The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates were playing a meaningless baseball game last night, with the Cubs already clinching the best record in the NL and the Pirates eliminated from post-season contention. But that didn’t stop Clint Hurdle from referencing an obscure baseball rule, in the greatest display of attention to detail (or nit-pickiness) we have seen in a while.
Rules 3.05 and 3.06 of the 2016 Official Baseball Rules of MLB dictate the allowed dimensions of a first baseman’s mitt as well as the allowable dimensions of other fielder’s mitts. When the Cubs switched up their positioning to better defend against a bunt (Zobrist holding the runner on, while Rizzo crashed), they technically switched positions, making their original glove choices somewhat illegal.
So Clint Hurdle decided he was going to stick it to the Cubs, and asked the umpires to make them switch leather. It worked and we all got a good laugh.
