Wednesday night, Billy Butler hit a home run that wasn't. Maybe you've heard about it, because it's been kind of a big story all day. You can watch it right here. The quick summary: in the third inning, against the Yankees, Royals DH Billy Butler hit a long fly off the wall in left-center. It hit the top of the lower wall, but did not clear a small upper section. According to the ground rules, that is not a home run. But it was called a home run, and after looking at it on instant replay, the original call was upheld. Butler had a solo homer, and the Royals went on to win by one run.
The Five Best Things About Billy Butler’s Disputed Home Run
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It was obviously a big mess that left the Yankees justifiably upset. But it was also amazing, and here are five reasons why:
These guys
I'm contractually obligated to include at least one .gif in everything I write, but even if I weren't, I still would've used this. On the left, we have a Royals fan who nods and claps when the umpires make the wrong call. In the middle, we have a guy who's been wearing the same t-shirt since 1986 who is clearly well-studied in the field of vigorous mimicry. On the right, we have a Blue Jays fan who presumably follows the Yankees around and applauds their misfortune. Behind them are three guys who have absolutely no idea how what just happened happened. Also to the far left it looks like a guy was so upset by the call he threw up.
The umpires reviewed the play and still got it wrong
It was forgivable that they got the call wrong at first. The outfield fence is a long ways from where they were standing, and it’s understandable that they might’ve had trouble seeing where the ball hit. But then they went to instant replay. That’s where they saw this:
And still, dinger. As support for expanded replay continues to mount, the primary assumption is that expanded replay will lead to a greater number of proper calls. But here it’s like the umpires got together and agreed to fight back.
Umpire 1: These replays are encroaching on our territory.
Umpire 2: It’s like people want us to be powerless.
Umpire 1: What can we do about it?
Umpire 2: I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about it.
Umpire 1: Unless...
Umpire 2: Unless what?
Umpire 1: Unless we just ignored what the replays are showing us.
Umpire 2: Ignored?
Umpire 1: We could always just stick to our calls on the field, regardless.
Umpire 2: That’s crazy!
Umpire 1: It’s not crazy at all. They can’t get rid of us.
Umpire 2: Sure they can!
Umpire 1: No they can’t. They still need humans on the field to make the decisions.
Umpire 2: So...
Umpire 1: So we all need to band together. If we stand together, we keep the power.
Umpire 2: It’s genius!
Umpire 1: They can have their expanded replay! As far as they know.
Umpire 2: /laughs
Umpire 2: /coughs, is old
The umpires knew the ground rules beforehand
The explanation given after the fact was that umpires thought it was a home run if the ball cleared the first wall, even if it didn’t clear the second. Now, from Marc Carig, on a conversation at the start of the series:
[Yankees first base coach Mick] Kelleher asked specifically about the outfield wall, and whether a home run had to clear the lower ledge or the upper chain-link fence. He recalled [umpire Dana] DeMuth telling him that home runs had to clear the chain-link fence, meaning anything below that was in play.
The umpires knew. Then, for a few minutes Wednesday night, they did not. I am so afraid of aging.
The Yankees didn’t protest
Baseball protests are usually stupid. They almost never work. But this one - this one would’ve had a strong case. Joe Girardi and the entire Yankees team were upset. Joe Girardi has protested before. But this time, nothing. Nothing, when a protest might’ve worked out in the Yankees’ favor. Whoopsadoodle!
The Royals’ reactions
This is Billy Butler in the dugout while his home run is being reviewed.
Butler went over and grabbed a batting helmet, expecting to be sent back to the basepaths. Additionally, the Royals announcers remarked that he usually wears a sweatshirt to stay warm in between at bats, and he didn’t put on his sweatshirt. Butler was clearly expecting the initial call to be overturned.
Then it wasn’t. Nobody could believe it. The Royals announcers couldn’t believe it. Butler and his teammates smiled and high-fived, and Ned Yost leaned on the railing with a small grin that said it all.
Billy Butler hit a home run that clearly wasn’t a home run, but was called a home run. Twice. Baseball is the weirdest.
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