SF @ ChiCubs

Larry1953 · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 28, 2011, 09:04pm

Replay is called Sandoval's Sacrifice Fly on MLB.tv if you have it. Radio announcers (SF feed) complained about McClelland's (?) positioning which was behind HP about 3 steps back looking down the baseline. He signalled out but changed the call when he saw the ball on the ground (No "show me the ball"). Soto contended he dropped the ball on transfer when he was fiddling around with his facemask. The announcers said you have to take the ball out of the glove in order to be a legal catch. On top of that, the SF runner looked to be safe on the slide anyway. The outcome ended up correct but it looked pretty ragged for MLB play all around, including the announcers. Was PU's positioning correct?

Larry1953 · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 28, 2011, 09:10pm

The replay also showed McClelland calling a conference after the play. His original positioning was about a foot or two on the dirt in front of the grass cutout. You could not see him in the play from the camera angle and focus.

stiffler3492 · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 29, 2011, 12:47am

Basketball guy here...seems as if the home plate umpire wasn't very sure of himself once he decided to change his call. He saw the ball on the ground, but I don't know if he had any idea how Soto dropped it.

It looked to me as if Soto wasn't really trying to "transfer" it, nor was he showing the umpire the ball. He just dropped it, though it was well after he made the tag.

For the record, I thought he was safe anyway.