MLB Ejections 111-112 - Mahrley (4-5; Anderson, La Russa)

HP Umpire Nick Mahrley ejected White Sox SS Tim Anderson and manager Tony La Russa (strike one call; QOCY) in the bottom of the 7th inning of the #Athletics-#WhiteSox game. With two out and none on, White Sox batter Anderson took a 0-0 fastball from A's pitcher Domingo Acevedo for a called first strike. Replays indicate the pitch was located over the inner half of home plate and below the midpoint (px -0.51, pz 3.47 [sz_top 3.36 / RAD 3.48 / MOE 3.57]), the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Athletics were leading, 5-3. The Athletics ultimately won the contest, 7-3.

These are Nick Mahrley (48)'s 4th and 5th ejections of 2022.

Nick Mahrley now has 10 points in the UEFL Standings (2 Prev + 2*[2 AAA + 2 Correct Call] = 10).

Crew Chief Laz Diaz now has 5 points in Crew Division (3 Previous + 2 Correct Call = 5).

*This pitch was located 1.2 vertical inches from being deemed incorrect.

These are the 111th and 112th ejection reports of the 2022 MLB regular season.

This is the 37th player ejection of 2022. Prior to ejection, Anderson was 1-3 (SO) in the contest.

This is the 59th manager ejection of 2022.

This is Chicago's 4-5th ejection of 2022, 1st in the AL Central (CWS 5; DET, KC 3; MIN 2; CLE 1).

This is Tim Anderson's 1st ejection since Sept 27, 2021 (Lance Barrett; QOC = U [Throwing At]).

This is Tony La Russa's 2nd ejection of 2022, 1st since July 4 (David Rackley; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Nick Mahrley's 4th ejection of 2022, 1st since May 9 (AJ Hinch; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Oakland Athletics vs Chicago White Sox, 7/29/22 | Video as follows:

Ask the UEFL - Batted Ball Deflects Off Pitcher's Head

This quick Ask the UEFL came to us as a fairly simple question: "Is this an infield fly?" With one out and two on (R1, R2) in Cincinnati, Reds batter Donovan Solano hit a batted ball directly off Marlins pitcher Daniel Castano's head, the batted ball bouncing high in the air before settling into the glove of Reds third baseman Joey Wendle for the inning's second out. 

Stipulating that the pitcher's health is of greater importance than the play itself—especially when a concussion-inducing hit to the head is concerned—we were nonetheless asked about the rules implications of such an odd sequence as the ball remained live after the moment of injury.

Succinctly, this is not an infield fly—even though the ball careened high into the air and was caught at an angle similar to that of a fly ball. The definition of the term states, in part, "An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out." Because the batted ball can best be described as a line drive, it is therefore ineligible for the infield fly rule. The third baseman could have allowed the ball to fall untouched and all runners would have been forced to advance (this is not an intentional drop, either).

Finally, we note that if R1 or R2 wished to try and advance to their next base, they would not have to wait until the third baseman ultimately caught the ball, but instead could have legally left their bases the moment the ball first touched the pitcher. Although Official Baseball Rule 5.09(c)(1) states: "Any runner shall be called out on appeal when—after a fly ball is caught, they fail to retouch their original base before they or their base is tagged," the definition of catch prevails because it directly addresses the concept of touch-without-catch: "Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball."

Video as follows:

Quickie - A Pocket Full of Nothing and the Hanging Tag

When Replay Review overturned a close play at the plate from safe-to-out, HQ's umpire relied on the slimmest of margin's—catcher Salvador Perez's tag of runner Tony Kemp's hanging pocket—to rule an out.

For this particular play, HP Umpire Alex MacKay works the wedge, staying on the catcher's foul-facing hip to see Perez's tag attempt, initially calling baserunner Kemp safe.

However, Replay upon review determined that Perez's mitt tagged the lining of Kemp's back pocket, which was turned inside out as he ran the bases.

To do so, Replay relied on the definitions of TAG and TOUCH which specify that a tag shall be considered legal if any part of the uniform is touched by the fielder's glove (not including its laces). Furthermore, Official Baseball Rule 5.05(b)(2) states a touch has not occurred if the ball (or, in this case, glove/mitt) "only touches any jewelry being worn by a player," similar in vein to the TAG definition stating "not including hanging laces alone" and "For purposes of this definition any jewelry being worn by a player (e.g., necklaces, bracelets, etc.) shall not constitute a part of the player’s body."

Finally, TOUCH is defined as follows: "To touch a player or umpire is to touch any part of their body, or any uniform or equipment worn by them (but not any jewelry (e.g., necklaces, bracelets, etc.) worn by a player)."

Video as follows: