Injury Scout - Rob Drake Works 1st Game of Spring

Rob Drake returned to umpire Friday, March 3's Dodgers-Diamondbacks game after an absence extending from September 11, 2016 to March 2, 2017 (173 days, though most of this was offseason). Drake's last game officiated was the September 10 Brewers-Cardinals game, constituting an approximate 15-games missed during the closing weeks of the 2016 regular season, in addition to any postseason games he may have been assigned. He had worked the postseason every year since 2012, or four consecutive playoff assignments.

Drake manned home plate in his Cactus League return alongside base umpires Brian Gorman (crew chief), Jordan Baker, and call-up Tom Woodring.

Drake, alongside retiree John Hirschbeck, received the 2016 UEFL Award for Honorable Umpire of the Year. His return from the Bereavement List leaves Bruce Dreckman as the only umpire who finished 2016 on the Disabled List and has not yet returned to work Spring Training.

UEFL Injury Scout Report
Date of Last Game: September 11, 2016 | Return: March 3, 2017 | Total Absence: 15-20 Games

2017 Rules Mods, Including IBB Change, Announced

MLB officially announced several rules changes, including a 30-second challenge time limit and no-pitch intentional walk. The following modifications were agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, and will go into effect for the 2017 season:

> No-Pitch Intentional Walks. As first reported last month, traditional intentional walks have been eliminated in favor of a no-pitch "take your base" solution, which is expected to save time.
> 30-Second Manager's Challenge Decision Time Limit. Also reported last month, Managers will no longer be permitted to indefinitely delay or "hold" their decision of whether or not to exercise their Manager's Challenge. The new time limit for this decision is 30 seconds.

Say goodbye to Turning the Umpire.

> Two-Minute Guideline for Replay Officials in NY. Similarly, umpires viewing video replay will now be subject to a two-minute guideline for making their decision. The 2:00 time is conditional and subject to various exemptions, such as a Replay Supervisor's override request.
> Crew Chief Reviews Now Begin in the 8th Inning. The previous Replay Review Regulation stated that a Crew Chief Review could be initiated on behalf of a team out of challenges beginning in the 7th inning. This modification changes the 7th inning (2014-2016) to the 8th inning (2017-). Home-run reviews are not affected and will continue in their present form.
> Markers on the Field Prohibited. Fielders may no longer use any foreign markers on the field of play for reference (e.g., defensive positioning).

Base coaches shall stand within their box.

> Balk (5.07, 6.02(a), 6.02(b)). Pitchers may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise reset a pivot foot in his delivery of the pitch. Penalty: Balk (runners on) or Illegal Pitch (bases empty). Video: Carter Capps' crow-hop is now illegal.
> Base Coaches (5.03). 1B and 3B Coaches are prohibited from standing in front of (closer to home plate) the coach's box line perpendicular to the foul line and inside of (closer to the base) the coach's box line parallel to the foul line prior to a ball being put in play, and may not interfere or draw a throw once play has begun. In other words, coaches must stay in their boxes until play begins.

Pitchless Intentional Walks May Begin This Week

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hinted that pitchless intentional walks could start within the week, having discussed the still-unofficial free pass rules change ahead of Tuesday's Grapefruit League action.

Manfred said IBB changes may begin shortly.

According to an AP report, Manfred's Major League Baseball Office is nearly through discussing the proposed change with teams, suggesting that the intentional walk with no pitches concept has cleared the MLBPA hurdle that previously drew the Manfred criticism, "there really won't be any meaningful change for the 2017 season due to a lack of cooperation from the MLBPA," while MLBPA boss Tony Clark said that changes would be "an uphill battle."

Last week, we discussed baseball's sayonara to the four-pitch intentional walk, and revisited some memorable moments from when intentional walks have gone wrong, including a handful of wild pitch mishaps during Major League games, including several that resulted in a baserunner scoring an eventual game-winning run. Click here to see a list of intentional walks-gone-wrong.

Spring Injury - Paul Emmel Clipped by Flying Bat

The first injury of Spring Training befell HP Umpire Paul Emmel in Florida's Grapefruit League, as the newly minted Crew Chief was struck by an errant bat on the final day of February.

Emmel in 2016. Tuesday's game not televised.

With one out in the top of the 3rd inning of the Blue Jays-Pirates, Blue Jays Reese McGuire swung and missed at a third strike from Pirates pitcher Brett McKinney, losing his grip on the bat and sending the barrel spinning backward, where it struck Emmel.

Emmel was replaced behind home plate by 2B Umpire Jeremie Rehak, while 1B Umpire Bill Welke and 3B Umpire John Bacon manned the corners in a three-person alignment. H/T: Bill Brink

Removed from the Toronto-Pittsburgh game for precautionary reasons, Emmel most recently left June 23, 2016's Athletics-Angels game after being cut above the forehead by a flying bat in Anaheim. After receiving stitches to close the wound, Emmel sat out 12 days before returning to play on July 8.

Date of Injury: February 28, 2017 | Return to Play: March 2, 2017 | Total Time Absent: One day.

2017 Australian Baseball Championship Umpires

Umpires for the 2017 Australian Baseball League Championship Series watched Brisbane defeat Melbourne two games to none earlier this month, with the following officials selected work the ABLCS:

Game 1 Assignment - Game 2 Assignment: Umpire Name.
HP - 3B: Takahito Matsuda.
1B - HP: Mal Mackay
2B - 1B: Trent Thomas.
3B - 2B: Tom West.

> Matsuda also presided as Crew Chief during the 2016-17 ABL All-Star Game in Melbourne, and officiates in the Minor League Baseball system.
> Mackay and Thomas officiated the exhibition series between the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Team Australia during MLB's 2014 Opening Series festivities in Sydney.
> West, like Matsuda, officiates MiLB ball.

Umpires who officiated the postseason's semifinal round/play-in series included (*ABLCS Umpire):
Blake Halligan (U3 [Gm 1] at Adelaide)
Paul Latta (U2 [Gm 2] & U2 [Gm 3] at Brisbane)
Takahito Matsuda* (PU [Gm 1] at Adelaide)
Mal Mackay* (U3 [Gm 2] & PU [Gm 3] at Brisbane)
Ian Reval (U2 [Gm 1] at Adelaide)
James Shields (U1 [Gm 2] & U3 [Gm 3] at Brisbane)
Payne Sowter (U1 [Gm 1] at Adelaide)
Tom West* (PU [Gm 2] & U1 [Gm 3] at Brisbane)

Much Patience and Good Judgment - Reversing a Call

In officiating, patience and timing are key. In baseball, umpires are trained to fully process plays before issuing a judgment decision. Most of the time, patience and timing make an appearance during the play itself, but sometimes, the patience to get the call right shows up only after the play is over.

After initial out, Tosi correctly changed a call.

In the top of the 4th inning of Saturday's tied White Sox-Dodgers game, Sox baserunner R1 Yolmer Sanchez attempted to steal second base as second baseman Logan Forsythe attempted to tag Sanchez before Sanchez's foot touched second base, generating an out call from 3B Umpire Alex Tosi.

One slight issue arose when it became clear that Forsythe had not caught his catcher's throw and the ball was rolling along the infield dirt, resulting in Sanchez's hasty retreat to first base (he had started jogging back toward the White Sox's first base dugout after Tosi's out call and picked up his pace after seeing the loose ball).

Jean Segura also had an adventure.

Sanchez's actions tend to remind us of Brewers baserunner Jean Segura, who famously stole second base in 2013 before running back to first base, and then later tried to steal second base again during the same baserunning appearance. The only difference between the Sanchez and Segura plays is that 2B Umpire Phil Cuzzi hadn't incorrectly declared Segura out: Segura only thought he had been declared out.

Tosi, on the other hand, actually did incorrectly declare Sanchez out. Thus, after calling "Time" and convening crewmates Lance Barrett and Pat Hoberg, Tosi changed his call to "safe," and placed Sanchez on second base, ruling that had the proper call (of "safe") been made, that is the base that Sanchez would have reached.

What does the rulebook say about this? Rule 8.02(c) states, "If the umpires consult after a play and change a call that had been made, then they have the authority to take all steps that they may deem necessary, in their discretion, to eliminate the results and consequences of the earlier call that they are reversing, including placing runners where they think those runners would have been after the play, had the ultimate call been made as the initial call."

Although Rule 8.02(c) is a failsafe for mistakes, the General Instructions to Umpires section of the code seeks to prevent premature calls: "Keep your eye everlastingly on the ball while it is in play. It is more vital to know just where a fly ball fell, or a thrown ball finished up, than whether or not a runner missed a base. Do not call the plays too quickly, or turn away too fast when a fielder is throwing to complete a double play. Watch out for dropped balls after you have called a man out...Wait until the play is completed before making any arm motion."

Video: Confusion in Cattleback thanks to an out call, dropped ball, and missed tag (LAD; 1:11:19)

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As Dodgers broadcaster Charlie Steiner remarked, "It's Spring Training for everybody," though Tosi's premature call places him in the company of other MLB greats, such as Greg Gibson, whose early out call at Dodger Stadium in 2012 occurred during a game-deciding sequence of events.
Relevant Post: Greg Gibson Reminds All Umpires: Patience is a Virtue (7/15/12).

With two out and two on (R2, R3) in the top of the 9th inning of the July 14, 2012 Padres-Dodgers game, the Dodgers were all set to win their 10th straight contest at home against San Diego as the Blue Crew clung to a 6-5 lead. Closer Kenley Jansen had worked methodically and—much to Joe Torre's chagrin, I'm sure—slowly to a two-strike count and was considering which pitch to throw for his final strike of the game.

Gibson prematurely punches out Cabrera.

Padres baserunner R3 Everth Cabrera, alertly, saw Jansen's full focus on pitching and not on the runners, so when Jansen turned his back to home plate and ventured behind the pitcher's plate, Cabrera pounced, catching Jansen off-guard. Jansen's throw to catcher AJ Ellis was high, but Ellis jumped for it and slapped a tag on Cabrera just before the Padre's foot slid into home plate.

"Out!" exclaimed plate umpire Greg Gibson, emphatically seeking to end the game in thrilling fashion.

The only problem, of course, was that Jansen's throw had evaded Ellis and the baseball was not in AJ's glove, but rolling around freely in foul territory.

Upon realizing this—partly due to Cabrera's protest of the out call—Gibson reversed course, signaled Cabrera safe, and extended the game. For better or for worse, all this added confusion allowed the runner from second base Will Venable to score the go-ahead and winning run as Jansen arrived late to cover the plate. Controversially, replays indicate Jansen did not hustle to cover the plate until after Gibson had reversed his improper call, and Venable was already within several strides of home plate.

Remember the General Instruction to Umpires: "It is often a trying position which requires the exercise of much patience and good judgment."

Spring Training Ejection - Hunter Wendelstedt (Frias)

HP Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ejected Astros P Edison Frias for throwing at Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera in the bottom of the 3rd inning of the Astros-Tigers game. With none out and none on, Frias walked Tigers batter Juan Perez on four pitches, before surrendering three consecutive home runs to Andrew Romine, Ian Kinsler, and Victor Martinez. Cabrera, who followed Martinez in the batting order, subsequently took a 0-0 fastball for a hit-by-pitch, the call was irrecusable. At the time of the ejection, the Tigers were leading, 4-0.

This is Hunter Wendelstedt (21)'s first ejection of Spring Training, the 2017 MLB preseason.
Hunter Wendelstedt now has 0 points in the UEFL Standings (0 Previous + 0 Spring Training = 0).
Crew Chief Wendelstedt now has 0 points in Crew Division (0 Previous + 0 Spring Training = 0).

This is the first ejection report of Spring Training 2017, and earliest on record (2nd day of Spring).
This is the 1st player ejection of 2017. Prior to ejection, Frias' line was 0.0 IP, BB, 4 ER, 3 HR.
This is Houston's 1st ejection of Spring Training, 1st in the Grapefruit League (HOU 1; Others 0).
This is Edison Frias' first career MLB ejection.
This is Hunter Wendelstedt's first ejection since June 28, 2016 (Jeff Francoeur; QOC = Y [Replay]).

Wrap: Houston Astros vs. Detroit Tigers (Grapefruit Lg), 2/25/17 | Video N/A (Game not televised)

First Play of the Spring - Overthrown Two Base Award

On this first day of Spring Training, we're already into the rulebook as an overthrow in Florida led to a Little League home run for Yankees batter Miguel Andujar.

Though the teams pay no mind, the ump does.

As baseball collectively shakes off the dust this late February, there are bound to be a few errors along the way, and we too would do well to review a fundamental rule that made an appearance on Friday concerning a ball thrown out of play.

With two out and a runner on first base in the bottom of the 6th inning, NY batter Andujar hit a fair fly ball off of Phillies outfielder Chris Coghlan, who retrieved the ball on the ground and threw to first baseman Brock Stassi, who in turn threw to third base in an attempt to retire Andujar, who was trying for a triple.

Stassi's throw flew past third baseman Taylor Featherston and bounced into (and then out of) the visitors' dugout back onto the playing field, where it was retrieved by left fielder Tyler Goeddel, alertly backing up the play, as batter-runner Andujar scampered back to third base.

U3 Mark Wegner signals "Time."

Fortunately for New York, 3B Umpire Mark Wegner saw the entire sequence and, having correctly ruled the ball out of play, awarded Andujar home plate as a result of the ball thrown out of play. Andujar's position at the time of Kingery's throw was at some point between second and third base.

Common question: Does it matter that the ball bounced back onto the field after momentarily entering the dugout? After all, didn't appear to have altered the play. Answer: As soon as the ball leaves the playing field, it is dead and subject to award. It does not matter what happens next (see emphasized portion of rule, below).

Relevant Rules
Rule 5.06(b)(4)(G): "Each runner including the batter-runner may, without liability to be put out, advance...Two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field, a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field)...The ball is dead. When such wild throw is the first play by an infielder, the umpire, in awarding such bases, shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the ball was pitched; in all other cases the umpire shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the wild throw was made."

 Wrap: Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees, 2/24/17 | Video available via "Read more"

Four-Pitch Intentional Walk, Potential Flubs, Abolished

Baseball is saying goodbye to its four-pitch intentional walk—and antics of an intent ball gone wrong—in favor of pace-of-play-friendly dugout signals, according to several sources. Manfred previously stated "that there really won't be any meaningful change for the 2017 season due to a lack of cooperation from the MLBPA," while player's union head Tony Clark wrote, "fundamental changes to the game are going to be an uphill battle."

However, the apparently less fundamental four-pitch intentional walk (as opposed to the more fundamental strike zone issue) appears headed for extinction.

Less fundamental? It's not as if a poorly executed intentional walk attempt has ever cost someone a ballgame...or has it? [Spoiler: It has—many times]

Say goodbye to intentional walk-off disasters.

Intentional balls don't often go awry, but when they do, the results can be memorable. When Baltimore pitcher Todd Williams attempted to intentionally walk Marlins slugger Miguel Cabrera in the 10th inning of a tied game on June 22, 2006, Cabrera hit the first pitch he saw for an RBI single, scoring Florida's game-winning run.

In 2014, Dodgers relief pitcher Chris Withdrew attempted to intentionally walk Diamondbacks batter Martin Prado in the top of the 9th inning of a 1-1 game. After all, with one out and a runner on third, setting up a potential inning-ending double play is a plausibly good strategy...except that Withrow's 2-0 pitch to Prado sailed over catcher Tim Federowicz's glove, allowing D-Backs baserunner R3 Tony Campana to score the go-ahead run for Arizona, which eventually won the contest, 4-2.

A similar wild pitch-during-an-intentional-walk mishap occurred in Tampa Bay (run scored)...and in Detroit...and in San Francisco...and in Anaheim (run scored)...and in Oakland...and in Detroit (again)...and in Detroit (for a third time, with a run scoring)...and in Seattle (run scored).

Most recently—and perhaps the last instance of a flubbed intentional walk MLB will ever see—Yankees batter Gary Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly when Rays pitcher Enny Romero's intentional ball flew too close to home plate and within the reach of Sanchez's bat.

Sanchez's IBB sacrifice could be MLB's last.

In a similar vein, Lancaster Barnstormers pitcher Lance Odom unintentionally spurred a walk-off win for opposing Somerset in 2007 when Odom's intentional ball with a runner on third in extra innings sailed over the catcher's head, allowing baserunner R3 Danny Garcia to score the game-winner from third base.

A similar fate befell Auburn in college baseball during a poorly placed intentional ball at Ole Miss that was swung on and hammered into the outfield seats for a walk-off home run.

Intentional walk mishaps at the lower levels have also produced a steal of home, and even a catcher's balk. Say goodbye to those, too.

There were just 932 intentional walks given out across the majors in 2016, which averages out to one for every 2.6 games played. By contrast, 2016 featured 1,468 regular season Replay Reviews, or one every 1.7 games. Intentional walks averaged less than one minute each while Replay Reviews took an average of one-minute and 36 seconds to complete.

MLB has also purportedly proposed a 30-second time limit on Replay Reviews.

This latest intentional walk news comes just weeks after baseball's most recent proposition to the players' union concerning free passes, and just two years after MLB tested no-pitch intentional walks during the 2014 Arizona Fall League.

In reportedly adopting the no-pitch intentional walk for regular season play, MLB hopes to reduce game times and increased pitch counts (presumably, by four pitches per occurrence), while collaterally eliminating the aforementioned possibility for an intentional ball-gone-wrong by way of a balk, wild pitch or pass ball, batter's swing at an intentional ball, and stolen base.

Phil Cuzzi Fulfills Promise to Late Friend Luongo

Phil Cuzzi's friendship with Belleville classmate Robert Luongo transcends baseball, reminding us of the brand of people that often gravitate toward the officiating vocation, as depicted in a NorthJersey.com article on Cuzzi.

Cuzzi and Luongo grew up together, and as Cuzzi attended Glassboro State College, Luongo went to Harvard. As Cuzzi climbed the umpiring ranks, Luongo took to business.

When Luongo's health suffered in the 1990s, manifesting in an ALS diagnosis, Cuzzi stuck by his friend, and, sensing Luongo's value of education for his family, made a vow: "The last time I saw Robert, the last thing I said to him was, 'Rob, you will never have to worry about [daughter] Dominique’s education, I will get our community and the baseball community involved to raise whatever we need to send her wherever she wants to go.'"

If you've followed Cuzzi's story, you may recall the Luongo name from Cuzzi's charity, the Robert Luongo ALS fund, established in 2003 as a fundraising effort for education and, later, dedicated to finding a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), colloquially known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and the name sake of the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which Cuzzi and crew (alongside Bob Costas) took part in after a game in Anaheim that season.

After Robert Luongo died in 2004 at the age of 49, Cuzzi continued fundraising to honor Luongo, planning dinners and bringing in guests from baseball legends Tommy Lasorda, Joe Torre, and Tony LaRussa, to boxers Larry Holmes and Gerry Cooney, to actor Steven Schirripa and broadcaster Costas.

Now, Luongo's daughter is set to graduate from Robert's alma mater, Harvard University, and Cuzzi's promise is nearing completion: "And now, she’s graduating. I can’t believe it. [Mother] Debra deserves so much credit. She has instilled the values in her daughter that were so important to both her and Robert. We are all so proud of Dominique, her future is only limited to her own dreams. As proud as we all are of her, it pales in comparison to how proud Robert is of her."

Cuzzi describes the Robert Luongo ALS Fund as a three-tiered organization: "We raise money for scholarships for students of parents and family members who suffer from ALS, as well as donating money for research to ALS, in the hope of finding a cure, and to help families who need to care for an ALS patient."