It is probably time to bring in the robots to police MLB umpires missing foul tips.
Late in Thursday night’s Cubs-Pirates game with home plate umpire Dan Bellino, who has 15 years of MLB service, made one of the most baffling foul tip calls you’re ever going to see.
With the count 2-1 on Seiya Suzuki, Pirates pitcher Yohan Ramirez delivered an off-speed pitch off the inside of the plate that had Suzuki nearly offering at it before pulling the bat back.
“Strike!” Bellino says, to which Suzuki instantly pleads that he didn’t tip the ball. Bellino will hear nothing of the sort. Strike it is.
Replay shows that Suzuki’s bat was easily a foot above the ball when it crossed the plate. But, because foul tips aren’t reviewable, the count stood at 2-2. “Oh god, not even close,” a Cubs announcer could be heard saying on the team’s broadcast. “Foul tip, Craig,” Bellino could be heard over a field mic as the Cubs skipper, Craig Counsell, voiced his displeasure from the dugout.
On the next pitch, Suzuki struck out. Inning over.
Why aren’t foul tips reviewable? That’s a great question that MLB might have to answer for down the road. If calls at bases can be reviewed, balls and strikes can be reviewed and fan interference on home runs can go to the video team, what makes the difference in this case?
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