Umpires uphold call at home plate in Yankees/Blue Jays game

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Take a look at this play at home plate in the top of the third inning of this afternoon’s game between the Yankees and Blue Jays. R.A. Dickey gave up a single to Jacoby Ellsbury to center field, but Colby Rasmus was able to cut down Francisco Cervelli at the plate. However, did Josh Thole block Cervelli’s path to the plate? You be the judge:

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Yankees manager Joe Girardi came out to argue and the umpires reviewed it, but the call on the original field was confirmed.

For a refresher, here’s part of the new rule on home plate collisions:

Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the Umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the Umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the Umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.

While there is some grey area here, it looks like Thole didn’t do anything to violate the new rule in this instance. This particular review, which was initiated by the umpires, was to determine whether Thole blocked the plate, but the Yankees might have gotten a run if Girardi used to a challenge to argue that Cervelli was safe. It looks like he got his foot in before the tag from Thole.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.