Controversial call on neighborhood play prompts Dodgers collapse

As if the beleaguered Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen didn’t have enough problems, seemingly routine defensive plays are now conspiring against them.

Despite a rough start from Mat Latos, the Dodgers entered the sixth inning Thursday night leading 7-4. That’s when the wheels fell off. The San Diego Padres rallied for a 10-7 win, but they had a controversial play to thank for starting their rally.

After a Justin Upton lead-off single in the sixth, the Dodgers thought they turned a double play on a grounder by Jedd Gyorko. But second base umpire Chris Conroy ruled Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley did not tag the bag before the throw to first.

While he may not have directly touched the bag on the exchange, it’s a relatively routine play in baseball circles know as the “neighborhood play.” Utley has probably done the exact play many times without incident. Dodger manager Don Mattingly challenged, but the call was upheld. Upton scored one batter later on a Derek Norris double, the first of six unanswered runs that led to the Padres’ win.

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Mattingly was unhappy with the call, and the lack of consistency from umpires.

“He told me he didn’t believe in the neighborhood play so I guess he changed the rules tonight and it is something for the league to think about, really,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “I didn’t realize he could actually change the rules during the game. Jim Joyce believed in it the other day against the Cubs and tonight they didn’t believe in the neighborhood play so I guess they changed the rules.”

Upton himself may have been the most surprised at the call:

@truebluela pic.twitter.com/sjyFEeLYdE

— Binh (@epk06) September 4, 2015

This incident is sure to spark more debate about the neighborhood play. It is one of baseball’s long standing unwritten rules that has just generally been accepted as part of the game. But since the implementation of instant replay in 2014 it has become a question for umpires – despite it not being a reviewable play, which makes Thursday’s incident even more bizarre.

It seems like it’s time for consistency on this play from umpires across the league.

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