'What Is A Catch?' Question Reaches Baseball After Dodgers Prospect Hits Controversial Home Run On Dropped Ball
What is a catch? A question that is often asked in reference to football has officially made its way over to the baseball diamond.
The controversy arose during a Triple-A baseball game between the Oklahoma City Dodgers and Sacramento River Cats on Sunday afternoon. Dodgers No. 30 prospect Devin Mann was at the plate.
Mann, a 26-year-old first baseman, hit a fly ball deep to the gap in right centerfield. River Cats center fielder Bryce Johnson got on his horse and tracked down the fly ball without issue.
It was an easy catch, but was it a catch?!
Johnson took four steps after snagging the ball on the warning track and accidentally dropped the ball over the outfield wall as he tried to stop his momentum. The ball was in his glove, he took four steps, and then it fell out over the fence.
Mann was initially called out because Johnson caught the ball. However, after he accidentally tossed it out of play, the umpires gathered together and overturned the out. They ruled it a home run.
Mann, who stopped in his tracks at second base after the initial catch, continued around the bases to score. The solo home run added to a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Did the umpires make the right call? Mann did not think so. Even he thought it was an out!
From my point of view, it looked like a pretty solid catch. But I don't know all the ins and outs of how they get to the conclusion of it being a home run. But, shoot, I'll take it.
The umpires did not agree with Mann's assessment. Their call is entirely subjective.
On the gridiron, a catch comes down to whether the player made a "football move." In baseball, the fielder has to demonstrate control of the ball — which is up to solely the umpire's judgement. The fielder must also make a voluntary and intentional release of the ball.
MiLB umps in Sacramento did not conclude that Johnson did both, or either. That's their call.
But was it the right one? Was it a catch?