New York — It was a rough night for home-plate umpire Junior Valentine on Wednesday.
There were six challenges, and three of his calls were overturned. He’d mistakenly thought the Mets’ Brett Baty had asked for a challenge when he was only adjusting his helmet.
There was a lot going on in a tight game that ended up being a 3-2 Mets win in the 10th inning.
So, he might’ve been a little on edge in the eighth inning when Mets reliever Luke Weaver started barking at the Tigers’ on-deck hitters.
“I didn’t know what that was about,” Matt Vierling said.
It was about the pitch-clock. Apparently the Tigers’ hitters were blocking Weaver’s view.
“I guess he generally looks on that one side,” manager AJ Hinch said. “(Riley) Greene was unintentionally in the way so he moved the circle back. And I really don’t know what was going on after that.”
Vierling came to the on-deck circle when Greene went to the plate.
“I try to get as close to the pitcher as I can,” Vierling said. “I want to see how the ball is moving. What’s his breaking ball look like? How’s it coming out of his hand? The closer I can get to the plate the better.”
In his first three at-bats, before the on-deck circle was moved and before Weaver came into the game, Vierling took his swings between the circle and the plate. But after the on-deck circle was moved, he ended up more in front of the pitch clock.
“I saw him yelling at Riley and Riley was like, ‘What’s up?’” Vierling said. “So they back it up and I was like one step in front of it, not even near the plate, swinging. All of a sudden Weaver is yelling my way and Junior is pointing down at me. I was like, ‘What’s going on? What are you talking about?’”
Valentine motioned aggressively toward the Tigers’ dugout as if he was threatening to eject someone. It was perplexing, especially for Vierling, who didn’t know until Thursday morning that blocking the pitch clock was the issue.
“It continued to be a source of angst,” Hinch said. “Tork (Spencer Torkelson) went on the other side of it and the fans were yelling at him that he was too close to home plate. I said move it in front of me. I don’t care. It just became a weird moment.
“But, in the end, all was resolved.”
On deck: Toronto Blue Jays
Series: Three games at Comerica Park, Detroit
First pitch: Friday — 6:45 p.m.; Saturday — 1:10 p.m.; Sunday — 1:40 p.m.
TV/radio: Friday — Apple, 97.1, 107.9; Saturday-Sunday — Detroit Sports Net, 97.1, 107.9
Probables: Friday — RHP Trey Yesavage (1-1, 0.68) vs. RHP Ty Madden (0-0, 2.45); Saturday — TBA vs. RHP Casey Mize (2-2, 2.90), tentative; Sunday — RHP Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.86) vs. RHP Jack Flaherty (0-4, 5.73).
Scouting report
Yesavage, Blue Jays: He started the season late because of a shoulder impingement but he’s hit the ground running. In his three starts he’s allowed one run in 13.1 innings with 15 strikeouts and five walks. He’s got one of the lowest hard-hit rates in the game (19.4%). He throws splitters (38% whiff rate) and sliders (40% whiff rate), off a riding, 94-mph four-seamer.
Madden, Tigers: This will be his third outing for the Tigers and the first two were in bulk relief following an opener. There is a chance the Tigers will deploy the same strategy and why not? It’s been working. He’s gone five and six innings in the two games, working through the opponent’s batting order two-plus times. He’s been creative in tailoring his six-pitch arsenal to fit the matchups. The cutter has been exceptional against righties and lefties (2 for 13, six strikeouts, 42% whiff). He’s held righties in check with sliders and sinkers. Lefties get more four-seamers, cutters and splitters.
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Getting to the bottom of Tigers-Mets on-deck circle kerfuffle
Reporting by Chris McCosky, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
