MLB Ejection 169 - Bruce Dreckman (1; Terry Francona)

[Lindsay]

HP Umpire Bruce Dreckman ejected Guardians manager Terry Fracona (Replay Review decision that overturned 3B Umpire Malachi Moore's safe call to out; QOCN) in the bottom of the 4th inning of the #WhiteSox-#Guardians game. With none out and none on, Guardians batter Brayan Rocchio hit a 1-1 slider from Guardians pitcher Mike Clevinger on a line drive to right field, fielded by Trayce Thompson who threw to shortstop Tim Anderson as Rocchio slid into second base, ruled safe by 3B Umpire Moore (rotation). Upon Replays Review as the result of a challenge by White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, Moore's call was overturned to out. Replays indicate that batter-runner Rocchio's hand appeared to be forced off the base by fielder Anderson, Moore's safe call was correct (albeit for a different reason) and the decision to overturn to out was technically correct pursuant to current replay regulations, but the outcome of an out call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the game was tied, 2-2. The Guardians ultimately won the contest, 4-2.

This is Bruce Dreckman (1)'s 1st ejection of 2023.

This is the 169th ejection report of the 2023 MLB regular season.

This is the 78th manager ejection of 2023. Ejection Tally: 78 Managers, 70 Players, 21 Coaches.

This is Cleveland's 2nd ejection of 2023, 5th in the AL Central (CWS, MIN 9; DET, KC 3; CLE 2).

This is Terry Francona's 2nd ejection of 2023, 1st since July 29 (Todd Tichenor; QOC = Y [Replay Review]).

This is Bruce Dreckman's 1st ejection since June 4, 2022 (Oliver Marmol; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Chicago White Sox vs Cleveland Guardians, 8/4/23 | Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Francona tossed after Replay overturns Moore's proper safe call on technical grounds

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[Velho]

What a cluster...

So many questions:

- Aren't the New York replay officials a normal crew, i.e. not solely replay officials? So is there something in the rules that doesn't allow them to use the rulebook and judge the push off? Because Malachi didn't signal it they can't assume the obvious - that he saw it and ruled it illegal? Or are they declaring him blind?

- How does Tito sound so clueless in his postgame new conference? (link below)

- Did Dirkman (HPU) through Malachi under the bus (likely unintentionally) in some way?

- Why was 2PU racing to third after going out on the trouble ball? Did HPU not rotate up (even half way since BR never committed to 3rd)?

- Based on TV (which was in replays so easy it's not a whole story) there was 35 seconds from the play to Grifol signaling for a challenge. Tito is sensitive since he just got dinged on this recently. How is that managed? Do they used the in stadium clock or the crew tracks it in some fashion?

- Maybe (optimism springs eternal) this can add to the momentum to get officials communicating like NFL, NBA and NHL

- Is this one more to add to the pile of issues people have with Manfred?

 

[The Man in Blue]

I can't say I disagree with Francona ... but his anger at Moore is severely misplaced.  Moore had the call right and in Francona's favor ... how the heck do you say to him that he needs to get the call right and then go into your presser saying how horrible his call was?  That makes as much sense as the situation that landed us here.

@Velho ...

 

[Richvee]

That presser is just straight out of bizzarro world.  

[JonnyCat]

On 8/5/2023 at 8:19 PM, The Man in Blue said:

I can't say I disagree with Francona ... but his anger at Moore is severely misplaced.  Moore had the call right and in Francona's favor ... how the heck do you say to him that he needs to get the call right and then go into your presser saying how horrible his call was?  That makes as much sense as the situation that landed us here.

I'm guessing Francona was mad at Moore for not signaling that the hand was pushed off. It sounds like Moore never even saw the push off. Apparently, that's why the White Sox could challenge the call. From what I understand, if Moore had signaled the push off, then the play could not have been reviewed.

If that's what Francona was alluding to, then I can't disagree with Francona. (And I'm no Francona fan). It sounds like Moore just thought he was safe and missed the push. Because it was reviewed, without any indication of a push off, replay review had to call Rocchio out. Reply review couldn't rule on the push off, so it was just treated as a missed call. At least that is what I understand.

[The Man in Blue]

So … the point of instant replay is NOT to get the call right.

@JonnyCat, I “know” that’s what happened, but to — even for a second — think Moore did not see that is ludicrous.

[Velho]

I was told a similar happened in CWS but don't know what game.

This did happen last year (but Guccione gave the sign) so Anderson knows exactly how this is supposed to work.

 

[The Man in Blue]

I will split some hairs and disagree with the notion that “a sign” or “the signal” must be given.  Which page in the mechanics manuals is the “pushed off the base” signal?

Guccione did a good job communicating an unusual situation … not giving a proper signal required for a call.

[SeeingEyeDog]

This is not a criticism of Moore. I would just like to make the observation that absent a statement from Moore directly (and we won't get that and we don't need to have umpires up there discussing calls post-game ever...) I have to presume (not assume) that Moore did not see this? Why do I say this, you might ask? Because these guys KNOW how replay works. They know what can and cannot be reviewed. He knows if he gives the safe sign as Gooch did on the previous call cited in the video, it changes the replay situation. So, the fact that he did not give the additional mechanic of the runner being pushed off the base in my opinion means he simply did not see that. Again, not a criticism...I will miss 20 calls to his 1.

~Dawg 

[Jimurray]

1 minute ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

This is not a criticism of Moore. I would just like to make the observation that absent a statement from Moore directly (and we won't get that and we don't need to have umpires up there discussing calls post-game ever...) I have to presume (not assume) that Moore did not see this? Why do I say this, you might ask? Because these guys KNOW how replay works. They know what can and cannot be reviewed. He knows if he gives the safe sign as Gooch did on the previous call cited in the video, it changes the replay situation. So, the fact that he did not give the additional mechanic of the runner being pushed off the base in my opinion means he simply did not see that. Again, not a criticism...I will miss 20 calls to his 1.

~Dawg 

I see him looking right at the hand being pushed off and then signaling safe. I assumed that he called safe because of the push and I didn’t need him to give the signal, the one that’s in the manual. Which manual and what signal I don’t know. 

[Velho]

I wouldn't be surprised if there are "real rules" hidden from view somewhere but nothing in what MLB shares precludes them from judging the push off as it is in the rulebook.

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules/replay-review

If they've taught that "pushed off" mechanic and Replay rules are they can't assess that in the replay review then that is on Moore (which I tend to think is what home plate told Tito).

If that is the case, it certainly is not in the spirt of getting the call right.

[SeeingEyeDog]

1 hour ago, Jimurray said:

I see him looking right at the hand being pushed off and then signaling safe. I assumed that he called safe because of the push and I didn’t need him to give the signal, the one that’s in the manual. Which manual and what signal I don’t know. 

Yeah, I watched it all again and you can tell by his reaction to Tito..."Hey! Don't come at me! I called him safe! I got it right!"

Regardless of what did or did not happen, I think we can all agree that this needs to be reviewable whether they signal off the bag or not. As said above, if they are truly wanting to get the calls correct (...and I think they are) then they need to include this as reviewable.

~Dawg

[The Man in Blue]

If the point of replay is “to get it right” then there should not be any rules on what can or cannot be reviewed.  I can understand rules on the process (i.e., time limit), but not on what can or cannot be reviewed.

I find the explanation of the booth saying, “Well, he didn’t give us a ‘push off’ so we have to assume he didn’t see it and we are going to chicken-f#^! this thing.” to be just as ludicrous as the whole situation.