A debatable umpire call on the Rangers brings the 'what is a catch?' discourse to MLB

It’s become as much of an existential question as a logistical one: What is a catch?

Usually a debate reserved for football season — and especially the NFL playoffs — the age old question popped up at Tropicana Field this week where the Tampa Bay Rays hosted the Texas Rangers and forced the umpires into a highly debatable and non-reviewable call on a bang-bang play.

Here’s what happened: Texas’ Jonah Heim hit a scorcher straight at Rays’ third baseman José Caballero, who tried to make the snag and turn a double play but ended up dropping the ball on the transfer. The question is whether or not Caballero held onto the ball long enough to record the out.

On first glance it’s hard to tell how that could be called an out. But when you slow the play down it becomes a big more questionable.

Here’s how the MLB rulebook officially defines a catch:

A catch is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player, or with a wall, or if he falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball. It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional. If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught.

Whatever side you want to argue here likely has a point. And both sides were definitely ready to argue this one.