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“That was probably one of the most chicken-headed things I’ve ever seen on a baseball field,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said
Blue Jays second baseman Whit Merrifield (1) is initially called out by umpire Marty Foster (left) at the plate on a tag by Twins catcher Gary Sanchez during the 10th inning at Target Field in Minneapolis, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. The call was challenged by the Blue Jays and overturned, ruling that Merrifield was safe on the play due to the catcher blocking the plate. Photo by Jeffrey Becker /USA TODAY Sports
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MINNEAPOLIS — It was playoff-style action in August, four back-and-forth games, more than 14 hours of play to get them in and a Finals fiasco to cap it all off.
The Blue Jays escaped Target Field with a 3-2 extra-inning victory Sunday to earn a 2-2 series split with the AL Central-leading Twins.
And what an escape it was.
They did so thanks in part to a controversial — though technically correct — video review of an overturned call to rule Whit Merrifield safe at home after Twins catcher Gary Sanchez was determined to have blocked the plate illegally.
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That New York decision set off one of the truly great managerial meltdowns of the modern era, when the Twins’ Rocco Baldelli nearly lost his mind after that 10th-inning call was overturned by video review.
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Here’s the hot mic from Rocco Baldelli after Merrifield was called safe…
I can’t quite hear but it’s like “they haven’t canceled this in five fucking years” … and then I think “let’s change (?) this fucking (thing) )” pic.twitter.com /p0v08bfkmW
— Kevin Michie (@KevinMichie) August 7, 2022
“That was probably one of the most chicken-headed things I’ve ever seen on a baseball field done to a team,” Baldelli said afterward. “And for someone to step into that situation and end up making a decision that blocks the scoreboard … it’s beyond embarrassing for our game.
“(It’s embarrassing) for the players on both sides of the field who work their asses off the whole game.”
The Jays, as you might expect, were much more of the chicken salad opinion than the chicken poop, an end result that allowed them to overcome a blown 2-1 lead at the hands of closer Jordan Romano in the bottom of the ninth.
By the letter of the rule, the call can certainly be seen as correct, though the interpretation was certainly a huge judgment call for a pair of teams preparing for upcoming playoff contests – and playing like it all weekend.
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It was obviously a sweet ending for the Jays, who are 3-3 in six of a nine-game hitting streak, part of a 19-game stretch against opponents with winning records.
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“Maybe a little bit,” Jays interim manager John Schneider said when asked if he was surprised the call to secure the win was overturned. “But I think it was the right call.”
So did Merrifield, a smart, quick runner who already had a huge impact in his first weekend with the Jays. His instincts were there as he advanced from second to third on a sacrifice bunt in the 10th and again on the crazy home run on another fly ball to the outfield.
“I had a feeling there was going to be a play at the plate,” Merrifield began his description of what unfolded. “I put my head down, the first few steps, I looked up and saw Gary sprawled on the plate – I just tried to slide right into him as much as I could.
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“I know what the rule is. I think they called it right. I thought it should be cancelled. Obviously this is an important point in the game and you don’t want it to come down to a rules decision, but the rules are there for a reason.
“He’s got to give me a lane to slide into, and I didn’t think I had one. I’m glad they made the right decision.”
Baldelli, of course, disagreed. Heartfelt (and dirty), you might say.
“They made a play on the field, which is the right decision, which every person in all of baseball — including the players — knows is the right decision,” Baldelli said. “And someone in New York decided that this was worth rolling over on the field. Its terrible.”
Schneider, however, had no doubt what it was causing, seeing the same thing as Merrifield – a blocked lane in the plate.
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In the end, it was a call that could have gone either way, ending a series that was highly exciting between two teams hoping for much more of the same in the coming weeks. The Jays recorded their 60th win and improved to 4-6 in extra-inning games.
But beyond the numbers and controversy, they felt the intensity of facing a quality opponent at a time of year when the intensity begins to increase.
“I’m so excited to play in a playoff race and do things that I know help my team win games,” said Merrifield, who had hits in each of his three games as a Jay and added the baserunning prowess to his fourth. “When the opportunity comes and I’m on base, I know I can cause some havoc with my legs. I feel like things like that are valuable for a team with that much talent, especially this time of year.
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“It felt like one of the bigger series I’ve played in a while, so it was pretty fun.”
In what seemed like hours before the chaos began, Jays starter Kevin Gausman pitched six scoreless innings, allowing six hits while striking out five. In the 14 innings he’s pitched over his last two starts, the talented right-hander has yet to allow a run.
They will need more stellar efforts like these, especially with a bull that is in full grind mode. But character victories — even those tinged with controversy — add value the deeper the season moves.
“To get out of here with a split in a game like that — that’s a good team — I hope it carries over a little bit more,” Schneider said. “Being in those places is really good for a team. If we want to get where we want to go, we’re going to need a lot more than that.”
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