Joe Maddon compares slide rule to soda tax: “All rules aren’t necessarily good ones”

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Joe Maddon wanted to get ejected. At least, that’s what he told reporters following the Cubs’ 5-2 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday, when he was tossed in the seventh inning following an overturned ruling at the plate. “That was a beautifully done major league play that gets interpreted tantamount to the soda tax in Chicago,” the Cubs’ skipper explained, later adding that he got ejected in order to defend “his boys.” “My point is, all rules created, or laws, aren’t necessarily good ones.”

Before we unpack those statements, let’s take a look at how the controversial play unfolded. In the seventh inning of NLCS Game 1, with one out and runners on first and second, Justin Turner lined a base hit into left field. Charlie Culberson raced home from second base and was nailed at the plate by a strong throw from Kyle Schwarber.

Upon review, however, things got a little messy. Cubs’ backstop Willson Contreras set up to receive the throw in front of the plate, where his left leg and foot blocked Culberson’s path to the plate in clear violation of the existing home plate collision rule. Per Rule 7.13, not only is the catcher required to leave a clear path to the plate, but he must have possession of the ball before moving to block the plate — unless, and only unless he is making a legitimate attempt to field the throw. Contreras, on the other hand, already had his leg and foot in Culberson’s path before receiving the ball from Schwarber and had not turned to receive the ball before blocking Culberson’s way.

As expected, the Dodgers challenged the initial ruling and successfully overturned it in their favor, tacking on an extra insurance run to their three-run lead. Equally predictable was Joe Maddon’s response. He argued with home plate umpire Lance Barksdale, then turned on crew chief Mike Winters before getting ejected from the game.

It’s easy to understand Maddon’s frustration. The play didn’t result in a violent collision, nor did Contreras appear to be committing violations with any kind of hidden malice toward Culberson. By the spirit, rather than the letter of the law, Contreras did nothing wrong. Still, tweaking the terms and conditions of a potentially dangerous play is, well, dangerous — no matter how beautifully a play is made or how innocently a catcher’s leg is thrown across a runner’s path to the plate. If Contreras is the collateral damage here, if it means that sometime in the near and inevitable future, a season-ending or career-ending collision will be avoided because of the same flawed rule, then maybe that’s not the worst thing.

Maddon should be available to manage Game 2 on Sunday.

Padres claim 2-time All-Star catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from Mets

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SAN DIEGO — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets.

The two-time All-Star was designated for assignment after playing in three games for the Mets. He went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts and an RBI, looking shaky at times behind the plate.

With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive production at catcher, they hope Sánchez can provide a boost. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 games. His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.

Luis Campusano has been on the injured list since April 17 and is expected to be sidelined until around the All-Star break following left thumb surgery.

San Diego is responsible for just over $1 million in salary for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.

The star-studded Padres have lost seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast trip. They open a three-game series at Miami.

San Diego becomes the third National League team to take a close look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He spent time in the minors with San Francisco before getting released May 2 and signing a minor league contract a week later with the Mets, who were minus a couple of injured catchers at the time.

After hitting well in a short stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the big leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured list last week, Sánchez was cut.

Sánchez’s best seasons came early in his career with the New York Yankees, where he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star team in 2017 and 2019.

He was traded to Minnesota before the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 games last year.

With the Padres, Sánchez could also be a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, where 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with four homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.