Talking about replay, Matt Alber, and Eduardo Perez.....
I have been called in from the pen while Mr. Coleman is off prancing around Augusta, Georgia taking in The Masters.
1. Replay unfinished
Last night LJ Hoes attempted to score on a ball fielded by the pitcher Brett Cecil. Cecil flipped the ball to catcher Dioner Navarro, who was positioned directly on the base path in front of the plate before the ball arrived. I happened to be listening to the radio, Robert Ford and Steve Sparks both immediately felt Navarro had failed to give Hoes a path to the plate before he had the ball. After the tag and subsequent call of out, Bo Porter challenged the play.
The thing is Porter can't challenge if the catcher was improperly blocking the plate. Evan Drellich talked more about the the review -
The umpires reviewed only the safe/out call, an official familiar with the ruling told the Chronicle.
[...]
But in this instance, the block of the plate was not looked at. And had it been, no violation would have been observed anyway, the official familiar with the ruling said.
He also talked with Hoes about the plate at the plate -
"It's just different," Hoes said of the collision rules. "It's different. You have to get used to the rules and play the game differently.
"From my point of view, he was blocking the plate," Hoes continued. "Umpires' judgment, umpires' rules, and he ruled I was out."
There are many factors playing into the confusion last night, a new rule on top of a new process needing to be applied in an instant. Both the radio and television teams felt that the blocking of the plate was being review when the crew chief left the field. One of the many kinks that still needs to worked out is the communication between the umpires and the audience. Does that mean we will hear the umpires voice like in football? Or can they send a note up to the media and the jumbotron?
2. Matt Albers' child is born
Matt Albers left the team before they headed to Toronto on paternity leave, Josh Zeid joined the team in his stead. Albers son was born yesterday.
Matt Albers' son Mason James was born yesterday
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) April 9, 2014
3. Eduardo Perez to call Astros game
Former Astros bench coach has an interesting assignment in his new job with ESPN. He will be calling the Astros and Blue Jays game tonight on ESPN2. What insight will Perez bring to the game? What will he hold back? Either way I'll be watching.
Former Astros bench coach from last season Eduardo Perez will call Astros game along with Adnan Virk tonight on ESPN2.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 9, 2014