TORONTO – A frustrated Charlie Montoyo took full responsibility for the Toronto Blue Jays’ failure to review an important play in Friday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, saying he should have overruled the club’s replay staff and challenged an out call.
Speaking Saturday during his daily pre-game briefing, the rookie manager cursed repeatedly while discussing his regret over not demanding a review of an out at third base on Freddy Galvis, a call that ended a six-run seventh inning that cut into an 8-0 deficit.
One broadcast angle appeared to show Galvis sliding into the bag ahead of the tag.
“Our process said no, but I should have f—— challenged it,” said Montoyo. “At the end of the day, I f—– up. They told me no, but I (should have said), f—— do it. It’s on me.”
After Friday’s 11-7 setback, Montoyo said the Blue Jays’ had an issue in their replay process and as of early Saturday afternoon, he said the team was still reviewing what went wrong. Teams assign a staffer to a Major League Baseball supplied replay control centre and that person communicates with the dugout about whether to challenge a call on the field or not.
Under baseball’s replay rules, teams have 10 seconds to inform the umpiring crew whether they need time to check into a play, and then 30 seconds to make a decision.
The Blue Jays – whose replay terminal was down briefly but up and running during the fateful seventh – made their decision to not request a review despite Galvis immediately pointing into the dugout because he felt he was safe.
“Guys do that all the time,” said Montoyo. “Then we asked, the process said no, but I should have said go ahead.”
There is cause to be judicious on whether or not to challenge a play, as teams have just one challenge and lose it if they are wrong. But from the eighth inning onwards, a crew chief can review a close play on his own, and teams can ask the umpires to check the replay.
“In the seventh inning, that late, I should have f—— just gone ahead and f—— done it. It’s a big play in the game,” said Montoyo, adding later: “Somebody is telling you no. So that means the guy is out. But why not? Just f—— do it.”
The Blue Jays got their replay process right in the fourth inning Saturday, successfully challenging an out call on Teoscar Hernandez at first base.
SHORT HOPS: As for the baserunning decision made by Freddy Galvis to try and take third when a ball just squirted away from Rays catcher Mike Zunino, and an earlier decision by Richard Urena to unsuccessfully try to stretch a single, Charlie Montoyo was far less forgiving. “That wasn’t good baserunning,” he said, adding that first base coach Mark Budzinski, who oversees baserunning, had raised the matter. … Despite a .333/.360/.458 batting line in eight games, Richard Urena ended up the odd man out to clear a spot on 25-man roster for Clay Buchholz. One reason is that the Blue Jays still want to look at infielder Alen Hanson and outfielder Socrates Brito. The other? “We wanted to keep another pitcher,” said Montoyo. … Ryan Tepera is slated to pitch at triple-A Buffalo again Sunday and barring a setback, could join the Blue Jays in Minnesota. … Freddy Galvis, who was upset with umpire Quinn Wolcott’s work at home Friday, spoke with him on the field during pre-game warmups, in between throws.
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