TODAY’S GAME
Cubs at Reds, 7:10 p.m., FS Ohio, 700, 1410
Reds manager Bryan Price didn’t apologize Monday for being ejected Sunday. Nor did he seem especially proud to get thrown out 25 games into his managing career.
Price said it was the third ejection of his Major League coaching career and his first since 2004 when he got the boot as Mariners pitching coach for arguing balls and strikes.
The incident Sunday in Atlanta still bothered Price when he was asked about it on Monday before the first game of a three-game series against the Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Price challenged a call at first base in the first inning. Johnny Cueto appeared to pick off B.J. Upton at first base on a throw to Joey Votto, but Upton was ruled safe and the call stood on review.
Price disputed the call on the field after the review, knowing he would be ejected. Managers aren’t allowed to argue a call after a review. Reds pitcher Homer Bailey was also ejected for arguing from the bench. Price is the first Reds manager to be ejected since Dusty Baker on Aug. 28, 2011.
On Monday, Price said the league office told the Reds the replay was inconclusive. It was the 167th instant replay review of the season. Calls have been upheld 96 times, or 58 percent of the time. Price has challenged seven plays and had three overturned.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it eventually,” Price said, “and see where we’re going from here and get their interpretation.”
No one would deny that the new replay system is a work in progress. The frustrating thing for Price is he wasn’t able to talk to the umpires after the review.
“I think the thing that’s challenging is the fact that the umpires turn the play over to another set of umpires, who make a final decision and then there’s no discussion beyond that,” Price said. “For me, the logical (thing) would be if that play wasn’t overturned because of an inconclusive video to maybe be able to have a conversation with the umpires if anybody else on the field saw it any differently, which is what we used to do.”
Price admitted no other umpire on the field would have had a good look at this call, but that won’t always be the case. He also wasn’t told on the field why the call wasn’t reversed.
“You’re not told it was inconclusive,” Price said. “You’re just told it wasn’t overturned. Now you have no opportunity to talk to the umpires about maybe seeing if anyone saw it differently. That, to me, is the challenging part of the current relationship.”
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