Torre: A's loss to Indians stands despite botched home run call
The Oakland Athletics were correct in their argument about a disputed home run call Wednesday, but it won't change the outcome of their loss to the Cleveland Indians.
That was the announcement Thursday by Joe Torre, Major League Baseball's Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations.
The disputed call occurred in the ninth inning Wednesday, when umpires initially ruled that a ball hit by Oakland's Adam Rosales with two outs and the A's trailing 4-3 was a double, not a game-tying home run. Instant replay appeared to show the ball hit the railing above the left-field wall, which would have been a home run.
Umpire crew chief Angel Hernandez didn't reverse the call after watching video, which incensed A's manager Bob Melvin. Hernandez later told a pool reporter that there wasn't convincing evidence to overturn a call.
"By rule, the decision to reverse a call by use of instant replay is at the sole discretion of the crew chief," Torre said in a statement. "It was a judgment call, and as such, it stands as final.
Torre acknowledged that the wrong call was made.
"Home and away broadcast feeds are available for all uses of instant replay, and they were available to the crew last night. Given what we saw, we recognize that an improper call was made. Perfection is an impossible standard in any endeavor, but our goal is always to get the calls right. Earlier this morning, we began the process of speaking with the crew to thoroughly review all the circumstances surrounding last night's decision."
Melvin, who was ejected for arguing Wednesday, said on Thursday that he'd figured the call might go against the A's.
"It actually worried me it took so long," Melvin said, "because it only took one replay to see."
Rosales said Thursday, "That was the final decision. There's not much else we can do about it. We have to move forward."
