ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has an interesting suggestion after Yunel Escobar struck out a pitch with a 4-2 count: give him credit for a walk.
Escobar struck out in the fifth inning Tuesday night after the umpires had an incorrect count -- even after a replay review. On what should have been a walk, umpires ruled the count was 3-2 after consulting with an umpire in New York.
Major League Baseball acknowledged the mistake after the Rays' 7-3 victory over Minnesota, saying "an error was made when replay officials and supervisors mistakenly thought one of the pitches was a foul ball, when it was actually a ball."
"I'd like to see that taken off of Escobar's record as a strikeout and have it reinstated as a walk," Maddon said before Wednesday night's against the Twins. "I don't see that Escobar needs to be penalized when it's been proven that he walked. It doesn't seem like a whole lot, but the hitter should get a walk as opposed to a strikeout because that's what happened."
Both Maddon and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire thought at the time Escobar had drawn a walk.