Teachable - Rack 'Em Up with Rackley's Plate Position

When HP Umpire David Rackley took a single read step to his left on a potential play at home plate, he stopped short of committing to a baseline extended and in doing so provided us with a Tmac's Teachable Moment as Rackley's positioning quickly turned into a crew effort featuring 1B Umpire Alfonso Marquez, 2B Umpire Dan Bellino, and 3B Umpire Jeremie Rehak.

We first notice 1B Umpire and Crew Chief Marquez respond to a ground ball to Cubs second baseman David Bote by jogging toward first base in foul territory, setting up for a potential play on the batter-runner.

Instead, the play will be at home plate, and 3B Umpire Rehak strolls toward the bag to watch for Pirates baserunner R2 Pablo Reyes' base touch. Finally, HP Umpire Rackley moves into an optimal spot with which to call the subsequent tag play, ruling via his keyhole angle or wedge that Cubs catcher Willson Contreras tagged out Reyes and did not illegally block home plate, a call affirmed upon Replay Review.

Video as follows:

Case Play Solution 2020-2 - Pitcher's Hidden Ball Trick

Previously in Case Play 2020-2 - Pitcher's Hidden Ball Trick, we asked whether an usual delivery was legal or not. Now, having consulted the Official Baseball Rules, we have an answer also applicable to NCAA college and NFHS high school baseball, with a few caveats.

To solve this pitching puzzle, we went rule-by-rule for those listed on the Case Play. Here were the findings:

OBR 3.07(a): At the professional level, the glove crotch (or webbing)'s color may or may not be legal. Enforcement of the PANTONE 14-series rule is rather difficult without carrying an entire color swatch onto the playing field. Likewise, leave this alone at the lower levels, which have no such rule. All levels of baseball require the glove not be white or gray, which this glove does not appear to be (brown/yellow). This case play pertains to a college pitcher; his glove is legal.

OBR 5.07(a)(1) / NCAA 9-1-a / NFHS 6-1-2 / 6-4-2d: We turn to a compare-and-contrast example of an overseas professional pitcher attempting a similar hidden ball trick maneuver, but ultimately failing due to an interruption to his delivery while transferring the ball from pitching hand to gloved hand behind his back. For the purpose of our case play, there does not appear to be an interruption nor alteration (OBR/NCAA/NFHS) and the pitcher remains in continuous motion (NFHS). This is legal.

OBR 6.02(a)(10) / 6.02(b): Whereas an illegal pitch carries the penalty of a balk with runner(s), this balk rule (remove one hand from the ball) does not transform into an illegal pitch with no runners on base. This rule thus is not applicable.

OBR 6.04(c) / NCAA 5-15-a-3: The unsportsmanlike conduct/game misconduct rule is the thorniest since it is subject to the greatest degree of judgment. In college, this likely would not qualify as unsporting as it would at a lower level (e.g., Little League).

Video as follows:

Teachable - Reggie Brawls With Denny After HR

This edition of Tmac's Teachable Moments follows Reggie Jackson, whose home run off John Denny quickly devolves into a benches-clearing brawl between the Yankees and Indians on September 23, 1981.

HP Umpire Dale Ford and crewmates Derryl Cousins, Marty Springstead, and Joe Brinkman sort the aftermath of a late-season fight that featured a batter charging the mound...after getting a hit.

Earlier in the game, Denny had thrown a pitch up-and-in, causing Jackson to duck out of the way. When Jackson struck out to end the 2nd inning, his confrontation with Denny prompted benches to clear and Ford to issue a warning to both teams. New York coach Joe Altobelli was subsequently ejected for arguing Ford's warnings.

Jackson's fourth-inning at-bat resulted in a home run. Jackson lingered at home plate before trotting around the bases, removing his helmet in celebration as he neared home plate. More yelling ensued, at which time Jackson charged Denny and the benches cleared again.

What would you do if this was your game? Video as follows:

Tmac's Thoughts as Taiwan Plays Baseball Again

As Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) becomes the first to resume play with COVID-19 social distancing measures while MLB remains shut down, Tmac ponders how umpiring could change post-isolation.

The CPBL, which has an easier task at managing its league of only five teams as opposed to MLB's 30 or MiLB's hundreds of clubs, began its regular season in April with robot fans/drummers and otherwise vacant stands. Should the coronavirus situation play any role in how an umpire goes about officiating or is business-as-usual the more appropriate response?

Video as follows:

Case Play 2020-2 - Pitcher's Hidden Ball Trick

A recent video of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth baseball pitcher Adam Horowitz's pitch from Windup Position while removing an empty pitching hand from his glove before loading the hidden ball and delivering to a stunned batter who takes the pitch for a called strike has led baseball fans and umpires to wonder about this delivery's legality.

Case Play Question: Can a pitcher attempt to conceal the baseball from the batter during delivery by separating and reuniting his hands three times during the windup? Is it legal to pin the ball against the outside of a glove using the index finger of the gloved hand?

If this is illegal, what is the penalty with no runners on base and what is the penalty with runners?

Is a mound magic trick featuring a (feel free to read up on the seven basic principles of magic here [Penn and Teller have a fine act on the subject]) steal, misdirection, and load legal?

Answer: Rule-by-rule explanation as to legality of F1's windup trickery (4/14/20).

The following video analysis lists all relevant rules (OBR/NCAA/NFHS) and what to watch for when making your call and interpretation of whether this pitcher's delivery is legal or not. Thanks to the Umpire Video Archive for sharing.

Rules Library & Video as follows:

Robot Fans? How International Baseball is Coping with COVID-19

Forget about robot umpires: Taiwan's CPBL plans to introduce robo-fans when baseball resumes. While MLB eyes a May start, Japan had to shut down after players tested positive for coronavirus, crippling NPB just weeks after the league resumed Spring Training in empty stadiums.

Here's how baseball leagues throughout the world are handling their season postponements, with an example as to the difficulty of playing baseball in a viral world, even with no fans in attendance:

United States (Late May or June): MLB has not officially committed to a revised date for Opening Day, though the most recent reports indicate an eye toward starting a season without fans in late May or early June. One of the potential issues we identified, however, was the question of a player testing positive.
Related Post: MLB Considering Electronic Strike Zone for Social Distance Safety During 2020 Season (4/7/20).

Although MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred would reportedly want to continue playing the season while isolating the positive player(s)—hence the need for expanded rosters—one look at MLB's Japanese counterpart shows why this might be more difficult than it looks.

Japan (late May): Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Atsushi Saito announced an extended delay to the NPB season after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a national state of emergency. NPBL initially hoped to begin playing on April 24, but Abe's national declaration has pushed NPB's start date back by at least one month.

Three Hanshin Tigers players, pitcher Shintaro Fujinami, outfielder Hayata Ito, and catcher Kenya Nagasaka, additionally tested positive for the virus; the trio reportedly had dinner together on March 14 and didn't exhibit symptoms until late March.

Japan had resumed Spring Training with no fans in attendance in a sign of tentative optimism, but the recent viral flare up in Japan (cases and deaths have increased), including the infection of multiple NPB players after the restart of play, and state of emergency made the no-fans plan a no-go.

The development could prove disastrous for USA's MLB by portraying the perils of trying to resume too soon, even in an otherwise controlled environment.

South Korea (early May): The Korean Baseball Organization began scrimmaging recently—intrasquad affairs thus far and hopes to start its season in "early May." South Korea has become the world model for tackling COVID-19 through its combination of widespread testing, isolation, and contact monitoring.

Because South Korea was so successful in testing early-on in the contagion, the country has been able to successfully manage the virus' spread, which has given KBO Secretary General Ryu Dae-hwan the confidence to announce preseason games beginning on April 21 with a goal of Opening Day in early May.

Unlike MLB, Korea isn't seeking to squeeze in a full schedule through doubleheaders in one metropolitan area; instead, KBO is looking at playing a full 144-game schedule, with all games pushed approximately one month back with playoffs lasting through November.

Taiwan (April 11): The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), following local CDC guidelines, decided to begin the 2020 season in empty stadiums. One team, the Rakuten Monkeys, announced it would place "robot mannequins in the stands dressed up as fans." CPBL President John Wu has instructed fans to stay home and avoid gathering outside the stadiums.

The CPBL has only five teams, meaning the Taiwanese league has the smallest group to manage over a 48-game schedule.

Europe (Cancelled): The European Baseball Association (CEB) cancelled international European baseball cups, which would have taken place in Ostrava, Czech Republic, in June.

United Kingdom (May): Already dealing with CEB and London Series cancellations, the British Baseball Federation (BBF) postponed all activities until May.

Italy (June 13): The Federazione Italiana Baseball/Softball (FIBS) announced plans to begin playing in mid-June, and has actually built-in to its schedule the ability to stop playing all-together for several weeks in August in the event of a flare-up.

Southern Hemisphere (including Australia): Although the Australian Baseball League (ABL) is in its winter offseason, Oceana does ordinarily play some baseball over the April-August period. Baseball Queensland, for instance, has postponed all leagues until at least May 19, 2020, with the goal of eventual re-evaluation that might push that date farther back.

The Greater Brisbane League, specifically, prematurely concluded its season, awarding Division Premierships to teams presently at the top of their divisions at the time of the season's termination.

Mexican League (May 11 or later): LMB was one of the final leagues to stop playing Spring ball, and other than an initial mid-March announcement of expecting to postpone the season until May 11, LMB has been silent on the issue. One team, Los Leones de Yucatan, announced that doctors and nurses will get free tickets to Lions games for the entire 2020 season.

MLB Considering Electronic Strike Zone for Social Distance Safety During 2020 Season

Could MLB return with electronic strike zones? Sources say Major League Baseball is considering a late May or June start to its 2020 season, with all 30 teams playing games at facilities in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area.

Social distancing features prominently in a list of possible rules changes under consideration, including one such change long pushed for by Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Some potential possibilities—all in the brainstorming stage—include the elimination of all mound visits, seven-inning doubleheaders to allow for more games, players sitting in the stands six feet apart instead of in a dugout, and more extensive on-field microphone use.

Remember, 2020 was the first season MLB crew chiefs were to be mic'd in order to explain Replay Review decisions.
Related Post: Umpires to Explain Rulings via Mic in 2020 (1/27/20).

An umpire steps back to allow ABS to see.

The final proposal is implementation of an electronic strike zone "to allow the plate umpire to maintain sufficient distance from the catcher and batter."

Did MLB read our April Fools article this year?
Related: New Atlantic League Rules for 2020 (4/1/20).

Or is coronavirus simply an excuse to prime a baseball audience for electronic balls and strikes? After all, MLB can proceed with development of an K-zone—the MLBUA agreed to robo-ump development during its last round of CBA negotiations in December 2019—and if MLB can entice fans and players to accept electronic balls and strikes for the sake of playing the game in some form this summer, what's to say that the robot zone won't stick around later on as well?
Related Post: MLB, Umps Union Reach Tentative Agreement (12/21/19).

Logically speaking, the umpire-catcher interaction is perhaps the most prolonged and intimate pairing on a baseball field, so risk of contagion should decrease simply by increasing distance.

Will players wear masks during play?

But what about batter-catcher? Or runner-fielder? Or coach/manager-player? So much of the supposedly non-contact sport of baseball is built upon...well...contact.

Then there are the logistic concerns. All teams will play in Arizona, but the greater Phoenix area is expansive. The Cactus League uses 10 sites (several teams share ballparks) spread out over an approximately 100 square-mile area, not to mention additional minor league parks and other fields that would be used.

Though the plan is to sequester all teams and umpires in local hotels, which themselves would be closed off, the risk of transmission would remain. What if an inbound participant contracts the virus during their inbound flight...or brings it with them from their city of origin? If the person is an asymptomatic carrier, it could be devastating: NBA Donovan Mitchell said the "scariest part" about being infected with coronavirus is showing no symptoms, potentially infecting others without even knowing.

What's the risk of transmission here?

With MLB apparently aware that players are low-risk for COVID-19, coaches, managers, and umpires—especially crew chiefs—aren't.

Sources indicate that MLB wouldn't want to "quarantine an entire team or shut down the season" as a response to a positive test...yet many virus carriers have no-to-mild symptoms, especially in the "low-risk" group.

Does this mean MLB is willing to risk an asymptomatic carrier participating and potentially transmitting the disease?

Not all ejections are ball/strikes-based.

Sure the economic upside could help the league what with baseball being the only sport playing so soon—as evidenced by MLB reportedly considering an offer to pay minor leaguers full MLB salaries and benefits in exchange for expanded rosters just in case a player drops out due to testing positive for the virus—but at what cost?

What happens when a player, manager, or coach wants to have a conversation with the umpire or tries to make a double-switch? Social-distance smoke signals?

Forget about ejections, which, despite MLB's efforts to decrease with expanded instant replay, reached a 14-year high in 2019 with 217 heave-ho's, the most since 2006's mark of 218...and 2019's QOC = Correct rate for ejections actually was up compared to previous years...meaning players and coaches literally argued just for the sake of arguing.
Related: 2019 Stats - Ejections Spike, But So Do Correct Calls (9/30/19).

Is this Futurama scene protective enough?

And has MLB even considered that the MLB Umpires Association might not want to put its membership in harm's way, even if that means losing out on a year's paycheck?

After all, if MLB wants to insert an Automated Ball/Strike System in order to socially distance the umpire, then MLB must logically have concluded that the umpire is someone who needs that social distance protection.

And if that's true, wouldn't putting MLBUA members in harm's way anyway constitute negligence if not reckless disregard?

Video as follows:

New Atlantic League Rules for 2020

Despite baseball's indefinite shutdown, the Atlantic League, having partnered with MLB in 2019 with rules such as allowing batters to steal first base on any wild pitch, announced experimental rules for its 2020 campaign. CloseCallSports.com obtained exclusive information on some rule changes for the upcoming season. They are as follows:

1a) The Automated Ball/Strike System has been programmed to call check swings by determining whether the barrel of the bat has crossed the front edge of home plate. This will manifest in the existing ABS system by announcing "strike" whenever ABS determines that the bat crossed the front edge of home plate. Occasionally, ABS might mistake the bat for a pitched ball, but the call of "strike" shall nonetheless prevail.

In an effort to promote social distancing, all umpires shall stand at least three feet behind the catcher when adjudicating balls and strikes in what is being informally referred to as the "Non-Phil Cuzzi Mechanic."

Will the latest changes make it to MiLB?

As was the case in 2019, the media shall not be permitted to take any photos of the computer screen displaying the ABS system; the sole ABS outcome that shall be communicated to the public shall be the system's final decision of "ball" or "strike."

1b) The glitch in which ABS fails to call either "ball" or "strike" has been fixed. Despite our previous reporting and pages upon pages of evidence that ABS routinely misses pitches ("When I say it missed 500 pitches [in April], that didn't mean they called them wrong. They didn't call them at all" - Joe West), the league has assured folks this was due to a persistent volume error on Apple iOS which cut out the audio signal right at the moment of verbalization. Umpires have been instructed that when the system outputs no audio, the proper call is "strike."
Related Post: Video - Truth About Baseball's Electronic Strike Zone (5/30/19).

ALPB doesn't want a repeat of Frank Violin.

1c) Umpires have been instructed to refrain from ejecting any players in connection with the Automated Ball/Strike System's pitch calls. Any such ejection shall be subject to league review; however, under the newly-adopted "Frank Viola Rule," any non-player who argues the Automated Ball/Strike System shall be subject to immediate discipline, up to and including demotion to the Houston Astros.

2) No more automatic doubles if the ball bounces over the fence. Instead, the umpire shall determine where the ball first contacted the playing field to determine base awards. If the ball first bounced off the outfield grass, a two-base award shall be had, as the present rules dictate. However, a new universal ground rule will award a ground-rule triple if the ball first contacts the dirt warning track before bounding over the wall and out of play. For scorekeepers, an error shall be charged in connection with the play if at any time the ball touched an outfielder.

Players caught using Barroids shall be banned.

3) Batters can no longer wear any protective equipment. The "Barry Bonds Rule" includes arm guards, shin guards or anything worn for the disproportionate rationale of "safety" at the expense of making a hit-by-pitch more likely. Penalty shall be ejection for the first offense and relegation to the San Francisco Giants on the second.

4) Batters can steal third base on a wild pitch. The play at third will become a force play.  If the batter/runner is thrown out at third, the inning is over no matter how many outs there were when the play began. If he is safe, the next batter comes to the plate with a new count. A batter can not steal third if it’s occupied, but shall be permitted to run after the wild pitch/passed ball and kick the ball away from the catcher or other fielder.

5) All bases will be red, white, and blue because: AMERICA! The blue bases are worth two points. A player may physically steal a base and carry it around the base paths in order to avoid being put out; however, such a base intentionally dislodged and carried by the offense may only be returned to its natural position during a live ball or base award as the result of actions that occurred during a live ball.

Players may brandish bases to avoid outs.

6) All games will now be eight innings and all batters shall inherit a 1-1 count in any game whose score differential is four or greater. In an effort to increase scoring, all games shall begin with both teams tied at a score of 9-9.

7) There will be a three-hour time limit on all games with no new inning beginning at two hours and forty minutes from the scheduled start time.

8) The 8th inning will be our special comeback inning to keep the fans entertained. If a manager elects to use a pinch-hitter, his run will count as double (triple on blue bases). If the pinch hitter hits a home run, all runs count as quadruple. If the bases are loaded, the home run shall be a quintuple.

Many have been following the bizarre rule changes ever since the eastern indy league has grabbed money from MLB and became obliged to obey just about every request—these were the requests for 2020.

Quotes:

Robbed-of-Sense Manfred:  “You believe this?!  We keep trolling them and they keep letting us do whatever we want.  I was going to suggest that each team has to play with a little leaguer, but we found out insurance would be too high and that no little leaguers want to be part of a rinky dink production…Did I do it again?  Did I say that out loud."

Chris Younger-Than-Springtime: "The Atlantic League, what’s that? You guys know I was the pitcher and not the hitter right?"

Joe Torree: “I have this problem.  Randy keeps calling me just to chat. When will he realize he’s no longer working for the office?”

Rick-Roll White: “As long as umpires don’t mess up, we’ll have a great season. The reason we had to change the strike zone is because the umpires aren’t very good, but I respect them a lot. Nobody respects umpires more than me. I'd never defend them, but they must be some of the best people in the game. But don't tell anyone that because it might not be false. But seriously, our league might be out of business in 10 years if MLB leaves. Please don't leave, we'll do whatever you say."

Mike Pfaffy Taffy:  “Everyone knows I run the league. You know that, right? Wanna work here, you gotta get by me. They don't call 'em the Long Island Kings for nothing. Oh, you wanted to know about the new rules?  Well I’m hoping we expand to the moon: 30 teams by 2030 that’s what I say!  In reality, as long as the island makes money, why would I care about the rules?"

Happy April Fools' Day, everyone!

Virtual Ejections - Robo-Lance Barrett (Compu-Angels)

With MLB's regular season delayed, today's virtual Opening Day produced the first ejection of the computerized calendar. HP Umpire Robo-Lance Barrett ejected Compu-Angels pitcher Robo-Shohei Ohtani (throwing at Compu-Astros batter Robo-Dustin Garneau after warnings for HBP to Robo-Alex Bregman) in the bottom of the 1st inning of the Compu-Angels vs Compu-Astros game.

Following a one out and one on (R1) balk, Robo-Bregman took a 0-0 fastball from Robo-Ohtani for a hit-by-pitch, resulting in warnings after Compu-Houston's virtual Opening Day opponent threw at them for some odd reason.

Replays indicate the pitch was located inside and struck Robo-Bregman in the upper back, the call was irrecusable. Ensuing batter Robo-Garneau then took a first-pitch fastball for a hit-by-pitch, resulting in ejections of Robo-Ohtani and Manager Robo-Joe Maddon, who looked a lot like circa-2018 Robo-Mike Scioscia.

At the time of the ejections, the game was tied, 0-0. The computer ultimately won the contest, 1-0. The home plate umpire was wearing #16, which is Robo-Barrett's sleeve number for 2020.

Baseball, please come back. Video as follows:

Joe West Settles with Action Network, Accuses Paul Lo Duca of Ignoring Lawsuit

MLB veteran umpire Joe West narrowed his defamation lawsuit, settling his case with The Action Network over purportedly slanderous comments made by Paul Lo Duca during a podcast. While settlement removes defendant TAN, West now accuses Lo Duca of ignoring the suit against him and seeks default judgment from the court.

In October 2019, West sued The Action Network and ex-player Paul Lo Duca after Lo Duca made statements that, according to West, "impugn the integrity, honesty and professional fitness of Mr. West and affect his profession as a Major League Baseball umpire."
Related Post: Joe West Sues Paul LoDuca Over Bribery Claim (10/22/19).

Amongst Lo Duca's purportedly slanderous statements were claims made on a podcast produced by The Action Network that strongly suggested West accepted a bribe from Mets pitcher Billy Wagner in exchange for favorable ball/strike calls, as well as claims that West ejected Lo Duca "eight or nine times" during his career.

Fact checks both by Close Call Sports and West's legal team indicate Lo Duca's ejection claim was false—West ejected Lo Duca just once in his career—and that West never actually served as home plate umpire for any game Wagner pitched while Lo Duca was on the Mets.

As West's team wrote in the original complaint, "As a result of the foregoing Plaintiff was damaged in an amount to be determined at trial."
Related Post: Pants on Fire - Paul Lo Duca's Joe West Accusation (5/10/19).

On January 27, 2020 Judge John J. Kelley ordered that West's team could serve Lo Duca with a copy of the summons and complaint via his Barstool Sports e-mail address because service using more traditional methods, including at least four New York addresses, failed.

On January 29, West's attorney Nicholas J. Zaita submitted an affidavit swearing that he served LoDuca at the Loduca@barstoolsports.com e-mail address.

On February 28, Zaita and The Action Network's attorney, Jeffrey G. Landis, stipulated the discontinuance of West's case against The Action Network. In the joint filing, the parties wrote that West's lawsuit "hereby is settled and dismissed, with prejudice, as to the Defendant The Action Network, Inc. only."

Lo Duca's deadline to appear or answer expired on March 9—with Lo Duca having failed to appear or answer.

By March 20, with Lo Duca still having failed to respond to the lawsuit, the Supreme Court of the State of New York updated its procedures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and impending NY "stay at home" order. This update postpones all civil trials indefinitely.

On March 23, West's team requested that The Action Network be removed from the lawsuit (due to the settlement) and that the court, on April 30, 2020, grant West default judgment against Lo Duca because Lo Duca quite simply has repeatedly failed to respond to the lawsuit.

Nearly two full months after West served Lo Duca at his BarstoolSports e-mail address, Lo Duca has yet to respond to the court.

Video as follows: