MLB replay officials clearly hold a grudge against the A’s for some reason
Does someone on the A’s date an MLB replay official’s ex? Did Bob Melvin hit a dinger off a guy who’s working in the nameless, faceless MLB replay control center in NYC? Because those are the only plausible explanations for how the A’s are getting consistently hosed this season.
Officially, Oakland is 2 for 9 when it comes to replay challenges this season, but it feels like 2 for 100. I can’t remember the others off the top of my head, but this series there have been two close calls at the plate that both went against the A’s.
On Sunday, it appeared Robbie Grossman scored on a bang-bang play, where he was initially ruled out. But the replay officials in NYC said they couldn’t definitively tell if Grossman’s foot hit the plate, per Glen Kuiper on the NBCSN broadcast.
Uhhh, what were they watching? Pretty obvious Grossman’s toe taps the plate here, then scrapes all the way to the other side of the dirt.
holy crap they called him out … A’s CAN NOT win a replay pic.twitter.com/oTgG1xuT2k
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) September 6, 2020
On Friday night, the A’s were on the other side of the coin. Matt Olson was initially called safe on this play.
Motorin’ Matt Olson blows through the stop sign at 3B and is initially called safe … but out after review
pic.twitter.com/h5Nu9QaT6R
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) September 5, 2020
Again, another close play. But the Padres challenged and this call was overturned. How did NYC see enough to change this call?
A’s and replay DO NOT mix well
pic.twitter.com/juGpqJrIpB
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) September 5, 2020
Sure, the A’s went on to lose Friday’s game 7-0. But if Olson scores there, the A’s take a 1-0 lead and it’s a different ballgame for Jesús Luzardo the next time he comes out to the mound.
What makes these two calls in particular most confounding, is NYC’s choice to overturn calls based on the evidence presented. In both instances, and in a trend that’s been around all season, it appears the A’s got shafted. What’s the point of replay if they can’t get it right?
