Was Sam Fuld’s Mound Warm-Up Illegal?
Joe Maddon, Sam Fuld June 21st. 2011, 9:00am
Last night, Joe Maddon wanted Cesar Ramos to start the 8th inning for the Rays, but he wasn’t ready. To buy a little extra time, Maddon sent Sam Fuld out to the mound to warm up. But before he could face a batter, Maddon came to the mound and replaced him with Ramos.
Was it genius? Was it gamesmanship? Or was it simply illegal?
After the game, Maddon explained that he “had no other choice,” and blamed the mix-up on the dugout phones. Apparently Maddon wanted Ramos, but instead Joel Peralta was told to warm up. “The phones are really not loud here so we’re trying to communicate, “No, no, no we’re trying to do the other thing,” said Maddon.
But interestingly, that was not what the umpires were told.
Crew chief Jerry Layne told a different story. “Fuld went out there, and from what I understand, [home-plate umpire Bob Davidson] was told that he was sore or couldn’t pitch or something,” Layne said.
But after the game, Maddon said there was “no chance” Fuld was going to pitch to a batter, and Marc Topkin called the move a “stall tactic” something Maddon confirmed by saying “Sam provided that.”
According to MLB rules, a player replacing a pitcher must face at least one batter. At the time, we assumed the move was acceptable because Fuld had already been used in the game as a pinch-hitter and thus had already technically participated in the game. At this point, he was no longer a substitute.
But the umpires saw it differently. “He’s supposed to pitch to a batter unless he’s incapacitated, but we’re not doctors,” said Layne. “It’s a situation where, if they do something like that, they’re circumventing the rules, but as an umpire, there’s nothing we can do about it…he’s hurt, or whatever — we’re not doctors. Can you imagine if we had a guy who stayed out there because we said, ‘No, you have to pitch to one batter,’ and then he throws out a rotator cuff?”
And yet, according Maddon’s own post-game comments, he never says anything about Fuld being hurt. In other words, Maddon is openly admitting that he broke the rules, and he (or somebody on the Rays staff) lied to the umpires.
Genius, gamesmanship, or illegal.
It appears it was a little of all three.
mostly genius.
Watch MLB make the Rays put Sam on the DL. Ok, bring up Guyer for a week. Problem solved.
Once again Maddons mistakes..not having players (pitchers)ready is swept under the rug by media types as being “funny” and entertaining…wonder if the brewers feel that way.. being pretty much out of the game watching Maddon fool around….
Because HE is not organized
Why is Don acting like not having the pitcher he wants ready is common place for JoeMa? I think he DID want Peralta initially with the 4 run lead and 2 outs with 2 of his coldest hitters due up. Then Longo makes it 8-1 and BJ strikes out on 3 pitches. Now not wanting to use Peralta and Ramos not being ready Joe did the decoy move. Say what you want about Maddon but he has made this team relavant and a yearly contender, not many small market transport can say that.
Damn Android keyboard, meant to say small market teams.
Joe is a friggin’ genius, is what he is.
He is a genius. I remember once in 2008 i tricked the red sucks by keeping a right in the game. Francona let the lefty Drew pinch-hit, then Joe made the pitching change by bringing in Howell. Francona looked embarrassed and Maddon looked like a pro.
Type error: Once in 2008 he tricked
Genius.
But a pinch hitter for a pitcher almost never faces a batter. Why would this be any different? Usually a new pitcher just happens to be brought in. I fail to see any rulebreaking here. Just clever gamesmanship.
I guess the umps are arguing that fuld taking the mound meant that he was replacing Howell and that he had to pitch to a batter, but that was never going to happen, just like Maddon said.