Expanded instant replay in baseball continues to do the only thing it was guaranteed to do upon its introduction this season — create controversy.
With the Mets and Braves tied in the bottom of the ninth inning and no one out on Monday night at Citi Field, Juan Lagares attempted a sacrifice bunt to advance Eric Campbell from first base. Atlanta third baseman Chris Johnson quickly threw to shortstop Andrelton Simmons at second base, with Campbell being called out, as the Braves failed to turn a double play.
Noticing Simmons came off the bag before catching it, Mets manager Terry Collins came running out to the field.
“They said they thought it was a ‘neighborhood’ play, which you can’t challenge [and] I just said I don’t think it was,” Collins said after the Mets’ 4-3 win. “I don’t think you can say it’s a neighborhood play on a bunt attempt where they’re trying to get a force out at second base, knowing they’re not really looking for a double play. [The umpire] just said he’d talk to the rest of the crew and get their opinion.”
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After 1 minute and 57 seconds, the consensus was Simmons left the bag early and the neighborhood play did not apply. Campbell was ruled safe.
“We reviewed the call because, in our judgment, we felt the throw took the fielder off the bag,” umpire Mike Everitt said. “We determined that the throw took him off, and that was going to be reviewable.”
Fellow umpire Tim Timmons added, “He’s trying to complete the double play quicker. He’s trying to gain an advantage.”
Collins, understandably, believed the call was right, but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez argued it shouldn’t have been reviewable, and was soon ejected.
Though Atlanta would escape the inning unscathed, Gonzalez remained baffled by the call after the extra-inning loss.
“I think they got lucky that we didn’t lose the game there,” Gonzalez said. “It’s one of the worst calls I’ve seen in a long time. It’s just a bad call.”
Simmons opted against similar fine-worthy comments:
“I ain’t got nothing good to say about it, so I’d rather not say anything,” Simmons said with a smirk.
MLB issued the following explanation about the play:
“The replay regulations allow umpires to determine if they considered a play to be the neighborhood play or not, based on a variety of factors. Some of the factors they consider are the throw and if the player receiving the ball is making the turn. Umpires might consider whether it was an errant throw or if a player receiving a throw who is not as risk of contact made an effort to touch the bag.”