MLB bombarded by furious fans after controversial call negates run
It’s still somewhat early, but one of MLB’s best stories this season has been the ahead-of-schedule ascension of the “Baby Braves.”
The young Atlanta Braves team is only a game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies and a game-and-a-half ahead of the Washington Nationals.
But the point remains that the team is still on top of the NL East despite many prognosticators predicting another rebuilding year.
Atlanta already has a fervent fan base. Now that the team seems poised to end its current streak of four straight losing seasons, Braves fans have kicked things up a notch.
It’s a good thing for MLB that one of its storied franchises is rounding back toward prominence. But it also comes with its drawbacks.
Case in point, Braves fans directed the full force of their ire at MLB after a highly controversial replay ended up playing a significant role in their 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
The play in question came in the fifth inning.
Cubs pitcher Mike Montgomery threw a wild pitch that went to the backstop. That prompted the Braves’ runner on third, Johan Camargo, to make a break for home plate.
When Camargo was called out, Braves manager Brian Snitker challenged the call.
https://twitter.com/MLBReplays/status/996570881521475584
This was the definition of a bang-bang, 50/50 call. Even in slow-motion, it’s not abundantly clear whether the umpire made the right call. From certain angles, it did seem like Camargo got his hand on home plate a fraction of a second before the pitcher grazed his helmet and shoulder with his glove.
Just as in other sports, however, the MLB replay crew needed indisputable evidence to overturn the call on the field, which was an out. The replay crew felt that it didn’t have the evidence and the call stood.
Compounding matters was the fact that in that same inning, the Braves’ Charlie Culberson was incorrectly called out. The Braves could not challenge it, however, because of their previous challenge.
The MLB Replay Twitter account was promptly besieged by angry fans. One Braves fan even apologized to the people who run the account.
ohh no pic.twitter.com/x4VVK4GTtU
— Cody (@CodyRogers10) May 16, 2018
Others offered no sympathy.
You got this wrong … of course, this is understandable, since you continue to employ C.B. Bucknor despite the fact that vision is presumably a prerequisite for umpiring.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) May 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/JackPonthie/status/996571378965995520
https://twitter.com/kmpragel/status/996571181896609792
Even some Cubs fans, who benefited from the brouhaha, wanted more transparency from MLB.
I think your office owes everyone an explanation about how you came to that call. I’m a #Cubs fan, BTW.
— Cal Leferink (@caleferink) May 16, 2018
The Braves, currently sitting on a 25-16 record, were set to host the Cubs for the second game of their series on Wednesday night.
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