by Andrew JohnsonFiled under: Rangers, Rays, MLB Playoffs, MLB Umpires, American League Division Series
Controversial calls have become as much a part of the Major League Baseball postseason as Derek Jeter and patriotic bunting. In Umpire Watch, we intend to document those calls, at least until commissioner Bud Selig puts us out of business.I'll explain why I've quoted Craig Finn and The Hold Steady below, but first let me point out that Ian Kinsler's two-run homer late in Game 5 once again relegated some sticky, messy, possibly incorrect calls to a sub-plot in a do-or-die postseason game. One of these days, Major League Baseball isn't going to be so lucky, and the calls will be much more glaringly wrong. Luckily for them, that wasn't the case Tuesday night.
Bartlett's Gyrations
The Situation: There are runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the third inning. The Rays have just tied the score at 1-1, and Carl Crawford is at the plate to face Rangers lefty Cliff Lee. Crawford works an 0-2 count.
The Play: Crawford taps a grounder back toward Lee, who is able to stab it. The Texas ace decides to go home, catching Jason Bartlett, the runner on third base, in a rundown. Rangers catcher Bengie Molina runs Bartlett back up the third-base line before tossing the ball to Michael Young, who appears to apply the tag. Bartlett continues running as if he hasn't been touched.
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