Rookie interrupts game (70 percent of vote)
Team: Buffalo Bisons
Rookie, the Trenton legend, was a little disoriented being so far from home. That’s completely reasonable. It’s also reasonable to expect that a spectator won’t be on their best behavior at a Buffalo sporting event during football season. At least this impromptu mound visit didn’t count against the IronPigs’ limit. Although they had to paws this Sept. 22 contest between Triple-A Buffalo and Lehigh Valley, Rookie is still confirmed to be a very good boy.
Witt Jr. misses home (10 percent)
Team: Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Bobby Witt Jr. crushed a ball out of the park for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and did his signature skip at home. But umpire Chris Presley-Murphy said the top prospect never touched the plate, and therefore the play was ruled a triple. Debate quickly raged online about if he stepped on home. Even Royals part-owner and NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes weighed in.
Moss' dive comes up way short (10 percent)
Team: Down East Wood Ducks
It was a simple “caught stealing” in the box score for Rangers prospect Keithron Moss in High-A Down East’s game against Myrtle Beach on July 3. But the box score doesn’t tell the story of the Hard 75 that Moss put into the attempt as he fell about 15 feet short of the second-base bag. The Wood Ducks were wearing camouflage jerseys. So, maybe he could have gotten away with it?
Umpire swaps belt during ejection (7 percent)
Team: Louisville Bats
Never let a wardrobe malfunction get in the way of a good ejection. At least that was Takahito Matsuda’s philosophy as he was calling balls and strikes during a June 25 game between Triple-A Louisville and Indianapolis. Matsuda’s belt snapped while arguing with Bats shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and manager Pat Kelly, who was eventually rung up from the dugout while the home plate ump was strapping on a belt he borrowed from another umpire.
Lugo gets two in return (3 percent)
Team: Fort Wayne TinCaps
High-A Fort Wayne pitcher Moises Lugo wasn’t seeing double. He just got more than he bargained for when both his catcher and the umpire threw a fresh baseball out to the mound in a June 12 game against Lake County. Fortunately, while he was being thrown the two, he pulled off his best impression of “The One” and avoided both projectiles before safely returning to the mound.