NEWSLETTER
The Dodgers and Red Sox are now each a win away from the World Series – I imagine MLB is salivating about that possible match-up – having won their LCS games last night.
The Dodgers’ win over the Brewers was relatively mundane outside of “starter” Wade Miley facing one batter and then being pulled as part of a designed scheme (he was always going to be starting Game 6, it turns out, so manager Craig Counsell was more or less using Miley’s bullpen day as a way to try to throw off the Dodgers lineup). Clayton Kershaw was dominant for seven innings, the Dodgers put up a five spot, and that was that. Game Six is this Friday.
The Red Sox’s win over the Astros was far more dramatic, as the game bounced back and forth throughout before the Red Sox won 8-6, and featured one of those classic, people-will-be-talking-for-a-long-time calls:
Crew Chief reviews call of spectator interference in the 1st; call stands, spectator interference.
Powered by @Mitel. pic.twitter.com/gxIEvewtLY
— MLB Replay (@MLBReplays) October 18, 2018
That would-be two-run Jose Altuve homer became an out, costing the Astros *at least* two runs in a game that was decided by two runs. Ouch.
So, was it really an out? Well, your sense of the rule in these situations is correct: if a defender reaches into the stands to make a play, there cannot be fan interference. We know this all too well.
From MLB Rulebook …
Joe West 3.16 says you're out. pic.twitter.com/LGK1BjKfPY
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 18, 2018
So how was Jose Altuve called out on this play, when the ball was clearly going to leave the park if Mookie Betts didn’t catch it? Well, here’s Joe West’s explanation:
Joe West explaining the Jose Altuve non-homer is everything you hoped for. pic.twitter.com/g3Oguqvkpx
— Yahoo Sports MLB (@MLByahoosports) October 18, 2018
In West’s estimation, the fan(s) reached out over the wall and into the playing field, making contact with Betts’ glove at that time, and that’s what prevented the catch. If West is correct, then fan interference is indeed the correct call. It’s very hard to tell that’s the case from the video, though, which is presumably why the call on the field stood.
Here in the still, though, I think you can see a good bit of support for West’s perspective:
We have to do a little CSI’ing here, but you can tell that the guy in the white dress shirt – who was *not* the fan who interfered, mind you – is very likely leaning a little bit over the wall. Not much, but a little. From there, it looks like the fans in gray and orange have hands that are just a little bit further out than the hand of the fan in white (the video looks this way, too). If so, and if the fan in white was slightly over the wall at that moment, then the fan(s) who interfered also would have been slightly into the playing field at the moment of impact with Betts’ glove.
I hate to say it, but I think Joe West may have gotten this one right.
For a sense of how dramatic the game was overall, just watch the highlights from the 9th inning, in which the Astros loaded the bases, and then the final out comes in a diving catch in left field:
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That’s not only an incredibly solid catch by Andrew Benintendi, it also was a ballsy play to even make a diving attempt. If he pulls up, maybe he holds the tying run at third, and they live to fight another batter. Or maybe that runner scores, but still, the game goes on. If the ball gets past him on a dive, however, that game is over and his team loses. Dude was just reacting, though, believing he could make the catch. I love it.
The teams get back to it tonight for Game 5, as the Astros try to extend their season. Gonna need a whole lot of cameras.
