Here are all the replay and photo angles of the controversial fan interference play on Mookie Betts
See if you can make up your mind on whether Joe West was correct.
Were they reaching over the fence?
That’s the question roiling the postgame debate over whether the fan interference call on Mookie Betts’s attempted catch Wednesday night was correct.
MLB rules say that fans can’t be called for interference if the player reaches over the fence or into the stands. However, if it’s the fan who reaches over the fence and “plainly” prevents the player from catching the ball, then MLB rules say the batter should be called out for spectator interference.
Right field umpire and crew chief Joe West judged that the fans reached over the fence and prevented Betts from catching Jose Altuve’s would-be two-run home run, which proved to be the difference in the Red Sox’ 8-6 win in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. After a three-minute review, MLB officials said the call stood, because they said there was no conclusive evidence to overturn it (or, for that matter, confirm it).
Altuve was ruled out.
https://twitter.com/MLBReplays/status/1052737184216834048
After the game, West said he thought the the call was clear, even if his colleagues in the New York replay operations center did not.
“The spectator reached out of the stands and hit him over the playing field and closed his glove,” said the 65-year-old umpire.
There was also some debate over whether the fans “plainly” prevented Betts from catching the ball. Betts indicated on the field immediately after the play that the fan hit his glove before he had the chance. The Gold Glove right fielder later added that he was “100 percent positive” he would have otherwise caught it.
Mookie Betts was about to rob José Altuve of a home run … until a fan’s hand got in the way.
It was ruled an out on review. pic.twitter.com/NLzAnNJ1vj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 18, 2018
But would he have definitely made the play? And were the fans reaching over? Some fans agreed with Betts and West that the call was clearly correct.
https://twitter.com/IToldYouMonsoon/status/1052731349424062466
Troy Caldwell, one of the fans involved in the incident (the one in the orange jersey), told reporters that he did reach out “over the line,” but “never touched” Betts’s glove. However, it’s unclear if it was Caldwell or the fan to his right in the blue shirt who actually made contact with Betts. Video replays do appear to show that someone made contact with his glove before he had the chance to catch the ball — but again, whether or not the contact occurred over the playing field is difficult to tell.
“It was the most egregious play I’ve ever seen in baseball.” – @GarySheffield
Sheff & J-Roll discuss the controversial fan interference call, which removed an apparent @JoseAltuve27 2-run HR early on in #ALCS Game 4 #MLBonTBS #Postseason pic.twitter.com/T35YQrxWT7
— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) October 18, 2018
Potentially the most conclusive TV angle was blocked by a ballpark security guard. Take a look at these photos and see if you can make up your mind.
