Ejection 072 - Sean Barber Ejects Dusty Baker on Odd Double Play Inning After Dropped Infield Fly

HP Umpire Sean Barber ejected Astros manager Dusty Baker (fair ball call-turned-double play) in Boston an inning after 2B Umpire John Tumpane ruled an infield fly on a batted ball that was dropped by Houston SS Carlos Correa. Article: https://www.closecallsports.com/2021/...

This hybrid infield fly rule review / ejection report covers just a piece of an odd night at Fenway Park that first saw a 6th inning fly ball from the bat of Boston's Rafael Devers look like a sure out for fielder Correa, and properly resulted in an infield fly ruling with first and second occupied and less than two out, with Tumpane ruling that Correa, as an infielder, could have caught the ball with ordinary effort, as prescribed by the infield fly rule.

Note that the infield fly rule specifically states, "the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder - not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines." In other words, it matters little where the ball ultimately ended up—on the outfield grass vs the infield dirt, for instance. Instead, what matters is whether or not a fielder could catch the ball with ordinary effort and, in this case, Tumpane called the infield fly because Correa appeared to be squared or camped under the ball....before dropping it (the infield fly call is generally made prior to the fielder actually catching [or in this case dropping] the baseball).

As for the ejection in the 7th inning, HP Umpire Barber ruled a fair ball off the bat of Astros batter Yuli Gurriel, hit in front of home plate and fielded by catcher Christian Vasquez in fair territory, Barber also ruling the ball did not make contact with Gurriel (which would have caused it to become dead—either a foul ball [if in the box in the aftermath of the swing] or interference [if out of the box after the hit]). Although Houston looked to stop playing and treated it as a foul ball based on Gurriel's reaction to the hit and despite Barber signaling the ball fair, Boston played on and retired both Gurriel at first base and baserunner Yordan Alvarez as he ran toward second base.