MiLB Manager Ejected After Odd Double Play

Umpire Chandler Durham ejected Lookouts manager Jose Moreno after an unusual double play when an already-out runner dove back into first base, confusing the batter-runner, who walked off the base even though he was safe. We take a look at the umpire mechanics of this play and discuss whether anything could have been done differently or whether the offensive team simply ran into an extra out.

With none out and one on (R1) in the top of the 7th inning of the Chattanooga Lookouts' game against the Knoxville Smokies, Lookouts batter-runner Héctor Rodríguez hit a ground ball/line drive to first base, fielded by Smokies first baseman BJ Murray, who threw to shortstop Ed Howard to force out Lookouts baserunner R1 Sal Stewart, who retreated and dove back into first base as Howard's return throw arrived late on batter-runner Rodríguez.

Despite 1B Umpire Spencer Kim signaling BR Rodríguez safe at first base, Rodríguez decided, seemingly on his own volition, to jog back to the dugout, leaving the base, whereupon first baseman Murray, now in possession of the ball, tagged him out for a double play.

We first establish that R1 Stewart's actions in returning to first base despite already being forced out at second does not constitute interference pursuant to Official Baseball Rule 6.01(a)(5): "If the batter or a runner continues to advance or returns or attempts to return to their last legally touched base after they have been put out, they shall not by that act alone be considered as confusing, hindering or impeding the fielders."

Second, noticing that during his argument Moreno animatedly motioned an "out" mechanic, alluding that perhaps the batter-runner was confused because the umpire signaled "out" prematurely, we observe that U1 Kim's only gestured mechanics during the initial action and before BR Rodríguez left first base on his way back to the dugout were "fair ball" and "safe"...U1 Kim did eventually signal "out" but only after the initial action concluded, only after the batter-runner started jogging back to his dugout, and only while also pointing to R1 Stewart to clarify that R1 Stewart was the one who was out.

In sum, the mechanics here did not contain an improper "out" signal as argued by the Lookouts. Instead, perhaps the confusion resulted from Chattanooga mistakenly thinking the batted ball was caught on the fly when it was not. Thus the only mechanic that could have been different here would have been the umpire signaling "safe" after the fair ball mechanic, to signify that the batted ball was indeed not caught in the air.

Video as follows:
Alternate Link: Manager ejected after his own runner left first base despite being called safe