Buck Wins First Challenge

Buch Showalter requested his first challenge in MLB’s expanded replay system during the top of the sixth inning in today’s game against the Red Sox. With the Red Sox ahead 2-1, Nelson Cruz was called out at first base on a bang-bang play that would have resulted in a game-tying infield hit. Cruz and first base coach Wayne Kirby were demonstrative enough to get Showalter out of the dugout for that long, hip-holding walk to talk it over with the umpires.

The review took only 49 seconds for the crew in New York to overturn the play. Adam Jones scored the tying run and Nelson Cruz was credited with his 500th career RBI.

Beyond the impact to the game itself, the play marked a first in Orioles history. The O’s were one of the last teams in the league to request a challenge. Buck Showalter is now perfect on challenges. Here’s hoping it stays that way.

An interesting result of the replay era is that we may see fewer fiery exchanges between umpires and players/coaches. As soon as the call was made, Kirby protested, and the first base umpire waved him off, as if to say “let the manager challenge or not.” Satisfied with that answer, Kirby walked away. It’s impossible to know how Earl Weaver would have felt about the replay system, but it’s certain that his career would have been less entertaining.