, ruled a swinging strike by HP Umpire Timmons. Play was reviewed and adjudicated by the UEFL Appeals Board, the call on the field of "swing" was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Cubs were leading, 1-0. The Cubs ultimately won the contest, 7-2.

This is Tim Timmons (95)'s first ejection of 2020.
Tim Timmons now has 4 points in the UEFL Standings (0 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 QOCY = 4).
Crew Chief Laz Diaz now has 0 points in Crew Division (-1 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 0).

This is the 16th ejection report of the 2020 MLB regular season.
This is the seventh player ejection of 2020. Prior to ejection, Contreras was 0-3 (2 SO) in the contest.
This is Chicago's 1st ejection of 2020, T-2nd in the NL Central (PIT 2; CHC, CIN 1; MIL, STL 0).
This is Willson Contreras' 1st ejection since August 24, 2019 (Hunter Wendelstedt; QOC = U [USC]).
This is Tim Timmons' 1st ejection since Sept 13, 2019 (Tim Bogar; QOC = Y [Check Swing]).

Wrap: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians, 8/12/20 | Video as follows:

Blue Jays' Obstruction B Award is Not Automatic

The Toronto Blue Jays, by way of Buffalo learned an important lesson about Obstruction Type 2 (B) during Tuesday's game against Miami when baserunner Lourdes Gurriel Jr was called out at third base after 2B Umpire Chad Whitson's obstruction call and the umpires' determination that had the violation not occurred, the runner would nonetheless have been put out at third base.

The Play: With two out and a runner on second in the bottom of the 2nd inning of Tuesday's Marlins-Jays game, Miami pitcher Elieser Hernandez attempted to pickoff R2 Gurriel, erring on this throw and launching the ball into shallow center field. As fielder Jonathan Villar lay on the ground having missed the throw, he became entangled with runner Gurriel, thus hindering Gurriel from running the bases unencumbered and drawing an obstruction call from 2B Umpire Whitson. After recovering from the entanglement, Gurriel continues toward third base, where he is thrown out.

In 2017, we wrote about the myth of Obstruction 2 (formerly OBS B) and a free base award: When a play is not being made on a runner and Type 2 Obstruction occurs, there is no automatic award. Instead, the remedy, as Rule 6.01(h)(2) states, is "The umpire shall then call 'Time' and impose such penalties, if any, as in his judgment will nullify the act of obstruction."
Related Post: Obstruction Type 2 Does Not Guarantee Free Base (4/29/17).

Angel Hernandez calls obstruction for R2.

To further clarify, OBR 6.01(h)(2) comment declares, "When the ball is not dead on obstruction and an obstructed runner advances beyond the base which, in the umpire’s judgment, he would have been awarded because of being obstructed, he does so at his own peril and may be tagged out. This is a judgment call."

Thus, the question here is simply whether baserunner Gurriel Jr would have made it to third base safely had obstruction not occurred.

Gil's Call/Analysis: This is a tough play. We first deem that OBS 2 is properly invoked because at the time obstruction ("the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner") occurs, the ball has already been missed by the middle infielder.

Gurriel returns to second standing.

As the accompanying image demonstrates, the runner does not slide back into but instead stands on second base. In doing so, the runner keeps himself in a better position to push off of second base with his right foot and advance to third base in the event he choses to do so.

One tenth of a second later, Gurriel shifts his weight and assumes a posture suggesting he is attempting to advance to third base. At this time, he trips over the prone fielder, resulting in hindrance and obstruction.

A mathematical obstruction award ruling.

Play is properly kept alive and runner Gurriel is thrown out at third. After crew consultation amongst chief Mark Carlson's crew of Whitson, 1B Umpire Roberto Ortiz and HP Umpire James Hoye, the out call prevails with the umpires ruling that had obstruction not occurred, Gurriel would nonetheless have been thrown out at third base (nullify the act).

But is that correct? Having the benefit of replay, slow motion, and a stopwatch, we see that the difference in time between the third baseman receiving the throw and tagging out the runner was 0.94 seconds, while the total time the runner was hindered by the middle infielder was approximately 1.74 seconds. Under simple math alone, we find that 1.74 seconds is greater than 0.94 seconds (suggesting Miami's obstruction might have made a difference), but do other variables confound this play, pursuant to the tenets of butterfly theory? What's your call?

Video as follows:

MLB Debut of Umpire Clinton "Clint" Vondrak

Umpire Clint Vondrak made his MLB debut during Monday's Giants-Astros game in Houston alongside Chief Ted Barrett and his crew of Adrian Johnson and Nick Mahrley.

Vondrak begin his professional baseball career in 2012 and has officiated in the Pioneer, Midwest, California, Southern, and Pacific Coast Leagues.

He officiated the 2016 Southern League All-Star Game.

Vondrak is the ninth rookie umpire to have an MLB debut during this 2020 regular season.
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Nate Tomlinson (8/7/20).
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Erich Bacchus (8/7/20).
Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Adam Beck (8/5/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Randy Rosenberg (8/4/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Lewis "Lew" Williams III (8/2/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Jeremy Riggs (7/28/20).

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Jose Navas (7/24/20)

Related Post: MLB Debut of Umpire Edwin Moscoso (7/23/20).

MLB Ejections 12-15 - Mahrley & Ted Barrett (OAK-HOU)

HP Umpire Nick Mahrley ejected Astros Manager Dusty Baker (strike two call; QOCY) and 1B Umpire Ted Barrett ejected A's CF Ramon Laureano, C Austin Allen, and P Mike Fiers (fighting) in the 7th inning of the #Astros-#Athletics game. With none out and none on in the top of the 7th, Astros batter Kyle Tucker took a 1-1 fastball from Athletics pitcher Burch Smith for a called second strike. Replays indicate the pitch was located over the heart of home plate and at the hollow of the knee (px 0.18, pz 1.62 [sz_bot 1.69 / RAD 1.57]), the call was correct.*

In the bottom of the 7th, with one out and none on, A's batter Laureano took a 3-2 curveball from Astros pitcher Humberto Castellanos for a hit-by-pitch, resulting in a benches-clearing brawl when Laureano charged the Houston dugout in response to Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron's taunting. Replays indicate the pitch was located inside and struck Laureano in the back, Laureano's second HBP of the game (different pitchers), the call was irrecusable. At the time of all ejections, the Athletics were leading, 6-2. The Athletics ultimately won the contest, 7-2.

This is Nick Mahrley (48)'s first ejection of 2020.
These are Ted Barrett (65)'s first, second, and third ejections of 2020.
Nick Mahrley now has 4 points in the UEFL Standings (0 Prev + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 4).
Ted Barrett now has 8 points in the UEFL Standings (2 Prev + 3*[2 MLB + 0 Irrecusable] = 8).
Crew Chief Ted Barrett now has 9 points in Crew Division (5 Previous + QOCY + 3*QOCU = 9).
*The pitch to Tucker was located 1.60 vertical inches from being deemed an incorrect call.

These are the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th ejection reports of the 2020 MLB regular season.
This is the sixth Manager ejection of 2020.
These are the fourth, fifth, and sixth player ejections of 2020.
Prior to ejection, Laureano was 0-2 (SO, 2 HBP) and Allen was 0-3 (2 SO) in the contest.
This is Houston's 1st ejection of 2020, T-2nd in the AL West (OAK 3; HOU, LAA 1; SEA, TEX 0).
This is Oakland's 1/2/3rd ejection of 2020, 1st in the AL West (OAK 3; HOU, LAA 1; SEA, TEX 0).
This is Dusty Baker's 1st ejection since June 29, 2017 (David Rackley; QOC = N-C [Foul/K]).
This is Ramon Laureano's first career MLB ejection.
This is Austin Allen's first career MLB ejection.
This is Mike Fiers' first career MLB ejection.
This is Nick Mahrley's 1st ejection since April 17, 2019 (David Bell; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).
This is Ted Barrett's 1st ejection since May 31, 2017 (Brian Snitker; QOC = Y [Balk]).

Wrap: Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics, 8/9/20 | Video as follows:

Injury Scout - Paul Nauert Rocked by Foul Ball in Boston

HP Umpire Paul Nauert remained in Saturday's game in Boston after a foul ball to the mask, but sat out Sunday as a precaution in the wake of head trauma.

In the top of the 6th inning of the Blue Jays-Red Sox game, Toronto batter Teoscar Hernandez fouled a first-pitch 92.3-mph sinker from Red Sox pitcher Phillips Valdez into Nauert's traditional-style facemask.

Nauert completed the game, but did not appear at Fenway Park on Sunday, leaving a three-person crew to officiate the matinee with Chad Fairchild serving as crew chief alongside plate umpire Ryan Additon and 3B Umpire Carlos Torres.

Relevant Injury History: There is no recent relevant injury history.
Thanks to Vincent Tougas for the heads up.

Last Game: August 8 | Return to Play: August 18 | Time Absent: 10 Days | Video as follows: