baseballrules

Bottom of the seventh inning, runners on first and second and one out in World Series Game #2.

Johnny Damon of the New York Yankees hits a sinking liner to first. The first base umpire rules it a clean catch and Jorge Posada, who was on first and running to second, is tagged at second for an inning-ending double play.

But it wasn’t a double play. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard knew he didn’t catch the ball cleanly and that is why he threw to second to get the force. But the first base umpire ruled that Howard caught the ball on the line. Instead of inning over, it should have been one out and the bases loaded.

How can an umpire who is behind the first baseman and off to an angle clearly make that call? What was the home plate umpire looking at? He probably had the best view.

Granted it all happened in a split second and possibly faster than the naked eye could process. The umps did the right thing and had a meeting on the field while the teams changed places. Based on what they saw, they allowed the call to stand.

But this call changed the outcome of the inning. It could have changed the outcome of the game. If it did, it could have changed the outcome of the series.

To prevent this, MLB has to confer with the electronic umpire. This was a key situation to rely on video replay.

A.J Burnett’s bid for his first World Series win could have been squashed by the call in the bottom of the seventh inning.

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