MLB umpires get defensive about how they interpret controversial home plate collision rule
The referee strikes back.
MLB umps are scrutinized for every pitch, every out, every missed call. At some point they start to fight back. That was the case on Wednesday.
Less than 24 hours after Guardians catcher Austin Hedges speared the umpires for a reversed call on home plate, the MLB Umpires Association released a statement defending the call and berating MLB and its players for the Implementation of the somewhat confusing collision rule for home plates (via ESPN):
This rule change was implemented after Buster Posey was involved in a home plate collision and sustained a serious leg injury. The Players Association and owners decided to protect their most important assets (players) and passed the home plate collision rule that players are now complaining about. …
It’s simple: don’t block home plate without owning the baseball or change the rule.
The statement also answered some of Hedges’ criticisms of an apparent lack of accountability for the men in blue:
It is also inaccurate to say that Major League Baseball umpires are not held accountable. It is often said of our profession that “referees are expected to be perfect from the start and get better and better from there”.
Like players, our mistakes are subject to intense public scrutiny and we are also held accountable by our employer in performance reviews. Although we don’t always know in real time if our bids are correct, we do check them closely after the game and try to learn from any mistakes we make.
MORE: Twins’ Rocco Baldelli rips replay umps for ‘completely unacceptable’ call to Gary Sanchez
The game that prompted MLBUA’s declaration took place in a Tuesday match between Detroit and Cleveland. A retake overturned an out call on the record; Detroit would score three runs in the inning and the Guardians would lose the game 4-3.
After it appeared Javy got Baez out on the plate, the replay canceled the call due to Austin Hedges blocking the plate pic.twitter.com/TUsJj4WJPK
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 16, 2022
Hedges, the game catcher, delivered a takedown on the umpires in a heated diatribe after the game, calling their performance a “debacle.”
Damned…. Austin Hedges just went in with the umpires 😳 pic.twitter.com/CKMySHPBER
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) August 17, 2022
Rule 7.13, colloquially referred to as the “Buster-Posey Rule”, dictates that catchers are no longer allowed to block the plate without possession of the ball. The rule has often been a source of confusion, and the league has attempted to clarify the application of this rule on numerous occasions.
Still, it was done to no avail and it looks like the referees are trying to end the debate, not continue it.