Braves' Gonzalez Rips Controversial Replay Reversal Vs. Mets
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Not long after the Braves blew a late lead for Mike Minor, manager Fredi Gonzalez nearly blew his top.
Ruben Tejada singled home the winning run with two outs in the 11th inning, Curtis Granderson hit a tying homer in the eighth and the New York Mets beat Atlanta 4-3 on Monday night.
Gonzalez was ejected in the bottom of the ninth for arguing a call that was overturned on replay. After much discussion, Eric Campbell was ruled safe at second on a bunt play when replays showed Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons came off the bag too soon as he took a throw and relayed to first.
"It was one of the worst calls I've ever seen," Gonzalez said.
The "neighborhood play," as it's known, is not reviewable under instant replay rules. But after Mets manager Terry Collins came out to argue, the umpires determined it was the throw from third baseman Chris Johnson that pulled Simmons away from second base.
"We reviewed the call because, in our judgment, we felt the throw took the fielder off the bag," crew chief Mike Everitt told a pool reporter. "That was going to be reviewable."
"He's trying to complete the double play quicker. He's trying to gain an advantage," umpire Tim Timmons said, according to the Mets' official website.
Gonzalez vehemently disagreed.
"It's bad interpretation — whoever interpreted it," he said. "That becomes a neighborhood play ... nobody can tell me that that throw was pulled off the bag."
MLB said in a statement: "The replay regulations allow umpires to determine if they considered a play to be a neighborhood play or not, based on a variety of factors. Some of the factors they consider are the throw and if the player receiving the ball is making the turn. Umpires might consider whether it was an errant throw or if a player receiving a throw who is not at risk of contact made an effort to touch the bag."
In the end, Shae Simmons pitched out of the jam for Atlanta.
"They got lucky that we didn't lose the game there," Gonzalez said.
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