Strange(False)Ending in MInnesota 3A semi-final

[mbyron]

My thoughts:

1. The PU's mechanics, as far as we can see them, are textbook. Points with the slot hand to indicate the swing and signals no catch. The only thing we can't see in the video is the out call.

2. Given the PU's mechanics to that point, I would be surprised if he neglected to signal the out, but it's possible. But the tag was so obvious, perhaps he simply thought it was an obvious out.

3. The conference was completely unnecessary: there was nothing to discuss. No call to reverse, nothing controversial in what actually happened at the plate, and nothing confusing from the PU. Somebody on that crew stuck his nose where it didn't belong.

4. You can't reverse a call of a swinging strike. There's probably an exception that proves the rule, but even Doug Eddings says he didn't rule a swing.

5. As soon as somebody in that conference said something like "Well Joe, you signaled safe, so they must have thought you said it was a base on balls," I'm replying that it was a strike, the game is over, and that's the end of it. During the game, I don't care if (shocker!) a coach fails to understand my mechanics (mechanics are supposed to communicate, so I do care overall whether there's a systematic issue).

Very puzzling. We have some MN guys on here, maybe they'll have some inside poop.