Carlos Mendoza was furious at the decision that ended the Mets’ 1-0 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday night at Citi Field.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Pete Alonso was forced out trying to tie the game on a sacrifice fly, but just as Alonso slipped in, the relay throw reached Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya.
It looked as if Alonso could sneak his hand in just by being tagged.
But home plate umpire Charlie Ramos called Alonso out, and after a lengthy hearing the on-field call was confirmed, causing Mendoza to rush out of the Mets’ dugout and argue with crew chief Chad Fairchild.
Mendoza was adamant that Amaya would block Alonso’s path.
“They send out a memo during spring training about what’s legal and what’s illegal, but that email that we got, that memo, says that catchers are not allowed to put their feet in front of the batter’s box. It was obvious that we were playing,” Mendoza said after the game. “On the plate, you can’t step over without a baseball. He was very clear that the guy had his left hand on the plate without a baseball. They I think I got the wrong call.”
The confusion began when Jeff McNeil popped out into the left field seats, where Cubs outfielder Ian Happ made the catch and immediately batted the ball away, allowing cutoff man Nick Madrigal to send the ball to Amaya, who got the tag. did.
That’s when a fight began over whether Amaya blocked the plate and whether Alonso put his hands on the plate before the tag.
After the on-field call was upheld, a hot microphone captured a conversation between Mendoza and Fairchild.
“The rule is you can’t stand at home plate without a baseball in your hand,” Mendoza was heard saying. “That’s a bull, dude. That’s a bull.”
Pete Alonso was either safe or out.he was excluded until the end
game. Corey Shipkin of the New York Post
Mr. Fairchild told Mendoza to discuss his matter with the league office.
“It’s not for me to decide,” Alonso said of the outcome of the play. “I was out. I mean I gave it my all. I made the best slide I could. The umpire said I was out, I was out.”
The league also released a statement regarding this decision and the reasons why such a decision was made.
“After considering all relevant angles, replay officials ultimately determined that no violation of the home plate collision rule occurred,” MLB’s Replay Center said in a statement. “The catcher’s initial setup was legal, moving into the lane in response to the trajectory of the incoming throw. The call will be reviewed because it is not a violation.
“Additionally, the replay official could not definitively determine whether the runner made contact with home plate before the catcher made the tag. The call stands and the runner is out.”
