Post by NJTank on Apr 6, 2016 0:33:22 GMT -5
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Slippery Sliding Slope
It only took three days for MLB's new slide rule to cause controversy and change the result of a game. As the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 at Tropicana Field after Jose Bautista was called for interference on second baseman Logan Forsythe erasing an error that gave the Jays a 4-3 lead. The controversy came with one out in the ninth inning as the bases were loaded with Edwin Encarnacion at the plate. After nearly getting hit with a pitch, Encarnacion bounced out to Evan Longoria who attempted a double play, but Logan Forsythe threw the ball away. However, the call was overturned after replay challenge, saying that Jose Bautista did not keep contact with the bag when he reached out and touched Forsythe's leg sliding by the second base bag. The rule came about after Chase Utley's controversial slide in Game 2 of the NLDS last season, even though Bautista barely touched Forsythe and was on the bag.