Sunday, April 11, 2021

Replay Rewind - Phillies' Play at the Plate in Atlanta

When Replay Review upheld HP Umpire Lance Barrett's safe call on Phillies runner Alec Bohm's go-ahead run in the 9th inning against Atlanta Sunday night, the Braves looked to have fallen victim to MLB's video review rules and the infamous "call stands" outcome.

In sum, Bohm tagged from third base on batter Didi Gregorius' sacrifice fly to left fielder Marcell Ozuna, who threw to Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud as Bohm slid into home plate where he either did or did not make contact with the plate using his left shoe, with HP Umpire Barrett ruling the runner safe and Atlanta Manager Brian Snitker challenging the call.

Enter Replay Review, which after several minutes determined that not enough video evidence existed—it wasn't "clear and convincing"—to prove the runner had failed to touch home plate, and for that reason, the on-field ruling of "safe" stood. Philadelphia scored its seventh run of the ballgame and went on to win the contest, 7-6.

Had MLB's Replay Review been set up to call plays as they presented themselves based on a most probable standard—with two options, "safe" or "out" as the case may be—the outcome here likely would have been an out call.

But since Replay Review splits up outcomes into call confirmed (the evidence is clear and convincing that the umpire's call was correct), overturned (the evidence is clear and convincing that the umpire's call was incorrect), and stands (the evidence fails to meet that threshold)—made even more difficult by the logically arduous and complex task of trying to prove a negative, that something did not happen (that the runner did not touch home plate)—the outcome here in the judgment of the Replay Official was "call stands" for lack of evidence.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Why did replay fail to overturn an apparent incorrect call in Atlanta? (CCS)

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