MLB Ejection 203 - Bill Welke (4; Brian Snitker)

1B Umpire Bill Welke ejected Braves Manager Brian Snitker (check swing/bunt dead ball strike one call) in the top of the 7th inning of the #Braves-#Nationals game. With none out and two on (R1, R2), Braves batter Charlie Culberson squared to bunt a 0-0 fastball from Nationals pitcher Fernando Rodney as the pitch traveled inside and struck Culberson in the face, ruled a HBP by HP Umpire Timmons and a bunt attempt/dead ball strike on appeal by 1B Umpire Welke; the relevant rule is Definition of Terms [Bunt]: "A BUNT is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield"; if the batter has intended to meet the ball with the bat, it is a missed bunt; if the batter has struck at the ball and missed, it is a swinging strike; otherwise it is officiated as to the result of the pitch (ball/strike/HBP/foul ball/etc).* On-Field Ruling was adjudicated by the UEFL Appeals Board (0-8), the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the game was tied, 1-1. The Braves ultimately won the contest, 10-1.

This is Bill Welke (3)'s fourth ejection of 2019.
Bill Welke now has 2 points in the UEFL Standings (4 Prev + 2 MLB - 4 Incorrect Call = 2).
Crew Chief Tim Timmons now has 5 points in Crew Division (5 Previous + 0 QOCN = 5).
*Related Post: Ask UEFL - Foul Bunt or Ball Fouled Away? (8/29/18).
Related: Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton injured during swing & miss in Milwaukee (9/11/14).

This is the 203rd ejection report of 2019.
This is the 92nd Manager ejection of 2019.
This is Atlanta's 7th ejection of 2019, T-2nd in the NL East (WAS 10; ATL, PHI 7; MIA, NYM 5).
This is Brian Snitker's 4th ejection of 2019, 1st since August 20 (Mark Wegner; QOC = U [Warnings]).
This is Bill Welke's 4th ejection of 2019, 1st since June 15 (Manny Machado; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals, 9/14/19 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 065 - Eric Cooper (1; Terry Francona)

3B Umpire Eric Cooper ejected Indians Manager Terry Francona (check swing bunt/dead ball strike call) in the bottom of the 6th inning of the Rays-Indians game. With two out and one on (R3), Indians batter Jose Ramirez squared to bunt a 1-1 curveball from Rays pitcher Charlie Morton as the pitch ran in and his left leg, ruled a hit-by-pitch by HP Umpire Andy Fletcher, and reversed to a dead ball strike on appeal to 3B Umpire Cooper, who ruled that Ramirez struck at the pitch. Play was reviewed and adjudicated by the UEFL Appeals Board (2-7-0), the call was incorrect.* At the time of the ejection, the Rays were leading, 4-1. The Rays ultimately won the contest, 6-2.

This is Eric Cooper (56)'s first ejection of 2019.
Eric Cooper now has -6 points in the UEFL Standings (-4 Prev + 2 MLB - 4 Incorrect Call = -6).
Crew Chief Joe West now has 0 points in Crew Division (0 Previous + 0 Incorrect Call = 0).
*Crewmate Andy Fletcher, as a home plate umpire, ejected Bruce Bochy one week prior as the result of a HBP/no swing call by 3B Umpire Cooper on a similar bunt vs. HBP play.
Related Post: MLB Ejection 056 - Andy Fletcher (1; Bruce Bochy) (5/17/19).
Related Post: Crew Chief - Twice Changed Bunt HBP & Rule 8.03(c) (5/16/19).
Related Post: Ask UEFL - Foul Bunt or Ball Fouled Away? (8/29/18).

This is the 65th ejection report of the 2019 MLB regular season.
This is the 33rd Manager ejection of 2019.
This is Cleveland's 1st ejection of 2019, T-5th in the AL Central (CWS, DET 4; KC 3; CLE, MIN 1).
This is Terry Francona's first ejection since Sept 4, 2016 (Joe West; QOC = Y-C [Check Swing]).
This is Eric Cooper's first ejection since August 31, 2018 (AJ Hinch; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Indians, 5/25/19 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 056 - Andy Fletcher (1; Bruce Bochy)

HP Umpire Andy Fletcher ejected Giants Manager Bruce Bochy (check swing HBP/no attempt to bunt call by 3B Umpire Eric Cooper) in the bottom of the 7th inning of the Giants-Diamondbacks game. With none out and two on (R1, R2), Diamondbacks batter Jarrod Dyson squared to bunt, then moved the bat as he was struck by a 0-0 sinker from Giants pitcher Derek Holland, ruled a ball and HBP [no bunt/no swing] by HP Umpire Fletcher and affirmed as no bunt/no swing on appeal by 3B Umpire Eric Cooper. Play was reviewed and adjudicated by the UEFL Appeals Board (0-8-1), the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the Diamondbacks were leading, 3-0. The Diamondbacks ultimately won the contest, 7-0.

This is Andy Fletcher (49)'s first ejection of 2019.
Andy Fletcher now has 0 points in the UEFL Standings (0 Prev + 2 MLB - 2 Incorrect-Crewmate = 0).
Crew Chief Joe West now has 0 points in Crew Division (0 Previous + 0 Incorrect Call = 0).
Related Post: Crew Chief - Twice Changed Bunt HBP & Rule 8.03(c) (5/16/19).
Related Post: Ask UEFL - Foul Bunt or Ball Fouled Away? (8/29/18).

This is the 56th ejection report of the 2019 MLB regular season.
This is the 26th Manager ejection of 2019.
This is San Francisco's 4th ejection of 2019, 1st in the NL West (SF 4; SD 2; ARI, COL, LAD 1).
This is Bruce Bochy's 3rd ejection of 2019, 1st since May 1 (Tim Timmons; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).
This is Andy Fletcher's first ejection since Sept 20, 2018 (Carlos Gomez; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, 5/17/19 | Video as follows:

Crew Chief - Twice Changed Bunt HBP & Rule 8.03(c)

Umpires twice changed a call on a bunt attempt during a Padres-Rockies game as HP Umpire Brian O'Nora's original dead ball strike ruling that Rockies batter Garrett Hampson offered at a pitch that hit him was affirmed by Crew Chief Jeff Kellogg after an initial reversal to a HBP award in a rare application of Rule 8.03(c) and powers granted to the Crew Chief.

Kellogg and O'Nora explain the call to Black.

The Play: With none out and two on (R1, R3), Rockies batter Garrett Hampson squared to bunt a first-pitch fastball from Padres pitcher Eric Lauer. As the pitch rode in on Hampson, the batter made a late decision to move the bat back toward his body as the ball struck his right hand, ruled a dead ball strike by HP Umpire O'Nora.

The First Reversal: After objection from Rockies Manager Bud Black that Hampson had pulled the bat back, O'Nora consulted with 1B Umpire James Hoye, and changed his call, awarding Hampson first base as a result of the ruling that Hampson did not attempt to strike the pitch that hit him.

The Double Negative: This brought Padres Manager Andy Green out of his dugout, this time bringing all four umpires together, upon which Crew Chief Kellogg signaled that O'Nora's initial call of "dead ball strike" shall prevail.

Did Hampson offer at a pitch that hit him?

Analysis, Reversing a Call: In general, no one umpire shall unilaterally overrule another. In practice, this means that if umpires confer about a call made by one particular umpire, then, upon leaving that conference, the calling umpire will generally be the one to signal the reversed call (if indeed the call is reversed).

The relevant rule is 8.02(c): "If a decision is appealed, the umpire making the decision may ask another umpire for information before making a final decision. No umpire shall criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpire’s decision unless asked to do so by the umpire making it." There are limited exceptions to the initiation of a conference, but at the end of it all, the procedure is such that the calling umpire will affirm or reverse his/her own call.

O'Nora speaks with Green after change #1.

Check swings are similar in the sense that a plate umpire who initially calls "ball" can ask the 1B/3B Umpire for assistance. If the corner umpire changes the call to "strike," notice that the plate umpire then will signal "strike."

Analysis, Half Swing Bunt Appeal: We've discussed the unique circumstance of a batter who is struck by a pitch or who fouls a ball off during a bunt attempt. In April 2019, Don Mattingly complained about a crew's HBP decision on such a play, Jim Joyce discussed such an event from his Plate Meeting Podcast, and in August 2018, we wrote an article entirely dedicated to adjudicating whether a batter has attempted to bunt the ball. So that rule is well covered.
Related Post: Mattingly Rips Umpires After Loss in Miami (4/2/19).
Related Post: Podcast - Episode 12 - The Jim Joyce Jubilee (4/2/19).
Related Post: Ask UEFL - Foul Bunt or Ball Fouled Away? (8/29/18).

What is absolutely key here is O'Nora's initial ruling that Hampson struck at the ball. Pursuant to OBR 8.02(c) Comment, "The manager or the catcher may request the plate umpire to ask his partner for help on a half swing when the plate umpire calls the pitch a ball, but not when the pitch is called a strike."

Kellogg made sure to apply proper procedure.

As such, O'Nora consulting Hoye for assistance on the matter of whether the batter struck at the ball may be deemed procedurally improper. Cue Green's protest (and failure to follow procedure could be a valid basis for protest) and Kellogg's intervention.

The difference between the Joyce/Hoye play and the Kellogg/O'Nora play is twofold: First, Hoye in Pittsburgh did not definitively signal that the batter struck at the pitch. He called "Time" but made no further signal (O'Nora did definitively signal that the batter struck at the pitch). Second, Joyce/Hoye concerned a foul ball while Kellogg/O'Nora concerned a hit-by-pitch.

Black pointed to U1's strike/attempt call.

Analysis, Reversing a Reversal: The Hampson bunt play is an example of a Crew Chief taking control of an unusual situation. In this case, we have a plate umpire who has called a dead ball strike, ruling that the batter struck at a pitch that touched his hand. Yet we also have a first base umpire who ruled that the batter did not strike at the pitch, thus changing the situation to a hit-by-pitch entitling the batter to first base.

These are conflicting calls by different umpires on a situation not subject to a check swing appeal.

After consultation amongst the entire four-umpire crew, Chief Kellogg thus exited the huddle with a final proclamation, invoking the proper procedure for deciding what to do when two umpires make two different calls on the same play, which is not subject to the allowed half swing appeal exemption, and which is delineated by Rule 8.03(c):

If different decisions should be made on one play by different umpires, the umpire-in-chief shall call all the umpires into consultation, with no manager or player present. After consultation, the umpire-in-chief (unless another umpire may have been designated by the League President) shall determine which decision shall prevail, based on which umpire was in best position and which decision was most likely correct. Play shall proceed as if only the final decision had been made.

Per 8.03(c), CC makes the final call.

SIDEBAR: 8.03(c) is also where the mechanic of having the Crew Chief communicate the Replay Review decision comes into play. In essence, the Crew Chief "determines" that the Replay Official's decision "shall prevail."

The effective difference, again, is that Hoye in Pittsburgh simply signaled the ball becoming dead without a determination as to whether the batter struck at the pitch, before consulting the entire crew to finalize the ruling, while O'Nora in Colorado signaled a strike and spoke with the one member of the crew specifically about whether the batter had struck at the pitch before changing his call from "swinging dead ball strike [missed bunt]" to "HBP [no swing]," upon which the entire crew convened, again, to finalize the ruling.

The other difference, naturally, is that Hoye in Pittsburgh met with his entire four-umpire crew once, whereas O'Nora had two meetings—once with only U1 and a second with the entire crew.

At this time, it was apparent that the two umpires had made conflicting rulings on a play not eligible for a half-swing appeal, necessitating a Crew Chief's prevailing judgment pursuant to 8.03(c), with regard for the half-swing appeal procedure delineated by Rule 8.02(c) Comment.

Video as follows:

Mattingly Rips Umpires After Loss in Miami

After losing to the New York Mets Monday night, Marlins Manager Don Mattingly tore into HP Umpire Sam Holbrook's crew postgame, complaining that the umpires' calls hurt Miami, citing a check swing bunt-turned-HBP ruling alongside two pitches called balls early in the game as his rationale. Mattingly also called on MLB to review Holbrook's calls, characterizing Holbrook's performance as "shaky."

Does Mattingly have a point or is the griping misplaced?

Said Donny Baseball, "It was a rough night for those guys. They cost us a run early...I guess I’m not supposed to complain about calls, but the league needs to look at it because it was shaky tonight."

Mattingly Criticizes Holbrook's 2nd Inning Calls: Mattingly first took umbrage with two Holbrook ball calls in the top of the second inning, when Caleb Smith threw two sliders to two Mets with two-strike counts: "Sam misses two pitches, Conforto strike three and McNeil strike three, and it cost us probably 15 pitches with [Caleb Smith], and it cost us a run."

The first was a 1-2 slider from Marlins starter Caleb Smith to Mets batter Michael Conforto ruled ball two. That pitch was located over the inner half of home plate below Conforto's hollow-of-the-knee. According to the computer value of pz 1.62 for a sz_bot of 1.77, we would have graded the 1-2 to Conforto a correct call had an ejection resulted.

Later in the inning, Holbrook balled a 0-2 slider to Jeff McNeil. With a pz value of 1.69 alongside a sz_bot of 1.82, we similarly would have graded the 0-2 to McNeil a correct call.

The attached image depicts strike zone boundary error.

Wait, that's not what the TV box said. No, it's not. The TV box was wrong. That is to say the pitch tracking computer isn't wrong, but the way in which the broadcast represents the pitch graphically is incorrect.

Why did the TV strike zone box "FoxTrax" show the pitches as strikes? This one is simple and goes back to the problem with computer strike zone graphics. In short, we call this conundrum "strike zone boundary error."

What is Strike Zone Boundary Error? The standard "average" strike zone graphic assumes each batter's sz_bot is 1.50 (with a corresponding sz_top of 3.50). We know that batters are of variable heights and stances, such that each player's strike zone height is different. What might be a sz_bot of 1.50 feet for a 5'5" tall player might instead be a sz_bot of 1.80 feet for a 6'4" player.

As we can clearly see, Conforto's sz_bot of 1.77 for his 1-2 pitch and McNeil's sz_bot of 1.82 for his 0-2 pitch are well above the standard 1.50 value, while the two pz values of 1.62 and 1.69, respectively, are in no-man's land—greater than the standard 1.50, but less than the individual sz_bots of 1.77 and 1.82.

The Miami broadcast is one of many that opt for a strike zone overlay, that is a box placed on top of home plate that purportedly dictates the strike zone. The problem with overlays is that they are static entities: a true representation overlay would adjust pitch-to-pitch and even during the pitch itself, as the batter changes stance and hollow/midpoint height as the pitch is delivered. Thus, we're left with an overlay using sz_bot/top values that aren't accurate for any one individual pitch, which allows a hypothetical pitch to display in the overlay as a strike, even if this same pitch were to be deemed a "ball" per the computer numbers.
Related Post: UEFL f/x vs K-Zone and the Player-Umpire Disconnect (10/4/18).
Related Post: Analyzing Strike Zone Analysis - Not So Easy or Simple (10/27/16).

Mattingly Criticizes Crew's Non-Bunt HBP Replay Review Call: "That’s a little shaky right there. That’s a shaky call to be honest with you."

Did the pitch first strike Lagares' hand or bat?

In the 9th inning, Mets batter Juan Lagares squared to bunt on a 3-2 count. Marlins pitcher Drew Steckenrider's payoff pitch rode up-and-in and Lagres moved to respond to the pitch sailing toward his head: an act of self-defense as the Marlins TV crew put it. The ball made contact with his hand and/or bat, ruled no swing on appeal by 1B Umpire Dan Iassogna and affirmed via Replay Review as a hit-by-pitch, putting Lagares at first base.

Was this a bunt attempt?

We analyzed this exact issue in 2018—whether a batter trying to get out of the way of a pitched ball, having previously squared to bunt, has indeed offered at the pitch or if moving the bat back, perhaps even into the path of a cutting ball, is said to be attempting to bunt the ball or not.

As we wrote then, the answer is this OBR Definition: "A BUNT is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield."
Related Post: Ask UEFL - Foul Bunt or Ball Fouled Away? (8/29/18).

30-year MLB umpire Jim Joyce recently stopped by The Plate Meeting Podcast and discussed this very situation: In 2012, Joyce ejected Brad Mills for arguing a similar play in which a batter pulled away his bunt at the last second in an attempt to avoid being hit by a pitch. The crew ruled the play a foul ball, as opposed to a foul bunt with two strikes.
Related Post: Podcast - Episode 12 - The Jim Joyce Jubilee (3/27/19, segment at 1:23:30).

This play has happened before.

Did Lagares intentionally meet the ball with the bat with the goal of tapping the ball slowly within the infield? If the answer to both parts of that question is "yes," you have a bunt attempt. If either part of that question is "no," it's not a bunt attempt. In my estimation, Lagares was not attempting to tap the ball slowly within the infield—the self-defense act makes this subject to a "foul ball" but not a "foul bunt" call.

That said, even before we get to the issue of "foul ball," we have to establish whether the ball first hit the batter's hand or his bat.

Even with the benefit of audio and physics, this is a 50/50 call as to whether the ball first made contact with Lagares' knuckle or bat—did it graze the batter's hand before hitting the bat? No matter what the crew called on the field, it would have stood and that's what happened here: HP Umpire Sam Holbrook calls it a hit-by-pitch, appeals to 1B Umpire Dan Iassogna as to the check swing, Iassogna says Lagares did not swing or bunt at the ball, and Holbrook awards Lagares first base. Call stands on review. There's really nothing else anyone could do.

Video as follows:

Ask UEFL - Foul Bunt or Ball Fouled Away?

When does a bunt attempt give way to an inadvertent foul ball off the bat? Such was a question for HP Umpire Tony Randazzo during Wednesday's Brewers-Reds game when Cincinnati batter Michael Lorenzen fouled a two-strike pitch that, moments earlier, he had shown an intent to bunt.

Randazzo explains why it wasn't a bunt.

The Play: With none out and two on (R1, R2), Reds batter Lorenzen squared to bunt at the 1-2 offering from Brewers pitcher Taylor Williams. As the pitch approached home plate, Lorenzen, sensing the pitch would be a ball, pulled his bat back and, in doing so, the pitched ball made contact with Lorenzen's bat, sending the batted ball flying behind home plate for a foul ball.

The Call and Argument: After HP Umpire Randazzo ruled the play a foul ball (affirmed as no swing by 1B Umpire Nick Mahrley on appeal), Brewers Manager Craig Counsell argued that Lorenzen had bunted the two-strike pitch foul, while Randazzo maintained his ruling of 'simple' foul ball (no bunt attempt). Who's right?

SIDEBAR: Remember, the hands are not part of the bat. "Hands are part of the bat" is one of the worst rules myths in terms of perpetuation throughout the sport. It is vital that all umpires understand the hands are never part of the bat; they are part of the player's body. When a pitched ball contacts a player's body or hands, it is a HBP and the batter is awarded first base unless the batter is deemed to have attempted to bunt the ball, in which case it is a dead ball strike (see following section).

Analysis: Umpire Randazzo is correct. Lorenzen's foul is not a bunt attempt and, thus, not a foul bunt. The proper call here is "foul ball" and the count remains 1-2. Had Lorenzen attempted to bunt the ball and bunted foul, he would have struck out.

The Rule: The three relevant rules are the definitions of Bunt, Foul, and Strike.

The Official Baseball Rules states that, "A BUNT is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield."

The relevant portion of the rulebook's foul ball definition is, "A FOUL BALL is a batted ball that settles on foul territory between home and first base," while the two relevant provisions of the strike rule are as follows:

(c) Is fouled by the batter when he has less than two strikes;
(d) Is bunted foul.

If the batter pulls the bat back, it is not a bunt.

Conclusion: If you missed it, the answer to this play lies in the definition of BUNT: the ball must be met with the bat intentionally. Because Lorenzen was in the act of pulling the bat back when it struck the ball, the contact was not intentional, which means, by rule, it cannot be considered a bunt attempt.

Related Ejection: In 2012, 1B Umpire Jim Joyce ejected Astros Manager Brad Mills for arguing a very similar play when Pirates batter Clint Barmes fouled a 1-2 pitch while attempting to pull the bat back after initially squaring to bunt. In ruling the play a foul ball, the crew determined that Barmes did not intentionally meet the ball with his bat.
Related Post: Ejection 026: Jim Joyce (1) (5/11/12).
Related Video: HP Umpire James Hoye and Joyce crew rule play a foul ball; Joyce ejects Mills.

Alternate Thought: Another way to think of the issue of foul bunt vs non-bunt foul ball is to consider the play from an aspect of, "If the ball hadn't touched the bat, would this have been strike three based on the batter's attempt to strike at the ball?" If the answer is yes, you have a bunt. If the answer is no, it is not a bunt.

To recap, a foul bunt requires intent. A foul ball does not require intent.

Insult to Injury: After Counsell's unsuccessful campaign for a strikeout, Lorenzen hit a home run.

Video as follows:

Ejection 026: Jim Joyce (1)

1B Umpire Jim Joyce ejected Astros Manager Brad Mills for arguing a foul ball call in the bottom of the 8th inning of the Astros-Pirates game. With none out and one on, Pirates batter Clint Barmes fouled off a 1-2 sinker from Astros pitcher Wilton Lopez. Originally, Home Plate umpire James Hoye ruled that Barmes attempted to bunt the ball, thus ruling strike three for a fouled off bunt with two strikes. After Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle came out, Hoye conferred with crewmates. After conferring, Hoye ruled that Barmes did not bunt, thus the foul ball kept the count 1-2.* Replays indicate Barmes successfully brought his bat back and successfully checked his swing, but the ball did touch the bat. Under OBR Rule 2.00, a bunt is defined as "a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield." Since Barmes did not intentionally meet the ball with his bat, it did not satisfy OBR Rule 6.05(d) for a bunt foul third strike. The call was correct.^ At the time of the ejection, the Astros were leading, 1-0. The Astros ultimately won the contest, 1-0.

This is Jim Joyce (66)'s first ejection of 2012.
Jim Joyce now has 3 points in the UEFL (0 Previous + 2 MLB + 1 Correct Call [Crewmate]* = 3).
Crew Chief Jim Joyce now has 1 point in the Crew Division (1 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 2).
*James Hoye is the calling umpire and Jim Joyce the secondary umpire under UEFL Rule 6-2-c-1-a.
^This call is correct under OBR Rule 2.00 and Rule 6.05(d).

UEFL Standings Update

This is the 26th ejection of 2012.
This is the 17th Manager ejection of 2012.
This is Brad Mills' first ejection of 2012.

Wrap: Astros at Pirates 5/11/12
Video: Joyce ejects Mills in heated argument over a foul ball-bunted strike three call