Some Tigers Miffed By Timing Of Balk Call Against Sanchez, But Ausmus Says Ump Got It Right
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
DETROIT - During the game, the balk call against Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez filled manager Brad Ausmus with enough fire that he ran onto the field, debated the call, got himself tossed from the game while returning to the dugout, and then delivered some animated gestures and a few more words before finally stalking off toward the clubhouse.
With a runner on third at the time, the balk gave the New York Yankees a run, and the Tigers ultimately lost the game, 2-1.
After the game, Ausmus expressed no more issue with the call, however.
"At the time, I thought Sanchy had stepped off with his right foot, which would make it not be a balk," Ausmus said, "but when I saw the replay, his left foot moved prior to him moving his right foot, which makes it a balk."
Right call or not, what irked a few players was the timing of the call, which was not immediately made.
"The first time they didn't say anything," shortstop Hernan Perez said. "Nobody said nothing until their hitter and their third base coach said something. [Then] the umpire called a balk."
Ausmus saw the merit in that claim but suggested the validity of the call was all that mattered.
"It wasn't smooth in terms of the timing, but he got the call right, so you can't really argue it," Ausmus said.
Catcher Alex Avila took a similar perspective.
"It is surprising, it's not the norm, but it happened like that, so obviously you're going to ask questions about it," Avila said. "But the reality is it really doesn't matter.
"The umpires, they got the call right," Avila added. "A balk's a balk. If he doesn't balk, then you didn't balk, but he did, so they scored. We had our opportunities to win. We didn't lose because of a balk."