Dusty Baker and Kirk Gibson aren’t happy with each other

By Aaron GleemanMar 4, 2013, 3:44 PM EST
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This is a fun one.

In spring training games between NL teams the home team gets to decide if they use the designated hitter or let the pitchers hit. Usually it’s not a big deal, but apparently today’s Reds-Diamondbacks game was different.

Reds manager Dusty Baker wanted to use the DH because Shin-Soo Choo has a sore quadriceps and they still wanted to get him some at-bats. Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson didn’t want to use the DH because starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy has spent his whole career in the AL and they want him to hit a little.

Gibson put his foot down, which led to the Reds keeping Choo out of the lineup and, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, the two managers had a “testy exchange at home plate” in which Gibson offered his hand and “Baker refused to shake it.”

Who says spring training action isn’t exciting?

Video reviews overturn 42% rate; Boston most successful

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Associated PressSep 29, 2020, 8:02 PM EDT
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NEW YORK (AP) Video reviews overturned 42.4% of calls checked during Major League Baseball’s shortened regular season, down slightly from 44% in 2019.

Boston was the most successful team, gaining overturned calls on 10 of 13 challenges for 76.9%. The Chicago White Sox were second, successful on eight of 11 challenges for 72.7%, followed by Kansas City at seven of 10 (70%).

Pittsburgh was the least successful at 2 of 11 (18.2%), and Toronto was 7 of 25 (28%).

Minnesota had the most challenges with 28 and was successful on nine (32.1%). The New York Yankees and Milwaukee tied for the fewest with nine each; the Yankees were successful on five (55.6%) and the Brewers three (33.3%).

MLB said Tuesday there were 468 manager challenges and 58 crew chief reviews among 526 total reviews during 898 games. The average time of a review was 1 minute, 25 seconds, up from 1:16 the previous season, when there 1,186 manager challenges and 170 crew chief reviews among 1,356 reviews during 2,429 games.

This year’s replays had 104 calls confirmed (19.8%), 181 that stood (34.4%) and 223 overturned. An additional 12 calls (2.3%) were for rules checks and six (1.1%) for recording keeping.

In 2019 there were 277 calls confirmed (12.5%), 463 that stood (34.1%) and 597 overturned. An additional nine calls (0.7%) were for rules checks and 10 (0.7%) for record keeping.

Expanded video review started in 2014.