Conforto Chaos - Umpire's HBP on Strike Three

When Mets batter Michael Conforto took one for the team with a walk-off hit-by-pitch in New York to defeat the Miami Marlins, HP Umpire Ron Kulpa's HBP call took on a peculiar meaning after replays indicated the pitch was located within the strike zone and that Kulpa had begun his strike three (looking) mechanic before abruptly reversing course and signaling that Conforto had been hit by the pitch and thus would be awarded first base.

Play: With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th inning of a Marlins-Mets game tied at two, Conforto stepped in for a 1-2 pitch from Miami's Anthony Bass. The pitch, located near the upper inside corner, made contact with Conforto's right elbow.

Call: HP Umpire Kulpa, having initially started to signal strike three, appeared to change his call and communicated that Conforto had been hit by the pitch, awarding Conforto first base as a result, resulting in a Mets win and argument from Marlins Manager Don Mattingly and, potentially a protested game.

Rule: Official Baseball Rule 5.05(b)(2) states that the batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out when—"He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (A) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (B) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball." Furthermore, "If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball. If the ball is outside the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes no attempt to avoid being touched."

Analysis: The first point to note is the pitch was, indeed, located within the strike zone and the baseball appeared to touch the batter while it was located in the strike zone. Accordingly, 5.05(b)(2)(A) applies and renders the judgment relative to whether Conforto attempted to avoid the pitch (or leaned into it) superfluous: as soon as we determine the baseball was in the strike zone when it touched the batter, it doesn't really matter how the batter wound up located in the strike zone: the proper call is a dead ball strike (strike three in this case).

If, however, the umpire ruled the pitch was located outside of the strike zone when it touched the batter, then we must consider how Conforto contorted himself: if Conforto leaned into the pitch (or simply failed to "attempt to avoid being touched"), it would be a dead ball ball and the at-bat would continue with a 2-2 count.

Had Kulpa kept his initial "strike three" call, the outcome of a strikeout would have been correct. By changing to a hit-by-pitch with first base award, the umpire talked himself out of the proper ruling.

Protest: Because judgment calls cannot be protested, the Marlins have but one path to win this protest: If Kulpa maintains that the pitch was located within the strike zone and he awarded Conforto first base even though the baseball was located in the strike zone when it touched Conforto, that would signify an incorrect application of OBR 5.05(b)(2) and, thus, basis for affirming Miami's protest. If, however, Kulpa states that he simply reversed his "strike" call to that of a "ball" by virtue of the pitch being located outside of the strike, then the protest would be denied because pitch location and "did the batter lean into the pitch" decisions are both non-reviewable judgment calls.

After the game, Kulpa spoke with pool reporter Anthony Rieber: "The guy was hit by the pitch in the strike zone. I should have called him out."

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Mets Win as Michael Conforto Leans into Pitch Initially Ruled Strike Three (CCS)