04/23/24
April 09, 2021
Mets Win With Questionable Walk Off HBP: The New York Mets elbowed the Miami Marlins for a 3-2 victory on a hit by pitch. Michael Conforti extended his elbow and his pad was lightly grazed by a pitch that would have been strike three. Batters are required to get out of the way of a pitch but that wasn't enforced.
I have denied batters who were hit by the pitch the awarded base a few times. In no case was the pitch in the strike zone, rather the batter failed to attempt to avoid the pitch. If the pitch was so far inside that the batter just froze, I would not be a stickler for the rule. Each time I didn't give the batter the award I earned a pretty good argument, but the coaches usually didn't understand the rule. I don't believe that a major league umpire doesn't know the rule, or worse chooses to ignore it for whatever reason.
Role 5.05 lists the ways a batter becomes a runner. Here is Rule 5.05(b)(2)
(2) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempt-
ing to hit unless (A) The ball is in the strike zone when it
touches the batter, or (B) The batter makes no attempt to
avoid being touched by the ball. If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter,
it shall be called a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball. If the ball is outside the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes
no attempt to avoid being touched.
APPROVED RULING: When the batter is touched by a
pitched ball which does not entitle him to first base, the
ball is dead and no runner may advance.
posted by Howard_T at 04:02 PM on April 09, 2021
I don't understand putting weird rules on what can be looked at in replay*. What's the point of replay if when you see something like this, you can't do anything about it? The pitch was clearly a strike and the batter clearly stuck his elbow pad into the path of the pitch. I mean, hell, even the Mets announcers were like "This is wrong. Cool that we won, but it shouldn't have been like this."
*I understand that we cannot turn every single play into a review, but let the teams have one or two reviews per game and they can use it on anything they want. And in cases like this, have the home office call in and tell them to review the play.
Disclaimer: I don't care about either team that played this game.