CLEVELAND, Ohio - Major League Baseball’s new ball-strike challenge system is supposed to improve accuracy, but it might also change the way teams coach their catchers to defend against stolen bases.
On the latest “Terry’s Talkin’” podcast, cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto and host David Campbell explored an interesting scenario submitted by listener Rob Wright about a potential loophole that could create confusion on the field.
The scenario:
There are two outs; the batter has two strikes and less than three balls.
There’s a runner on first, and he steals second, but the ump calls strike three.
The catcher doesn’t throw to second because of strike three.
The batter challenges the called strike three, and it goes to the ball-strike challenge system.
And the ball strike challenge computer says it was a ball.
This creates a fascinating dilemma. The runner successfully steals second base, but the catcher doesn’t attempt a throw because he believes the inning is over with the called third strike.
If the challenge reveals it should have been a ball, what happens to the runner? Is he awarded second base automatically because the catcher didn’t attempt a throw? Or does the entire play reset?
“The managers and the coaches are going to have to coach guys on this,” Campbell said. “Like, play it out like in the NFL, when whether you think there’s a fumble or a pass, whether it’s incomplete, pass or fumble, pick it up anyway, right? Is that what’s going to have to happen?”
Pluto agreed.
“That’s probably what the league would have to tell everybody: ‘Look, you just play this thing as it is, and we’ll straighten it out afterward.’ ”
This creates a new dimension to baseball that has never existed before.
Currently, when an umpire calls the third strike, players immediately abandon the play – catchers don’t throw to bases, fielders relax their positioning, and runners often stop running. With the challenge system, players may need to adopt the NFL’s “play to the whistle” mentality, completing plays even after apparent inning-ending calls.
Pluto noted that this type of complex rules question would have been perfect for legendary columnist Hal Lebovitz’s “Ask Hal” column.
“Too bad he’s no longer with us, Hal Lebowitz was made for this time to answer all these questions,” Pluto said. “Remember, his ‘Ask the Referee’ column with all those different things, you know, the guy throws the ball from the left field corner, it hits a bird, you know...”
For players, the adjustment could be significant. Catchers may need to throw to bases even after strike three is called. Runners might need to continue running even after they believe the inning is over. Fielders may need to stay alert for throws despite believing the batter is out.
As Pluto and Campbell concluded, the most likely solution could be a variation of “play it out” – treating baseball more like football where players are taught to continue the play until they’re absolutely certain it’s dead.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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