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What Happened
George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays steps to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. Toronto trails by one run, but this at-bat presents an opportunity to take the lead and secure the division title. The first pitch is a ball. Springer then fouls one off his foot, stumbling a bit. The count is now 2-1. Springer finds a pitch he likes and rips it down the left field line. The umpire immediately rules it a foul ball, much to the dismay of Springer and the entire Blue Jays dugout. Manager John Schneider comes out to argue the call, knowing it cannot be reviewed, but hoping the umpires will take another look. Springer is in disbelief, his hands on his head as the crowd erupts in anger over the controversial call. The camera angles show the ball bouncing beyond the first base bag, leading many to believe it was a fair ball that should have given the Blue Jays the lead. Springer adamantly argues his case, saying "if they want New York to win, just tell me and give it to them already," suggesting the umpires are biased towards the rival Yankees. The replay tracking data, while not entirely reliable, also indicates the ball was fair and should have been ruled a hit. However, the umpire stands by his foul ball call, and the inning continues with Springer still at the plate in a 2-2 count. He proceeds to foul another pitch off his foot before being called out on a borderline strike three pitch, ending the threat. The New York Yankees went on to win their game, cutting into Toronto's division lead. Springer and the Blue Jays are left frustrated by the missed call, which could have swung the outcome of the crucial divisional matchup. As the baseball season heads into the final stretch, the drama and high stakes have Blue Jays fans and neutral observers alike captivated by the heated rivalry between these two American League powerhouses.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentGeorge Springer is up with the bases loaded.
Toronto is down one, but they've got three on.
He can give them the lead, secure the division, go on their way.
This breakdown is brought to you by Corona.
The first pitch is a ball.
The second pitch, he fouls back off his foot, kind of falls over.
The 1-1 is a ball.
Catcher flashed high, missed low and away.
Now Springer's in a 2-1 count, finds a pitch he likes,
hits it down the line.
The umpire says, foul, Paul.
Oh, my God.
What?
No, no.
What?
Oh, my God.
No way.
No way.
What?
Umpire, okay.
A lot of attention on me.
Entire stadium mad at me.
Oh, my God.
What are you doing?
Schneider's going to come out.
Now he knows he can't review it, but he still wants to chat.
Springer can't believe it.
The hands are still on the head.
And Schneider's going to say, I know we can't challenge it,
but can you look at it?
Because I'd really like you to look at it.
He's like, look at what?
He's like, well, okay.
Are you guys talking about my call?
Are you discussing my call?
He says, yeah, no, we can't look at it.
It's not a reviewable play.
He's like, oh, my goodness.
Now this camera angle, it's left of the line,
but it's pretty down the line.
And it shows the ball bounce.
It's got to go over the bag.
Over the bag.
The only way to really know what this call is,
if you had a bird's eye view.
Over the bag.
It looks like it went over the bag to me,
but not to the ump.
He says foul ball.
So again, this angle is not dead on.
It's a little to the left of the line.
So there's going to be funky angles.
And when is it even over?
I don't know.
The whole stadium reacted.
The entire Blue Jays dugout reacted.
The Red Sox dugout had a better view.
They didn't really react.
Uh,
the catcher said foul Springer at a good view.
He said fair.
Here's the high home.
This isn't going to tell you much.
It's not going to tell you much at all,
but it is very close and it's hit fast and it would have scored two runs.
Would have given the lead or have extended the inning.
Would have put the next run on third.
Now MLB has player and ball tracking data.
Now I have no idea how accurate this is,
but look,
this has it over the bag.
This can't be this.
I don't think this,
this can be relied upon,
but I thought it was interesting to go look at it and that's over the bag.
So that would be a fair ball.
Uh,
when you compare this little tracking with the actual footage,
it is at least in timing,
pretty spot on.
Like the pitch is on its way.
Look out,
look at that up top pitches hit and the pitch is over the bag right there.
That's what they're saying.
It's over the bag and you can see the runners.
The dots are all the same.
And even when the home plate umpire throws the ball back to the pitcher,
boom,
it's out of his hand there.
It's out of his hand on the tracking.
It's going,
it's in the glove.
Look at that.
It's in the glove of the pitcher.
It disappears on the tracking.
Pretty wild.
All the runners are there.
Runner gets to third base and the blue dot gets a third base.
So at least we know the timing of this is accurate.
Is it pinpoint location?
No.
Should we,
should we take it like it is?
No,
but it looks like it's over the bag.
So if you want the confirmation bias on your side,
that it was a fair ball,
you can use it.
And if you don't,
you can say no way umpire looks at the dugout.
He's like,
it was definitely foul.
That tracking is bullshit.
Yeah,
definitely foul.
I don't know if he can say that.
I don't know if anyone can say that.
Okay,
dude,
whatever you say is definitely foul.
Yeah.
Okay,
great,
great,
great.
I spit at you.
Springer's still up.
It's a two,
two,
two count.
He's in it.
He can still drive in more runs.
He's pissed now.
He's angry.
Don't do him wrong again.
Oh my goodness.
They did him wrong again.
Fuck,
fuck.
Oh,
fuck.
Come on.
Fuck.
What an at bat.
Fouled one off his foot.
That probably hurt a little bit.
Hit a double down the line to give him the lead.
They called it foul ball.
Then gets rung up on a pitch out of the zone.
Crazy at bat.
Now he's just got to sit there in the dugout and stew about it and think about it.
And the umpire is going to look at it.
And the umpire is going to look at it.
And I'm like,
you mad at me?
You still mad at me?
You still thinking about it?
And they're talking about the replay and how you can't review it.
I'm guessing.
Schneider says,
I think that'll change.
And then Springer says what all Blue Jays fans were thinking.
And I'm sure they're going to be happy to know that their players are thinking it as
well.
Cause Springer is going to say,
if they want New York to win,
just tell me and give it to them already.
Whoa.
Obviously Blue Jays fans are feeling that like,
Oh,
they're,
they're rigging it for New York.
They're rigging it for the Yankees to win the division.
Kind of wild to hear a player or see a player say that.
Yeah.
I just didn't expect that to be what he said,
but then I expected this.
How do you miss that?
It's right in front of them.
And I agree with them.
They're coughs it out,
feeling uncomfortable at third base.
A lot of eyes on him.
Springer mad.
The Yankees did win their game.
They did take a game back in the division.
It's been a lot of drama in September.
It's been great.
I love it.
I wonder what I love most,
most about baseball kicking back,
ordering some Coronas and enjoying the ride together with all of you.
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