Zack Greinke went head-to-head with Martín Maldonado in a long, tense at-bat that turned into a test of patience and timing. With two outs and runners on, Greinke and Maldonado kept resetting and prolonging the moment. Both took their time between pitches, stretching out the 3-2 count. Greinke tried a sneaky pick-off move—more for fun than effect—and shared a laugh with Michael Brantley. The umpire had to remind both pitcher and hitter about the pitch clock rules when neither was quite ready, and the entire sequence dragged into several minutes of strategy and stalling.
When the 3-2 pitch finally came and was called a ball, Greinke didn’t argue. He just walked toward the mound, told the umpire he was pitching from the windup, and kept it moving. That wasn’t a new routine either. Greinke’s been quietly informing umps when he goes to the windup with runners on third for years. No drama, just process.
The video also broke down catcher framing, comparing smooth, modern techniques to old-school habits. Salvador Perez didn’t exactly shine in this category. His glove movements were jerky, a mix of up-down-up that gave umpires a clear read on where the pitch missed. In contrast, examples of elite framing showed catchers giving no target, then moving fluidly in one motion to catch and present the pitch. These subtle mechanics matter. They can turn borderline calls into strikes.
Despite the walk, Greinke worked out of the jam. José Altuve came up with the bases loaded and grounded out. Greinke’s outing ended on a calm note, without any fight over that borderline call. He stuck to his routine, let the ump know his intent, and walked off without a scene.