El Paso Refuses to Send Batter to Home Plate, Resulting in Auto-Out and Ump's Ejection of 3B Coach

HP Umpire Lew Williams ejected Chihuahuas 3B Coach Oscar Salazar after El Paso refused to send a batter to home during a game vs ALB. Report: www.closecalls...
Triple-A West's El Paso-Albuquerque matchup featured an odd pace of play delay as El Paso, trailing 3-0 in the top of the 5th inning against the Isotopes, refused to place a batter in the batter's box, leading Williams to enforce Official Baseball Rule 5.04(b)(3) regarding pace of play/refusal to occupy batter's box by calling automatic strikes, which turned into an automatic out on would-be batter Taylor Kohlwey.
After potentially warning El Paso manager Edwin Rodriguez of a possible forfeit if the team continued to employ tactics palpably designed to delay or shorten the game (or outright refused to continue play), El Paso send the next batter to the box and play resumed, with El Paso coming back to score three runs before the game was ultimately suspended due to weather.

[@paulolden4337]

Well, at least if any of the El Paso players got struck by lightning, they had the phone number of the local INJURY LAWYERS on the back wall of the dugout😉

[@vitesse_arnhem]

There’s a great injury lawyer in Albuquerque too... SAUL GOODMAN 😂

[@godbacks09]

lol.

[@scottdeakes8494]

In Australia, in a cricket match, there was lightning far off. The teams ignored it. Out of no where a batter was struck by lightning. That batter died on the park. I'm not a fan of playing when lightning is around.

[@scottdeakes8494]

@@jbenci9087 it was in Bomaderry, NSW South Coast. Was a 4th grade local game or something like that. The bat the gentleman was using is now on display at the Bradman Mesuem.

[@soccch]

@@scottdeakes8494 I've heard of this happening twice before from umpires. There's the 30-30 rule, which is if there's less than 30 seconds between lightning and thunder, you come off, and 30 minutes before any thunder until you return to play. Umpires should establish policy and if they have it, it should be published.

[@Jrose11]

Great job by this crew, this happens quite frequently at lower levels when there is a "no new inning" or "game over" time, and I'm glad the HP Ump saw right through it.

[@willcole1450]

Yeah, I don't like when teams use unsportsmanlike tactics like this

[@tykle666]

I at first thought the El Paso manager may have had a point, regarding the lightning. But with the runner remaining at second, and the first and third base coaches staying on the field, it became obvious to me that the El Paso manager was trying to game the system. Well done by the home plate umpire.

[@spikenomoon]

The runners aren’t holding a medal bat

[@63076topher]

@@spikenomoon The umpires is the ONLY ones who can decide if a delay needs to happen.

[@mahasw777]

@@spikenomoon The batter isn't holding a metal bat either. It's wood in the minor leagues.

[@johncronin9540]

While the El Paso manager clearly had ulterior motives here, other than safety, pro baseball should have stricter rules regarding lightning. Even the NFL, which has games under all kinds of weather conditions, suspends play when lightning is in the area (obviously in an outdoor stadium). I don’t think I need to point out how dangerous lightning is, but what many people aren’t aware of is that even if a thunderstorm seems to be in the distance, lightning can strike up to twenty miles away from the storm. That’s why high school and college has stricter rules. One advantage most pro baseball teams have is that they can retreat to a clubhouse or locker room. That isn’t an option for many, if not most high school games. It’s just not worth the risk to continue play with lightning in the area.

[@cincinatus90]

In this case there was no reason to stop playing due to lightning. Wimps like you try to use fear to get their point across and to get what you want. Ain't gonna work buddy, stop being wimp!

[@63076topher]

It WAS NOT a safety issue as they had people left on the field.

[@pinkycatcher]

@@cincinatus90 Per the national weather service lightning can strike 10-12 miles from a storm, if you can see it it's close enough to strike. Personally I'm less risk averse than the coaches here, but I'm not going to say it's perfectly safe.

[@cincinatus90]

@@pinkycatcher I dont think it was "perfectly safe" either. What do we do every day that is?

[@haydenhodges34]

Good usage of the word "ulterior".

[@andymiller6474]

I usually respect your opinion but, since all the major sports leagues are all really big on player safety now it doesn't make sense to be playing with lightening in the area. If you can hear the thunder, you're already in danger.

[@zgaviation6481]

That's correct, yes. However, at this time, there is no set MiLB lightning rule.

[@zgaviation6481]

That said, they SHOULD definitely have a lightning rule in place, in the name of player safety.

[@nacoran]

@@zgaviation6481 The umpire has discretion though, so it's on the umpire here to do the right thing. I couldn't say, without looking up the game time, exact location, and then looking up detailed information on where the lightning was hitting whether play should be stopped. It's clear this KZbinr didn't do that, so I'm not impressed. /I remember as a kid I was into LARP (yes, I was a nerd). We had a neighborhood group and all these foam swords. One kid was running it that particular day and it was in the upper 90s. We had some real little kids playing with us and he wanted them to dress in full armor if they wanted credit for armor. I told him that they could just wear something light to mark them and that it was not only stupid, but could end up with legal charges if someone had heat stroke. He argued with me and finally I just took things over. The story doesn't have a happy ending. He became a lawyer.

[@63076topher]

If it was a saftey issue EVERY member of the team would have left the field the runner and base coaches stayed.

[@geofflanham2476]

At the Sydney 2000 Olympics there was a storm approaching the baseball game. The home plate umpire sees a flash of lightning and calls time and is off the ground before most people realise what he had done

[@JoeD0403]

Sound travels 1 mile in 5 seconds. You rarely hear thunder more than 20 seconds (4 miles) away but it can strike up to 10 miles or more from the storm cloud. So if you can hear the thunder, you’re in danger. I’d forfeit before being forced to hold a big stick in an open field.

[@stevedandy973]

As an amateur umpire (Little League), I NEVER take chances with thunder and lightning. PLAYER SAFETY CONTINUES TO BE MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE.⚾️

[@63076topher]

If it was a saftey issue NO PLAYER for the team or coach would be on the field they left the coaches and a runner on.

[@critter2]

with rec leauges and touraments is every 30 minutes wait time see lighting or thunder

[@vw8886]

There should be someone with a lightning meter for the safety aspect and not just leave it to the umps. I agree it looks like a stall tactic in this case.

[@Stevo2557]

every single high school here in florida has a horn that takes it completely out of the umpires hands (at least in Duval county.) I LOVE IT.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Steve Sammarco That sounds like the perfect solution, any idea on the name of the system or how it works?

[@Stevo2557]

@@rickhaavisto9023 Not a clue to be honest. It lets out a loud horn and when lightening is away and safe to play it sounds 3 more times. You'd need to talk to someone way more qualified than me to describe it LOL. I just follow the sounds.

[@bethhentges]

@@rickhaavisto9023 It’s probably a civil defense siren triggered by the national weather service.

[@dougthegreat1808]

@@rickhaavisto9023 "thor" guard....

[@Hozer42]

Did I miss the point at 3:19 that someone from Alb, either grounds crew, operations or training staff, runs to show the umpire that lightning is in the area. And the ump shuns him off. The guy from Alb, not EP, looks ticked and goes off. I understand the point against EP, but was there a legitimate concern?

[@Quidproxo]

Do we know what was said?

[@markmidkiff7048]

Looks to me like the Padres need to evaluate their coaching staff in El Paso. You always want to win of course. But that's not the main goal of minor league affiliates. This is clearly a delay tactic

[@clarksandberg8746]

4:40 "They were helped by the umpires 'reining' them back in."

[@critter2]

Youth level as well the rule is thunder or and lighting is 30 minute wait if another thunder lighting happens it resets to 30 minutes

[@BigSkyCurmudgeon]

if this was HIGH SCHOOL rules, if lightening is observed in the area, play is suspended for at least 30 minutes past the last observed strike.

[@Pathfinder76]

Did the home plate umpire call strikes on the empty batters box? Or did he just call the out?

[@michaelhogg324]

Called the batter out

[@johncaccamo]

Dont the rules say the ump must call a strike and then warn ply ball… and then call a strike and then warn play ball… and then call third strike out and warn play ball…. Then repeat…? Just calling an out is against the rules…?

[@63076topher]

@@johncaccamo He warned play ball many times before calling a out.

[@almostfm]

I'm sorry Gil, but you do _not_ crap around when it comes to lightning. If you stop the game, it gets the players off the field, but more importantly, it gives time to get the fans out of the stands and under cover. Back in my radio days, I was on the air one time when the AM tower (right behind the studio) got struck. It zapped a lot of equipment, but enough current still got through to the mixing board that it burned my arm where it was resting on the metal part of the board. And for the sake of argument, let's say the coach was stalling. So what? You pull the players off the field and either the lightning goes away and you resume play, or the storm dumps a bunch of rain and you play it again. "It's water" And a source of electricity-always a _really_ good combination Putting players and fans at potential risk so you can get the 5th inning in to make it official is a really dumb thing to do.

[@jeremiahhodge4015]

The whole point of the video is the umpires keeping one team from gaining an advantage. They wanted to control the umpires judgement and go ahead and take time away and possibly suspend the game because they were down not because they actually cared about safety. Their base coaches and player on second didn’t look too concerned did they.

[@almostfm]

@@jeremiahhodge4015 So, how long have you been a mind reader? And as I said, even if you're right, I don't GAS. Player and spectator safety is paramount. I don't know why he didn't pull the base coaches and the runner, but I strongly suspect that even if he had, you'd still say it was a delaying tactic.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

almostfm Maybe...but they didn’t...so it is irrelevant. He was concerned for the batter and wouldn’t let him go out but doesn’t call in the coaches or runner? If he was really concerned with safety, why did he send out a batter after he figured the umps were calling outs? If it was a safety issue for him, why did he send the next batter out there?

[@josekuhn2819]

In 2003 Xavier #1 in the A10 was playing Temple, who needed to win the A10 tourney to make it into the NCAA tournament. Temple was down 18 with 12 minutes remaining. John Chaney goes out to the officials and says “ you haven’t done much work in the first hour but in the next hour you’re going to do a lot of work. Chaney pulls his starter and plays the end of the bench having them foul Xavier every possession. David West was the NCAA player of the year. So the last 12 minutes takes over and hour to finish. Coach Chaney says to his team “don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” The fans are boing the Xavier coaching staff is going nuts. Xavier wins 95-66. The foul ploy was not all Chaney did and. Temple won the semi finals of the A10 tournament against Xavier 63-57 and David West only scored 10 pts. Brilliant.

[@anthonysiani126]

There has to be a lightning detector on site. How close was the lightning? Is there a league rule on this?

[@williammiller7912]

Totally disagree with your reasons any lightening don’t care I’m off the field why didn’t umpires hold off for 10 minutes I have been in outfield with lightning and can’t concentrate on game

[@63076topher]

Then why did only one team want the delay and not send a batter. It was not saftey issue they kept the runner and coaches out there.

[@frpgplayer]

As an official, I learned in my first year that there is no immunity from lawsuits for officials. Many injuries that happen in a sport are known. An official normally is not responsible for injuries. However, injuries within the purview of the referee? Absolutely. Illegal equipment, hazardous conditions, allowance for violent conduct: the official can and has been sued (including clubs/organizations). Someone has to be hurt before the lesson is learned...and that is not a prudent rule of thumb. An official always checks the laws and rules of their competition. Never sacrifice your insurance to the ignorant.

[@ronaldmead7643]

Lightning can travel up to 10 miles. The game should have been put on hold until the threat was out of the area. No game is worth a person being struck.

[@63076topher]

Not a saftey issue they left people on the field did you even watch the video.

[@ronaldmead7643]

@@63076topher yes i did watch it and yes it was a safety issue. Guess you never heard of hear it roar get in doors. Or the people setting in the stand and get struck by lighting. I would have pulled mine off the field also

[@63076topher]

@@ronaldmead7643 But they DID NOT pull them off there was a runner on second and the coaches were still out there and the other team was still out there so no safety issue.

[@stevedandy973]

Take NO chances with lightning in the area Err on the side of SAFETY.

[@snapmalloy5556]

In most amateur leagues if you can see lightning, all play is suspended

[@dougthegreat1808]

Let's not forget, most amature fields and parks have a "thor" guard which goes off......

[@zakfoley-reis2932]

This is pro ball

[@Quidproxo]

Don't know if it was the case here, but professional sports usually have someone in the press box or operations booth who are monitoring the weather in these situations and communicating with the crew chief. If they're continuing play, it's most likely that they're being told that it's safe to continue play.

[@RobZelinka]

I experienced something very similar to this years back when I was in the Northern League. The heads grounds keeper gave us an update on where the storms were. We could see lightening in the distance, but my crew made the decision to play on. Ironically in much the same way, the team losing refused to send a batter to the plate. We handled it much the same way. We had no pitch clocks to govern play. I would submit this was properly handled. Interesting how they are so concerned with lightening but remained in the dugout.

[@addison.maddison]

Sorry, no "credit to the umpire" here. The HP ump clearly violated the rules by skipping the mandatory "strike one" call, then after 12 seconds, indicating "strike two," and then after waiting another 12 seconds, calling an out. Had the game not been suspended, El Paso should have protested the game, due to this violation of the rules by the HP ump.

[@ikebeckman1074]

The chihuahua is a pretty good mascot-terrifying, fierce, and devoid of any feelings like mercy

[@poisonpotato1]

*pitbull

[@MessOfThings]

So the announcer said that they've delayed the game by three or four minutes and I don't think that's accurate because they have taken it out which could have taken 3 or 4 minutes to get anyway.

[@bradt7451]

Good to see fellow umpire school grad Lew Williams handling his biz. HW2011

[@philippaul2270]

with the game suspended, will the 3B coach be allowed back in on the resumption, or would he have to sit out the remainder of the game (and come in for the second game of the double header)

[@Caleferink1]

If the game is resumed from the point of interruption, he'd be out for the remainder of the game. If it is started over, he'd be able to coach (disregarding any further discipline that might be in place that I'm unaware of).

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

I think I know where the El Paso manager can get a lawyer who can practice in the State of New Mexico if they have someone get hurt by lightning

[@Niel2760]

He doesn’t live there anymore.

[@KeoniPhoenix]

So now that the game is suspended due to weather, is that ejection carrying over when the game resumes?

[@billbell2311]

The ejection carries forward to the resumed the game.

[@zgaviation6481]

Yes

[@slaymyface1357]

I believe this has only happened one other time with a college game, the batter to step into the box, which led to a strikeout, then he aegued, got ejected

[@carlbruschnigjr1757]

It's obvious some people don't understand lightning. If you can see or hear it, you are in danger of getting stuck by it. Mix in the rain starting to come down, the chances of a strike increase substantially. As someone who's had a close strike, it's nothing to screw around with. At the very least, they should have conferenced with both managers and considered delaying the inning.

[@fouronetwo813]

Great, take the runner on 2nd, the base coaches and the entire dugout and go into the club house. If the lightning was so clearly a threat they'd easily win an appeal on any sort of forfeit. Weather stations can track lightning strikes and how close they were to a ball park

[@captaindank2278]

It’s obvious you don’t know shit about Baseball / these umpires are the best it gets at this level they know the rules and know when to pull the players …. There has never been a pro player hit by lightning …. So find something you know about

[@carlbruschnigjr1757]

@@captaindank2278 I can't tell, was that sarcasm? Look up "Ray Caldwell". It's obvious you don't know shit about the dangers of lightning.

[@captaindank2278]

Again you know nothing about baseball how to umpire , the rules and operating procedures or anything else ! …. You never go to the Managers in pro ball …. The GM has control until the game starts then it’s in the hands of trained umpires that have called more games than you have watched …. They know when to pull the players if it was such a big deal to Edwin the El Paso Manager why did he leave a runner at 2nd and his base coach at 3rd ? / people like you always find something to cry about !

[@CoachBaker_11]

How about the grounds crew guy coming in with the lightning detector and pointing to the sky....

[@linollieum3742]

Its very easy to dismiss a distant flash but lightning is dangerous and not something to make light of. People have died playing sports from lightning. No game is worth risking lives and ignoring lightning, even if it seems far away its foolish. I had it in a youth game and the umpires didnt want to end the game because the home team was losing but had bases loaded. With El Paso it was a stall tactic but it's very easy to make fun of people who cry lightning until someone dies. Even if its unlikely, do you want to live with being the umpire that made that decision?

[@T1625-w7d]

Please do the Orioles and Blue Jays game on 7/7. You don’t have to look far. It was the first inning. If I were the Orioles’ manager, I would have been tossed. There is nothing anyone could say that would convince me that it was not at lest one out maybe a couple play. No way it ends runners on first and second with a run scoring.

[@jamiethornton6101]

If there was truly a thunderstorm in the area and the manager is concerned about his players, I will 100 percent back him on that. I honestly believe the umpires should've checked in on the weather. They could've come over and let the manager know there is no storm in the 10 mile zone. If they still didn't play, then they should be forced out as the umpire has done. Safety should always be the number one concern.

[@63076topher]

No he wasn't he left his player and coaches on the field.

[@josekuhn2819]

Actually the big takeaway is that such a tactic could be used as a ploy to get into the other teams head. It’s happened before where a coach deliberately threw the final regular season game in basketball to get into the heads of the other team so that when they met in the conference semi finals, the would have a chance to beat the other team which they did….

[@Bombercules]

Wouldn't the game have been suspended anyway per MiLB rules? Been a while since I followed those games but it appears it was not the last game of the series. As to why the runner stayed out, no clue lol

[@bethhentges]

At least he wasn’t holding a bat….

[@johnbures7581]

Usually there is a person in charge of the games, now if both coaches are in agreement about the weather, a conference with the umpires should be able to agree to a favorable decision. Not knowing the full situation, the one team if it comes down to the bottom line, tell the PU you want to forfeit due to weather and to protest at that point and the next day call the office in charge and explain all the action, All The Action, what was done what was said and the need to have the game rescheduled.

[@Quidproxo]

After the lineup cards are exchanged at the plate meeting, that decision is solely in the hands of the umpires. The coaches are out of the equation.

[@craigdupree1687]

To be fair if they took the runner of 2nd, he'd be called out for abandonment.

[@63076topher]

So it was NOT a saftey issue the coaches were still there why didn't they come in. Why didn't the second team say anything and leave the field.

[@jasonwilliams7454]

I am 100% with the coaches on this, and I am a certified sports official. We have a 0 tolerance policy in soccer (where I am located) when it comes to lightning, and it does not matter where we see it - if we see it then we delay for 30 minutes. Excuse or not, lightning IS a "legit concern".

[@CaodeSucks]

Like let's take a step back and get some perspective. There is not a sport on the planet that is worth risking someone getting struck by lightning.

[@critter2]

but they had runner at 2nd and coaches in box they not about safety Jason

[@michaelhollingshead838]

If there was lightning in the area the game should have been called. Lightning is nothing to mess with especially when you know somebody that's got hit by lightning while practicing football because the coach thought practice was more important than lightning. That young man spent 6 months in intensive care

[@NewPatientGroupWrightChat]

before the game starts umpires have zero say if the game is played ... after it starts it is 100% umpire discretion

[@rj1982ii]

Glad you showed the base runner and coaches because I was about to defend the team. If you didn't mention them I would have made a huge mistake. This is just bs he knew it wasn't going to go well since he had a coach and runner out there. They might have taken it a bit seriously (doubt they would have) had they not been on the field.

[@raulvizcarra1899]

Isn’t the rule that 5 innings have to be complete to finish the game? Either way the game was called 10 minutes after all this crap when the umps on their own judgement called the game. It seems they were planning to call the game but wanted to do it on their terms and not from a coach telling them what to do.

[@donaldthomas7070]

5 full or 4½ if the home team is ahead.

[@dillchives]

Doesn't the fact that the game was called after the top of the inning show that the manager was probably rightly concerned about the incoming storm?

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Or...that the manager was rightly concerned that they would be able to play the rest of that half and call off the rest of the game... Unless someone was injured by lightning or something?

[@dillchives]

@@rickhaavisto9023 I do think there was some gamesmanship based off of the game situation, but it seems like some people are asking the El Paso manager to give up almost half a game's worth of ABs and innings pitched for his _minor league_ players and quickly take a loss so they can get the game over with. That certainly doesn't benefit him or his team. The fact that there was *clearly* an incoming storm, which proceeded to wipe out the rest of the game only a few minutes later, shows that he actually had a credible concern regardless of an ulterior motive for what he was doing. And lightning can and does strike and kill people who are standing out in the open (or in the stands). I realize this is a professional league and it's a little different, but many leagues would have immediately cleared the fields.

[@dillchives]

@Chris Smith Yeah, it's not the loss so much as a half a game's worth of development. And for what? To finish during a (potentially dangerous) storm that could soon wipe out the rest of the game? Obviously I don't know for sure, it's possible the team would rather have him finish the game up in that situation, but he apparently didn't think so.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Dill Chives Perhaps that’s what you perceive other people think. I’m not asking the manager to have his batters swing at every pitch to finish the half inning. I’m asking him to not stall... Hey, if his guys prevent the half inning using actual game mechanics (walks, foul balls, hits) like they end up doing, we’d have no issue. If this manager was concerned about the safety of his players, once he realized the ump was going to call outs if he didn’t field a batter, he should have forfeited the game. The fact that he fielded batters AFTER that threat and the execution of it shows (in my opinion) that he wasn’t concerned with safety.

[@daviddryburgh6918]

It was called for rain, not lightning

[@jamesford3443]

MLB does not have a hard and fast lightning rule, it is umpire discretion. I would assume this is largely the same of Milb

[@bethhentges]

Why is it suspended vs a complete game tie?

[@daviddryburgh6918]

Once it's tied, the bottom half of the inning needs to be played to make it an official game. If the home team is leading, then they only have to complete the top half of the inning

[@falstaff2222]

Lightning is no joke. Sometimes you can be both self-serving and in the right.

[@zacharystanphill748]

They literally have one of their teammates standing on second. They don’t care about safety and there are different rules that they agreed upon.

[@falstaff2222]

​@@zacharystanphill748 Whether the teams care about safety is irrelevant. It's the crew's call and the crew should care.

[@fouronetwo813]

@@falstaff2222 The umpires are on the field too. You mean to tell me these umps would be so reckless with their own lives just so they'd be able to finish a game? Umps made a judgement, the manager doesn't feel safe? Pull your team off the field and appeal any forfeit. Saftey was the issue right? Who cares about a little forfeit?

[@falstaff2222]

@@fouronetwo813 Yes? It wouldn't be the first time recently people who ought to know better pressed their luck with their own and other people's safety.

[@briancollins6878]

This was not a weather problem. It was a delay of game as a tactic because they were losing.

[@vanferrell7021]

I'm normally a stickler on baseball rules but if I see lightning yeah it can be a mile away where is the next one going to be.

[@jamesoliver6625]

Why are you whining about pitch clock. This is a BASIC player safety issue. I guarantee you at the high schools or UTEP games, if there's visible lightning, the field is cleared until a half hour after the last lightening strike. NOT a great job by the crew but a MAJOR FAIL. If I was the team owner, I would consider legal action against the league or umpires association.

[@seambrooks7346]

Best thing to do is make baseball a indoor stadium sport n take weather outta play? Have a quickly closing retractable roof open only on sunny days n clear nights? It would make all this weather “stalling” moot! Even in little league high school n college u can build indoor complex’s to play

[@javtimestwo]

Hypocrites! What a mockery of the game. Those coaches should be ashamed of themselves. They have zero courage and prefer to take shortcuts each and every time. Great job by the umpires for taking control of the game and letting those imbeciles know who is in charge and why.

[@herbhouston5378]

You can be struck 25 miles away.from the storm center!

[@blandis93312]

If you can see lightning then you can be struck by lightning. The crew got this wrong.

[@jerrynewberry5050]

El Paso could've been up 4-3 if #20 had taken his AB and reached base.

[@robertbrown7470]

Delay of Game: Forfeit! I wouldn't suggest it but it is the rule.

[@pickled625]

What an ignorant manager. Should be fired immediately!

[@pickled625]

@Chris Smith he was right that rain was coming, he was wrong delaying the game in hopes of it being called so his team didn't lose. That is not his call to make.

[@JesseIU]

The umpire was not right. He refused to have a discussion with the manager because he was angry. He waives off the grounds crew guy who wanted to show him the weather that was coming in. He put several peoples lives in danger to try and prove his point. Meanwhile 10 min later play was in fact cancelled due to weather. It is quite possible the manager was stalling, but the manager also ended up being right... I agree with 90% of your videos. This one is wrong.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

“It is quite possible the manager was stalling” Give me an explanation for the manager’s behavior other than stalling the game and I’ll give you a fact that proves you are wrong.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Michael Ward On another thread I had the same thought. Is that his kid or something?

[@JesseIU]

@@rickhaavisto9023 Michael Ward is correct in that coach's do care about safety and not just the self interest of the team. Since I am not the Coach on the field, I can't guarantee this is the case, but I can judge the behavior of the umpire and he absolutely should have given the respect to the manager to have a discussion about the matter. I'm open to the fact that the manager was stalling, but the manager also turned out being right about the weather.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Coach4Star Michael Ward was joking

[@JesseIU]

@@rickhaavisto9023 haha crap I just saw that he said the second part about his runner on second. haha My bad. I'm guessing the runner didn't want to leave the base and be tagged out. The umpire isn't exactly granting time outs.

[@Videos888]

So professional people are more impervious to lightning than college students or are the lives of professionals just worth less?

[@-hal-471]

Player safety should be considered

[@lo1bo2]

If you want to delay the game, have less important players/coaches individually argue, put on a show, and get thrown out one by one.

[@robertbrown7470]

Throw the manager's butt out of the game. Next! He refuses. Throw his butt out of the game.

[@LoveLawWill]

MAGNIFICO-O-O-O-O!!

[@ccLA08]

Shouldve came out and Protested. At least he would be able to go back to that spot in the game if it was ruled in his favor.

[@birdman3323]

Hey, you jump out there as a batter with an aluminum lightning rod !!!

[@alanhess9306]

Aluminum bats are not used in MiLB

[@dhblan8591]

The ABQ team is called the Isotopes. Wonder what happens if lightning hits an Isotope? Do we have some kind of nuclear reaction? 😊

[@Ojibs]

Umps should have used common sense and delay when lightning is within 15 miles mandatory 30 min delay! Bad crew umpiring the game

[@kerrytodd3753]

They’re worried about the batter because he has a freakin’ bat in his hand! It woulda been nice if they had just delayed the game…..bullshit umpires, health is more important than a game. Had a kid here a few years ago struck standing on the pitchers mound from a storm 35 miles away……why did it get the pitcher? Maybe because he was the tallest guy on the field, maybe not…..but a bat is an extension of you and your conductivity to Mother Earth……if you’ve never experienced what lightning can do, it ain’t pretty.

[@zgaviation6481]

It’s a wood bat……

[@kerrytodd3753]

I know, doesn’t matter….no doubt that metal is even worse, but standing holding a pole, bat, fishing pole, etc. still risky business.

[@steveaustin5524]

What a knowledgeable umpiring crew!!!!

[@johnn6740]

Did everyone somehow miss the part where someone from ALB tries to show the ump that there was in fact lightning in the area and the ump sends him away? I understand the idea that it was probably a stall tactic on El Paso's part, but at the same time there was clearly lightning in the area and the crew chief shouldve done a better job.

[@MrHmg55]

I've watched 2 minutes of this but the skies just opened up here and lightning is around, so I'm shutting down until it's over. I don't need no stinkin' ump to tell me what's safe and what isn't.

[@michaelsmiley15]

They refuse to play it's called a forefat you can't just auto eject and then eject the 3rd base coast that's what we're talking about these empires really don't know what they're doing They refuse to play it's called a forefit you can't just auto eject and then eject the 3rd base coast that's what we're talking about these empires really don't know what they're doing I have a friend who is an Empire who conferred the rule book and it basically States that if they refuse to play it's automatic forfeit and he should go because hes got the experience he's been an ummpire for years

[@dgj70094]

"Forefat"? "Forefit"? "Empires"? "Ummpire"? As for this "auto eject" you refer to, I have NO CLUE what you are speaking about. However, the umpire has EVERY to eject the third base coach if he feels that the coach's words were abusive. As you do not know what was said, your assumption falls flat. Before you question the motives of umpires that have earned where they are, maybe you should try to learn what you obviously do not know yourself.

[@captaindank2278]

Is your friend a pro umpire ? I think not rules are way different in little league where your friend umpires !!! Than in pro ball / if someone farts in amateur baseball they take everyone off the field / it doesn’t work that way in professional baseball / as well as the 3rd base coach should have kept his month fucking mouth shut his opinion means buttkiss that why he got run !

[@daywalkingvampire1521]

MLB rule states and this is a minor league game so I'm not sure if the same roll applies that if MLB rule states and this is a minor league game so I'm not sure if the same roll applies that if lightning is spotted 130 minute clock shall start within that 30 minutes if another strike have lightning strikes then there is a reset of that 30 minute clock and game place shall not resume until it is deeMes safe to do so And by the way I'm just glad this wasn't a college game because in college they use aluminum bats and that's a giant Electric conductor so you're asking to get struck by lightning but even the major's holding up a Wooden bat it's like asking to get struck by lightning

[@totallykoolyeah]

so it worked.

[@drawde41]

You have zero clue of the coaches motivation, so speculation as to why he didn't send up a batter, is just that, speculation. The failure of the umps to not heed lightening strikes is deplorable. And your backing of them, equally so.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

So what reason isn’t he sending his batter up other than stalling? He is leaving his runner on the field, he is leaving his coaches on the field, he obviously isn’t concerned with their safety? So he either cares about that player more than the runner and coaches, or he was stalling... You have no idea how far away the Lightning is, and now YOU are speculating about how dangerous it is...what a hypocrite you are

[@chrisimming9454]

Lightning is not water Galileo

[@1who4me]

Gotta love the minor leagues

[@dannyc.2039]

Now THIS is real baseball

[@vitesse_arnhem]

Eject the coach.

[@stevepoulos760]

Where you guys from? Sounds like a bias commentary.

[@zgaviation6481]

In what way do you hear bias? (Genuinely curious….not a sarcastic question)

[@stevepoulos760]

@@zgaviation6481 seems they aren’t at all concerned about lighting strikes or that possibility. They just jump all over El Paso’s decision to be on the safe side.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

steve poulos Well...because it doesn’t matter...the umpires determine when it is no longer safe, so other than pointing out to the umpire that they see lightning...what does stalling do? It potentially prevents a loss. Also, if the coach was concerned for safety, he would get all his players and coaches off the field.

[@dillchives]

If you're new around here, they will *always* defend the umps matter what. And if the ump clearly made a mistake, instead of outright admitting it, the channel will theorize what led up to the call being made instead (it will generally be the fault of the pitcher / catcher / hitter / coach etc). It's too bad, because it could otherwise be an informative channel about how often umps are, in fact, correct when it doesn't appear that they are, or explaining confusing rules. But the urgent need to criticize everyone else BUT the umps, and utter disdain for hometown broadcasting teams, really drags the channel down quite a bit.

[@stevepoulos760]

@@dillchives I agree!

[@1NobleGiant]

This is shameful on the part of El Paso’s part and I hope their league sanctions them

[@kwad33]

Hp ump was counting Mississippi's.... what else do y'all edumacated folks want?

[@Anthony-hu3rj]

The El Paso manager got his 4 minutes and 45 seconds of fame. Now grow up and hopefully we won't see you in the majors any time soon. (I like their downtown stadium though!)

[@cadaverdog1424]

He’d be better than Boone for the NYY⚾️

[@SLC-Smudge42]

He was already in the Bigs. Manger of the Marlins for 2 years I believe. Definitely a fishy tactic.

[@WhereMyChicken]

More managers should do this on horrible calls.

[@mikek6658]

I'm sure joe west would have handled this the same way

[@farleysnerdcaveofdoom5195]

Joe just threw you out.

[@chuckinhouston9952]

Crew handled it correctly

[@Dannyedelman4231]

If anyone of the players got hurt it would have been on the umpires

[@randombastid725]

For whatever its worth an aluminum bat is a lightning rod, as the batter stands at the plate his bat is the tallest conductor on the field, maybe the coach or the batter was concerned about that theory. i know I would be concerned about getting lit up 🤭✌

[@frankiesheehy224]

It’s a wood bat

[@randombastid725]

@@frankiesheehy224 I thought college used aluminum bats, hence the clanging noise you hear🤔

[@martintimmer8574]

@@randombastid725 wasnt college or highschool,Isotopes and the little dogs from El Paso are minor league teams

[@Dying4pie2180]

@@randombastid725 lol did you watch this video without sound? He says in the video 3 times that this is minor league. He Even said that college has stricter weather rules but minor league you can push it a little further so don't get confused about this being college. And here you are confused about college 😑

[@swoosh1428]

The light standards, stadium railings, stadium structure itself - all items with high amounts of steel that are all higher toward the sky than a batter holding a wood stick. Now, the neck bling could be a concern..🙄

[@TheCpadron19]

I guess I'd believe the stall tactics if this wasnt minor league baseball. Literally nothing in minor leagues matters. If there's lightning anywhere near, it's pretty stupid to continue playing. No one cares about the standings in the minor leagues.

[@cadaverdog1424]

We needed Angel Hernandez to show up in this league, and show the umpires how to handle the situation……………………..

[@michaelkrawczyk6715]

Failed MLB manager acting like a POS, I wish crew forfeited the game on him