Call overturned by instant replay leads to more questions for Angels

TEMPE, Ariz. — Another day, another lengthy postgame meeting between Angels Manager Mike Scioscia and the umpires involving instant replay. Tuesday’s discussion was sparked by an eighth-inning call that was overturned, the first of the numerous spring-training challenges involving the Angels that was actually changed.

With the bases loaded and one out against the Seattle Mariners, Angels second baseman Andrew Romine dropped the ball while making the glove-to-hand transfer on a double-play attempt. The play was initially ruled a forceout.

Seattle Manager Lloyd McClendon challenged, and after a 2-minute 20-second review, umpires determined Romine had not had possession of the ball. A run scored, but instead of having men at first and third with two outs, the bases remained loaded. The Mariners scored two more runs in the inning for a 6-5 lead en route to a 10-6 exhibition victory in Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Of the first 21 replay reviews this spring, it was the first in which the call was overturned, according to Major League Baseball.

“To transfer, it’s got to be a catch. The ball has to get into your bare hand cleanly and be cleared before they’re going to consider it a transfer,” Scioscia said. “I didn’t see the replay, but they ruled the ball was dropped and not in possession. So that’s one thing that will probably be called a little tighter.

“Before, it was called loosely. If you had the ball in your glove and you moved your glove to get it to your hand, it was called an out. That’s going to change the mechanics of how you turn a double play. A lot of guys are adept at closing their glove and flipping it into their hand for a quick transfer. If there’s a bobble on that, it’s going to be called safe.”