VIDEO: Atlantic League Catcher Casually Picks up Loose Ball After Ump Botches Game-Ending Call
By Ryan Flores
Apparently MLB umpires aren't the only ones who completely botch calls. During an Atlantic League matchup between the Somerset Patriots and the New Britain Bees, Ramon Flores of the Patriots was rounding third base on a possible inside the park homer, but was called out at the plate. The only problem was that the catcher clearly didn't have the ball when tagging the runner, and the umpire completely missed it. He even picked it up after all was said and done, in plain sight!
Somerset down one in B9 with two outs, Flores rounding third on a possible inside the park homer. Play at the plate...out? Look real close and tell me what's wrong here. Promise you'll want to see this. pic.twitter.com/zugeiOomr1
— Mike Ashmore (@mashmore98) July 14, 2019
This play was so incredibly botched that the Patriots actually took action and formally appealed to the Atlantic League office, where the play was overturned. The game will now play out until completion on Sunday.
Everything pre-game will occur as planned. The continuation of the game will take place at 5:05 pm and then a brief break before the start of the regularly scheduled game.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 14, 2019
Hopefully the umpire won't botch anymore calls during the game's continuation. Even in the Atlantic League with robot umps in place for balls and strikes, a human still couldn't figure out a feasible way to see a rolling baseball on the ground. Mercy.