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Pine tar rears its ugly head, and catches a few umps unaware


TheRockawayKid
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Well, some umps with knowledge of only the George Brett Pine Tar incident ruled in an American Legion playoff game in Connecticut, and it may have decided the game. Here's what happened, as per Gameday CT

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When East Haddam’s Kyle Cutler tied the game at 4 in the top of the sixth with a clutch two-out single, Wallingford coach Mike Thomann asked the home plate umpire to check Cutler’s bat.

“It (pine tar) was well up the handle,” Thomann said. “The bat is illegal if it has an illegal substance too far up the bat…18 inches.”

Both umpires inspected the bat and agreed with Thomann. Cutler was called out, the tying run was disallowed and Wallingford held on for a controversial 4-3 victory at Sheehan High School.


 

 

 

I'm surprised (though I shouldn't be) that the head coach didn't protest the ruling, as he would have been in the right. 

Here's the MLB rule book about pine tar: 

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Rule 3.02(c) Comment (Rule 1.10(c) Comment): If pine tar extends past the 18-inch limitation, then the umpire, on his own initiative or if alerted by the opposing team, shall order the batter to use a different bat. The batter may use the bat later in the game only if the excess substance is removed. If no objections are raised prior to a bat’s use, then a violation of Rule 3.02(c) (Rule 1.10(c)) on that play does not nullify any action or play on the field and no protests of such play shall be allowed.


 

 

In other words, the play should have stood because an objection was not raised prior to the bat's use. The bat with pine tar on it is not considered an "illegal bat" for the purposes of declaring a batter out. 

Also, FYI, the George Brett game was protested. The Royals actually won the protest, as the league commissioner declared that pine tar above the 18-inch mark does not help the batter.

Let's finish off this story with a nice quote that makes you want to bang your head against a wall, shall we? 

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“I understand their frustration but we’re not going to apologize for knowing the rule,” [the defensive coach] added.

 

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Have had this happen once in recent history. Gave the bat to the offense and told them to clean it up after verifying too much pine tar. DHC asks what about the out? "not an out since George Brett won his appeal". Poor coach looked like it kicked his dog

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