Plate Meeting Podcast - Episode 9 - Pro Ump Camp

In this ninth episode of The Plate Meeting, a LF Umpire Podcast from CloseCallSports.com, we interview Ron Teague and Kevin Winn, American Association and CanAm umpire supervisors who attend the Pro Umpire Camp.

A former MiLB official, Ronnie Teague is the Director of Umpires for the American Association. While on the field of affiliated ball, Ron was the umpire who famously called two pace-of-play (batter's box violation) strikes to punch out a minor league batter and stood in for one of Joe Mikulik's patented temper tantrums. We talk about these plays and more on the show.

Kevin Winn is the Executive Director for the Can-Am League, who several years ago saw an alumnus—Will Little—make it to the MLB level, the first CamAm product to crack the majors, followed shortly by fellow alum Adam Hamari. Winn was the Director of Umpires on duty who supervised Hamari and Little in the CanAm.

Pro Umpire Camp (proumpirecamp.com) helps umpires gain experience as they advance in all levels of baseball from Little League to the Minor Leagues, offering classroom and on-field education and instruction regarding the three-umpire system, video analysis, and a chance to be seen by independent league decision-makers, including the American Association, CanAm, Atlantic, and Pecos Leagues.

Sponsored Link: ProUmpireCamp.com.

Click the below play (▶) button to listen to "Episode 9 - Pro Umpire Camp with Ron Teague and Kevin Winn" or visit the show online at https://anchor.fm/the-plate-meeting. The Plate Meeting is also available on iTunes (Apple Podcasts), Google, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and several other podcast apps.


Alternate Link: Episode 9 - Pro Umpire Camp with Ron Teague and Kevin Winn.

Additional Links, Videos, and Other Media:
The following section contains relevant links, notes, and additional material that correlate with conversations during the show. Click the following related video/article links to be taken to that relevant item.

The Plate Meeting is brought to you by OSIP, where Outstanding Sportsmanship Is Paramount.

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Related Link #1 (14:30): Minor Teague Ball: The One Pitch Strikeout and Ejection (8/4/13).
Related Video #1 (14:30): Ron Teague ejects Vinnie Catricala after one-pitch SO in Texas.
Related Link #2 (16:45): MiLB Ejection: Ron Teague (Joe Mikulik) (7/7/15).
Related Link #3 (25:00): Featured MiLB Ejection - Ron Teague (2 Aces, 1st Inning) (4/19/16).
Sponsored Link: ProUmpireCamp.com.

Follow us on Twitter 🐦 (@UmpireEjections) and like on Facebook 👍 (/UmpireEjections).

Trash Can Team Releases Player After Assault Charge

American Association's Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, home of Brennan Metzger, suspended one game for his trash can ejection, has released player Keury De La Cruz after he was charged with assault for allegedly fighting in a parking lot hallway following a contentious game at the ballpark, according to a source.

The nature of the alleged crime suggests the "fight" may not have been consensual and more of a "Team A player jumps Team B player" type of incident with Sioux City’s Jason Garcia listed as the victim.

During Tuesday's game against the Sioux City Explorers, benches cleared in the bottom of the 5th inning after pitcher Ian McKinney's first-pitch offering to Fargo-Moorhead batter Keury De La Cruz was thrown up, in, and behind the batter (which allowed a runner to score), resulting in a bench-clearing incident and warnings from umpire Ron Teague, prompting this summation from the broadcast:

Ron Teague has done a nice job in this series of playing the sheriff and judge.

According to the game report, Sioux City had taken exception to De La Cruz's treatment of a home run during Monday's game by allegedly taking his bat to first base before discarding it.

After taking a fourth ball inside for a walk in the 5th inning on Tuesday, De La Cruz jawed with more Explorers, resulting in a second bench-clearing incident during which De La Cruz had to be restrained by teammates as fellow RedHawk Charlie Valerio appeared to try and fight a member of Sioux City; neither player was ejected.

Fargo-Moorhead lost to Sioux City, 19-5, including a 12-run ninth inning for the visiting team.

Following the game, a fight reportedly occurred in the hallway to the parking lot; by Wednesday, De La Cruz had been criminally charged with assault, and the RedHawks released him, citing conduct detrimental to the team, with manager Michael Schlact saying, "Keury’s conduct last night is not condoned by RedHawks and isn’t what our team is about or how we represent the community."

Related: Following an ejection by umpire Mike Jarboe two weeks prior, Fargo-Moorhead's Metzger engaged in histrionics and profanity before using a prop from the dugout (a garbage bin) to further insult the umpire, leaving the receptacle behind home plate and pointing to it as Jarboe calmly discussed the ejection with Metzger's manager. Metzger served a one-game suspension for the conduct.
Related Post: Featured Indy Ejection - Mike Jarboe (Brennan Metzger) (8/7/18).

Updated: A previous version of this story indicated an arrest. This has been revised to a criminal charge of assault. No arrest was indicated.

The De La Cruz wild pitch video is available at the 2:20:50 mark here.

Featured MiLB Ejection - Ron Teague (2 Aces, 1st Inning)

HP Umpire Ron Teague ejected Reno Aces P Archie Bradley & Manager Phil Nevin for arguing a ball four call in the top of the 1st inning of the Isotopes-Aces game. With two out and two on, Isotopes batter Jeff Bianchi took a 3-2 fastball from Bradley for a called fourth ball. During the Nevin's ensuing mound visit and pitching change, Bradley and Nevin were ejected from the game. Replays indicate the pitch was located around the inner edge of home plate and thigh high (px unavailable), the call was irrecusable. At the time of the ejection, the Isotopes were leading, 3-0. The Isotopes ultimately won the contest, 3-2.

Wrap: Albuquerque Isotopes vs. Reno Aces (Pacific Coast League Baseball), 4/12/16
Video: Bradley and skipper Nevin are tossed in the top of the 1st inning (RNO)

MiLB Ejection: Ron Teague (Joe Mikulik)

HP Umpire Ron Teague ejected RoughRiders Manager Joe Mikulik for arguing an out call in the top of the 5th inning of the RoughRiders-RockHounds game on Tuesday in Double-A baseball's Texas League. B1 hit a ground ball to F3, who threw to F2 as R3 arrived at home plate with PU Teague declaring R3 out on the tag. Replays indicate F2 did not possess the ball when his glove made contact with R3 and that the baseball was on the ground in front of home plate, the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the RoughRiders were leading, 2-1. The Hounds ultimately won the contest, 5-4, in 10 innings.

"We are rapidly digressing here from a very valid argument to a third grader who just lost his lunch box."

Though Mikulik's argument eventually devolved into what has become known as a typical Mikulik post-ejection tantrum, replays indicate Teague did not see the ball lying on the ground until after he had already signaled the baserunner out at home, a call upheld after consultation and a brief conference with 1B Umpire Clay Park and 3B Umpire Clayton Hamm.

This is Joe Mikulik's first ejection temper tantrum since April 11, 2015 (U1 Bryan Fields; Throwing At), or September 3, 2014 (PU Travis Godec, U3 Rich Grassa; HR/Not HR), or if stealing third base isn't tantrum-worthy, maybe July 28, 2012 (U1 Mike Patterson; Safe/Out) or his 2006 Asheville Tourists performance.

Box score: Frisco RoughRiders vs. Midland RockHounds (MiLB AA Texas League), 6/16/15
Video: Milulik argues an out call at home on dropped ball before throwing equipment on the field (FRI)

Minor Teague Ball: The One Pitch Strikeout and Ejection

HP Umpire Ron Teague awarded a one-pitch strikeout to MiLB Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks pitcher Nick Tropeano of the Texas League Thursday after Midland RockHounds batter Vinnie Catricala refused to step into the batter's box following a strike call.

Teague calls a strike on Carticala.

With none out and none on in the 6th, Carticala led off the inning by taking a first-pitch Tropeano offering for a called strike. After disagreeing and voicing his displeasure with Umpire Teague, Carticala stepped back out of the right-handed batter's box as Teague motioned for Carticala to return to his hitting position. Carticala balked at the request, uttered more words at Teague and Teague responded by calling strike two. 10 seconds after the batter first stepped out of the box, with Carticala still loitering outside, Teague called a third strike before ejecting Carticala, who broke into uninhibited argument after being called out during an at-bat that featured just one pitch.

In ruling Carticala out on automatic strikes two and three, Teague invoked OBR Rule 6.02(c), which states:

If the batter refuses to take his position in the batter’s box during his time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter. The ball is dead, and no runners may advance. After the penalty, the batter may take his proper position and the regular ball and strike count shall continue. If the batter does not take his proper position before three strikes have been called, the batter shall be declared out.

Comment: The umpire shall give the batter a reasonable opportunity to take his proper position in the batter’s box after the umpire has called a strike pursuant to Rule 6.02(c) and before the umpire calls a successive strike pursuant to Rule 6.02(c).

In sequence...
1) Pitch #1 (and only) => Strike one call. Carticala argues, steps out of the box. Teague orders him back in.
2) Carticala remains out of the box, interpreted by Teague as a refusal to take his position in the batter's box.
3) Strike Two => Teague enforces the penalty of Rule 6.02(c) and again orders Carticala into the box.
4) Carticala remains out of the box, interpreted by Teague as another refusal to assume his position in the batter's box during his time at bat and after being given a reasonable opportunity to do so.
5) Strike Three => Teague enforces the successive strike penalty of Rule 6.02(c) and Rule 6.02(c) Comment.
6) Ejection => Following the strikeout, Teague ejects Carticala for ensuing unsporting conduct.

The crew at Deadspin drew up the video of the Teague/Tropeano/Carticala saga.

The one pitch-K was a feat first accomplished in 1945 by the New York Tea Totallers, who threw just one pitch to the opposing Gas-House Gorillas that resulted in a total of nine strikes and three outs.