August 25th, 2019 at 2:00 pm 
by 0799291000348 Flashback to the top of the ninth inning of Saturday afternoon’s interleague game between the National League West first-place Los Angeles Dodgers and the American League East first-place New York Yankees at a sold-out Dodger Stadium.
The Yankees had one out with runners on first and second, with the Dodgers holding on to a precarious 2-1 lead. Yankees third baseman Gio Urshela hits a weak ground ball to his counterpart, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, who throws to Max Muncy at second base in an attempt to turn a double play.
It is a bang-bang play, with Yankees centerfielder Brett Gardner sliding hard into the bag … and Muncy. Second base umpire Jansen Visconti signals out, with Muncy down. He is hurt, perhaps badly, as he rolls on the infield dirt in obvious pain, yet valiantly attempts to rise for a throw to Dodgers first baseman Matt Beaty, but can’t. Home plate umpire Gabe Morales immediately signals timeout, as teammates, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, and a trainer rush to the aide of their fallen comrade.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNetLA)
It doesn’t matter that replay officials in New York overturned the umpire’s ‘out’ call, or that the perceived dirty slide was deemed legal.
After a surprisingly short delay, Muncy was back up and ready to play … and the Dodgers still had a 2-1 lead, since the runner at third base was not allowed to score because time had been called.
Whew! The Big Dodger in the Sky was watching over the Boys in Blue … or all white, in this case.
Hmmm… After a couple of minutes, Muncy doesn’t look all that hurt. No rubbing his knee or his leg. Did he just ‘con’ the umpires into calling an unnecessary injury time out for a player who wasn’t really injured so that the tying run could not score from third base?
By his own admission after the game, the answer is yes. The old ‘soccer flop’ had just been pulled off by Muncy in an extremely crucial major league baseball game. (Note: The winners of this three-game interleague series will get home-field advantage in the 2019 World Series, should both teams make it there).
Sorry Max, but that was bush league. The ‘soccer flop’ has no place in major league baseball.
Hopefully, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already spoken with his 29-year-old (today) utility infielder privately about playing the game the right way.
Muncy deserves to be fined by MLB, with the union refusing to file a grievance. Or perhaps the Yankees will police the matter themselves (a very effective old school practice) with a little ‘high-heat up-and-in’ (or a 95-ish MPH fastball in the ribs), or perhaps really being taken out on a hard slide at second base, with umpires somehow missing it.
Play the game hard Max, but play it the right way.
For now, you just lost some respect from this Dodger fan.
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Posted in 
Have to admit, Jesse, that I disagree wholeheartedly.
There is zero doubt in my mind – absolutely none whatsoever – that the Yankees would have done the EXACT the same thing if the situation had been reversed. In fact, I believe that this goes on almost daily across the league.
What you call ‘bush league,’ I call ‘gamesmanship.’
I would be very surprised if MLB does anything punitive to MadMax in this instance. If they do, I believe that it would set a very bad precedent.
Just my $.02
I will stand by my comment and leave you with this — because someone else may do something inappropriate is not justification for another to do something similar. I remember when Nolan Arrenado faked a catch by putting a toy baseball in his glove, showing it to the umpire, getting the out signal, then throwing the ball into the stands so umpire could not tell that it was fake. Gamemanship, or cheating? No, MLB will not likely take any action — and that is a sad commentary.
Jesse, you’re way off base, no need to go to replay!!! Max deserves to be applauded for being smart enough to think to fake the injury, right after getting decked by Gardner!!! Learn the game, Jesse!!! Great job, Max, & have a Happy Birthday, by hitting a few bombs!!! Let’s go Dodgers!!!
Learn the game? I will gladly test my baseball acumen with you anytime you want.
Sorry if I offended you! Rabid Dodger fan for 65 years!!! Dodger Blue 24 hours a day!!! Don’t go up against me, I am a Dodger encyclopedia, you don’t stand a chance!!! Good Luck!!!
It would make for an interesting debate as we have been Dodgers fanatics for the same number of years. Peace!
Jesse, in the end, we have the same goal, a Dodger championship!!! Peace and good health!!! Let’s go Dodgers!!!
My question is this: Why was the umpire even allowed to call a time out when the ball was still in play? Just because there is a hurt player, I have always seen the play continue. For instance, when an outfielder crashes against a wall to catch a ball & misses it, the runner continues to run the bases until another outfielder gets the ball in. The ump just doesn’t call a timeout & stop all runners at their places because the outfielder is hurt. If a pitcher gets hit by a line drive, does that mean that the hitter cannot go to first base? When Max fell at second, injured or not, the ball is still in play & the umpire had no business calling a time out & Boone should have protested the game.
Umpire made a mistake, but it was an error of judgment that cannot be protested. There was no explicit rule violation, so protest was futile. Muncy feigning injury should have allowed tying run to score, perhaps costing the Dodgers the win and Jansen would have been blamed for blowing another save.
I remember I was against Utley for the way he slid into the Mets’ Tajada a few years ago, like very few other Dodger fans, but this time I give a whole lot of credit to Muncy for quick thinking the way he did and helped the Dodgers beat the Yankees.
Utley’s slide was perfectly legal under the rules at the time — bottom line, good slide by Utley, bad outcome for Tejada. Obviously I am by myself in this opinion, but I see Muncy’s “quick thinking” as not only “bush league,” but also as a ploy that should have resulted in allowing the tying run to score and giving Jansen another blown-save.
I thought it was Jansen who called for time out not the umpire. Kenley said he was concerned because he thought Max was hurt. Now should the umpire have allowed it?
A player may request time out, but must be granted by the umpire. In the video it appears that the umpire raised both hands signaling time out before Jansen raised his arms — but Jansen could have been shouting time out before raising his hands. The play was ongoing as Torres rounded third and continued toward home; the umpire erred in calling time out with play on going (IMO)
Is the play by Max any different than the basketball or hockey players making academy-award falls down to the floor or ice in an attempt to get a penalty called against the player who barely brushed them. And sometimes it worked too.
I think Muncy’s feigned injury was very similar to the players in soccer and NBA. Doesn’t make it right for any sport.
So true Jesse.
It looked like a rerun of a movie,we’ve all seen before in the playoffs this weekend,the overall offense was non existent and Kershaw and Ryu were not at their very best by giving up untimely home runs. I hope these are not coming attractions for this year’s playoffs.
I thought the same thing – as Yogi Berra said, “It’s deja vu all over again.”
Kershaw gave up 3 runs in 7 innings against arguably the best offense in baseball with 12 K’s. He did his job.
Word.