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Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Real Time Call - Quick Thinking in the KBO

Most umpires across the globe officiate in leagues without instant replay, and even for an umpire backed by video review, the original on-field ruling is of tantamount importance. In this Real Time Call, we look at a bang-bang play at first base involving two runners.

In a world where so much of officiating education is spent on You Make The Call type scenarios, complete with multiple replays from multiple angles and at multiple speeds, we've decided to place added emphasis on real-time gameplay: this is a play any umpire should be able to quickly decipher on slow-motion replay...but can you figure out what happened in game-speed, on the first viewing? This is a real time play.

To set the scene, this play occurs in the top of the 6th inning of a Korea Baseball Organization game between the SK Wyverns and Doosan Bears. There is one out and the bases are loaded. For the purposes of this play, there are two shoes we'd like you to wear. Keep in mind, runner R3 Choi Jeong is attempting to score from third base and batter-runner Choi Joon-woo is attempting to beat out a ground ball, with R1 Jeong Eui-yoon and R2 Jamie Romak filling in the gaps.

First, rule on this play as 1B Umpire Lee Min-ho. Who's out, when, why, and how?
Then, rule on this play as HP Umpire Lee Yong-hyuk. What's your call, if any?

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: KBO Real-Time Call - One Chance to Get it Right (CCS)

Further Reading: Yes, as our clue hiding in plain sight indicates, "this is a real time play." Tmac did a Teachable Moment on a one-out time play that occurred in Los Angeles during the 2019 season. Similar to the present KBO play, the Padres had runners on first base and third base (R1, R3) with just one out. Batter Greg Garcia grounded to Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy, who stepped on first base to retire Garcia and threw to second base to retire San Diego baserunner R1 Franmil Reyes as R3 ran home. HP Umpire Todd Tichenor was quick to cancel the score, ruling that R1 was tagged out at second base prior to R3's touch of home plate.
Related PostVideo Teachable - One-Out Time Play in LA (8/8/19).

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