For about 5 seconds last night, the bottom of the seventh in the Indians-Rays game was over. Tampa Bay was trotting into the dugout after getting the benefit of a blown call on a bobbled ball at first by Carlos Pena. Then something crazy happened.


Manny Acta ran out to complain because, normally, complain is the only thing a manager can do at that point. But first base umpire Jerry Meals—now stay with me because this is seriously insane—consulted his fellow umpires and they overturned the call. In, like, two seconds. Cooperstown did not explode. Honus Wagner is not spinning in his grave. Murray Chass may have farted, that's it.

Better Know An Umpire: Jerry Meals Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have… Read more