Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Unheard-of Call in Cuban Baseball Game Raises Controversy

For such a poor country…Cuba certainly has a lot of Meals.

Sancti Spiritus Roosters defeated national Cuban champions Habana Cowboys 4-2 in a marathon game that lasted 16 innings, signed by an unheard-of call that could change the basis of umpires work in Cuban baseball.

On the 16th inning, Roosters third baseman Yulieski Gourriel hit a hard drive line over the pitcher’s mound that none of the umpires could quite see.

The ball hit the mound and altered its course towards the Cowboys second baseman, Dayan Garcia who caught it without letting touch the ground, and threw it to first, making an error. Gourriel continued to second base, and then catcher Guerrero made just another throwing error and the runner reached the third base.

After the play was over, Cowboys and national team manager Esteban Lombillo complained the ball had gone straight to hit the hurler’s foot to later fly to the second baseman glove, therefore the runner was out.

The umpires met to discuss the play and realized they didn’t know exactly what had happened, and when the argument arose, they decided to watch the recording of the play, which allegedly proved Lombillo’s complain.

Honestly, the TV images, taken from faraway, left room to doubts since the pitcher did not make any gesture indicating he had suffered the strong impact, and even it could be seen the cloud of dust raised by the ball on the mound.

Repoz Posted: November 07, 2009 at 05:08 AM | 14 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: international, special topics

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

   1. jwb Posted: November 07, 2009 at 06:40 AM (#3381747)
But did the ball have shoe polish on it?
   2. PreservedFish Posted: November 07, 2009 at 07:12 AM (#3381753)
Should've called a do-over
   3. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: November 07, 2009 at 07:36 AM (#3381758)
This seems like something that should have happened at least once in the 135-year history of the major leagues. (did the ball hit someone's foot or the ground?)
   4. Darnell McDonald had a farm Posted: November 07, 2009 at 09:00 AM (#3381775)
If a ball hits a shoe in the tropics and there are no scouts to see it ...
   5. Halofan Posted: November 07, 2009 at 09:10 AM (#3381776)
How long did it take to develop the 8 MM film from the game camera?
   6. Davo Posted: November 07, 2009 at 09:53 AM (#3381784)
I had such high hopes for this headline...
   7. ERROR---Jolly Old St. Nick Posted: November 07, 2009 at 11:52 AM (#3381795)
I always thought that Castro got to make the final ruling on calls like this.
   8. sunnyday2 Posted: November 07, 2009 at 11:57 AM (#3381796)
The article doesn't say that they overturned the original call though it implies that they did. It was the batting team that filed a protest. And it sounds a lot like a Tim McClellan call. A cloud of dust was seen to arise from the mound as the ball struck and the pitcher did not recoil from what would have been a pretty significant impact, and yet the call on the field was overturned. One could only wish that this had happened in the MLB playoffs, just for fun.
   9. Slapinions Posted: November 07, 2009 at 05:47 PM (#3381908)
How long did it take to develop the 8 MM film from the game camera?


Well done.
   10. SteveM. Posted: November 07, 2009 at 05:54 PM (#3381914)
But they have socialized medicine!
   11. jwb Posted: November 08, 2009 at 10:06 AM (#3382213)
We in the U.S. live a few months longer, on average, but our infant mortality rate is slightly higher. My health insurance only costs me 40% more than their GDP per capita. Such a deal!

(source: CIA World Factbook)
   12. Swedish Chef Posted: November 08, 2009 at 10:10 AM (#3382214)
We in the U.S. live a few months longer, on average, and our infant mortality rate is slightly higher. My health insurance only costs me 40% more than their GDP per capita. Such a deal!


Be smarter than the CIA and never believe a single statistic from a totalitarian country.
   13. Der-K's no Kliph Nesteroff. Posted: November 08, 2009 at 11:27 AM (#3382219)
How much of a role did the complainer being Lombillo play?
   14. Jeff K. Posted: November 08, 2009 at 01:47 PM (#3382234)
This seems like something that should have happened at least once in the 135-year history of the major leagues. (did the ball hit someone's foot or the ground?)

Meh. I think the supposition posed in the blurb here is perfectly legitimate. If a ball is hit so hard that none of the people trained for this sort of thing see it, and it hits someone on the foot hard enough that it still has momentum enough to carom up into the air and travel at least another 35 feet for someone else to catch it, the dude attached to the foot will let you know.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

 

<< Back to main

BBTF Partner

Dynasty League Baseball

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
Adam S
for his generous support.

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Hot Topics

NewsblogWho is on the 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot and what’s the induction process?
(275 - 11:07pm, Nov 30)
Last: Howie Menckel

Hall of MeritMock Hall of Fame 2024 Contemporary Baseball Ballot - Managers, Executives and Umpires
(20 - 10:37pm, Nov 30)
Last: Alex02

NewsblogOT - NBA Redux Thread for the End of 2023
(110 - 10:23pm, Nov 30)
Last: Fancy Pants Handle struck out swinging

NewsblogReds, RHP Nick Martinez agree to $26M deal, sources say
(6 - 9:24pm, Nov 30)
Last: Walt Davis

NewsblogJackson Chourio extension: Brewers closing in on historic deal with MLB's No. 7 prospect, per report
(12 - 9:17pm, Nov 30)
Last: Adam Starblind

NewsblogOT Soccer - World Cup Final/European Leagues Start
(287 - 8:50pm, Nov 30)
Last: AuntBea odeurs de parfum de distance sociale

NewsblogSportsnet's Ben Wagner out as voice of Blue Jays radio broadcasts
(1 - 8:44pm, Nov 30)
Last: Walt Davis

NewsblogFormer Yankee Luis Severino agrees to 1-year, $13 million deal with Mets: reports
(20 - 8:22pm, Nov 30)
Last: Howie Menckel

NewsblogAndre Dawson Wants His Hall of Fame Cap Changed to the Cubs
(45 - 7:52pm, Nov 30)
Last: It's regretful that PASTE was able to get out

NewsblogZack Britton details analytics ‘rift’ that’s plaguing Yankees
(2 - 7:18pm, Nov 30)
Last: McCoy

NewsblogSource: Cardinals adding Sonny Gray to revamped rotation
(32 - 4:22pm, Nov 30)
Last: DCA

NewsblogReds add reliever Pagán on 2-year deal
(7 - 3:55pm, Nov 30)
Last: Walt Davis

NewsblogThe future of live sports TV reaches a tipping point
(52 - 2:14pm, Nov 30)
Last: Buck Coats

NewsblogOakland-area fans start Ballers, an independent baseball team
(15 - 12:45pm, Nov 30)
Last: Der-K's no Kliph Nesteroff.

NewsblogOT: Wrestling Thread November 2014
(3018 - 10:18am, Nov 30)
Last: a brief article regarding 57i66135

Page rendered in 0.2687 seconds
48 querie(s) executed