Cardinals Fume Over Umpire Time-Out

The Cardinals were fuming after Wednesday’s thrilling Red Sox walk-off win. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, catcher Yadier Molina and manager Mike Matheny, who was ultimately ejected, were dumbfounded by home plate umpire Chris Segal’s timeout call just before a ninth inning pitch from reliever John Brebbia.

Anyone who watched knows, the Cardinals pitch slowly. It’s part of their game. “If you can, throw it right before (the batter) calls time,” Matheny said post-game, “The longer that he holds the ball the better.” But Segal grew tired of waiting and made the time out call on his own, not at the batter’s request. “First I’ve ever heard of it. That’s what pushed me over the edge,” the manager said.

Replays show that Brebbia held the ball for seven seconds. Though Matheny says he hasn’t seen it before, the Official Rules support Segal’s call.

For Matheny, Wednesday’s ejection was his third of the season, the 68th manager ejection (138th overall ejection) in the majors this season.

Segal, 35, is a 2017 Minor League Call-Up Umpire filling in for vacationing umpire Phil Cuzzi. Segal is the third-most experienced minor league umpire at the Major League level, having officiated at 248 big league games as of the start of this season.

Now, a few other notes of interest for Red Sox fans:

• The Red Sox designated relief pitcher Noe Ramírez for assignment on Thursday. Roenis Elias, just back from the 60-day disabled list, will get Ramírez’ spot on the roster. Ramírez, 27, appeared in 33 games for the Red Sox since 2005, including twice this season, most recently on May 20. He owns a career 4.99 ERA over 30.2 IP.
• Diamondbacks manager (and former Red Sox bench coach) Torey Lovullo said Thursday that one-time Red Sox pitcher Rubby De La Rosa is headed for a second Tommy John Surgery (also 2011). Fans will recall that De La Rosa came to the Sox in the infamous 2012 trade with the Dodgers for Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Adrián González, and Nick Punto. The Sox sent De La Rosa and Allen Webster to Arizona for Wade Miley in 2014. As a result of the surgery, De La Rosa could miss all of the 2018 season.
• In case you’re wondering, Webster hasn’t seen big league action since 2015 when he appeared in nine games with Arizona. After a stop with the Pirates, Webster is now in the Rangers organization. This season he’s 4-4, 6.79 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) at Triple-A Round Rock.
• The Red Sox will honor Jerry Remy‘s 30 years as a broadcaster prior to Sunday’s game against the Yankees. Remy, who is recovering from treatment for lung cancer, has been in the booth for over 3,900 Sox games. NESN will carry the ceremony live just before the 1:35 ET/10:35 PT game.
• And finally, I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I must have giggled my way through this 50 times now. Pre-game on Wednesday, young cancer survivor Jordan Leandre threw out the ceremonial first pitch, but it sailed away from Mike Andrew and instead hit photographer Tony Capobianco in, shall we say, a tender spot. Fortunately, Capobianco wasn’t badly injured and tweeted good-naturedly afterwards.