林言熹觀點

還記得沒多久前，美國大聯盟決定採用電視重播畫面來協助裁判處理爭議判決嗎？

看來，也許他們得考慮以後不只是用影片來「協助」裁判，還要「協助」紀錄員了。

會讓我腦中浮現這個想法，自然和這段影片有關。

在釀酒人和海盜的比賽中，投手CC Sabathia五局處理郭泓志和胡金龍前隊友Andy LaRoche的軟弱滾地球時，第一時間沒把球拿好，使得LaRoche因而上一壘，說句老實話，雖然我先看到新聞才去點選影片，但怎麼看都像失誤，不管看幾遍都覺得是失誤。

但紀錄是安打。

匹茲堡海盜全場所敲出的唯一一支安打。

換句話說，假如紀錄為失誤，那就會是Sabathia生涯的第一場無安打比賽，也會是釀酒人隊史第二場，自1987年4月15日Juan Nieves以來的第一次。

只不過，擁有二十年經驗的官方紀錄員Bob Webb並不這麼認為，他表示：「當看到球時馬上就做出判定，相信那是一支安打，我認為在任何情況下這都是安打，那球並非容易處理，即便他馬上接起球，根據我的估計，也必須做出超過一般水準的傳球來讓打者出局。」

但釀酒人總教練Ned Yost不這麼認為。

他不滿地說：「這是個笑話，那根本不接近，紀錄員毫無疑問地否定大聯盟的一場無安打比賽，他們在LaRoche上壘前就決定是『安打』了，但那原本是CC可以輕鬆讓他在十英尺外出局的傳球，對我而言，這完全不需要用大腦，這讓人感到可悲。」

對當事人來說，Sabathia則是心情氣和地接受，怪自己讓LaRoche上壘。「球還在滾，我或許應該用手套去接球，而我們或許就不需要這些對話，我想假如我用手套接球，應該就能夠讓他出局。」

另一位當事人則不是那麼有把握，LaRoche勉強地打中Sabathia這顆滑球，「我讓它成為滾地球，我想這是支安打，就自私的立場來說我希望這是支安打，但你也可以不這麼認為，但對於目前打擊率只有0.160的我來說，我需要每一支我能有的安打。」

對我來說，這的確不像安打，畢竟當Sabathia碰到球的時候，LaRoche大約才跑一半，就算需要將球接起，再轉身，再傳到一壘，但對於經驗豐富的職業投手來說，這球不太會是問題，也不該是問題。

但這已經成為大家的問題。

ESPN的網路投票就多了這個問題，截至目前為止，結果顯示大多數的網友也都和我有類似的看法，在五萬多人投票中，有近七成認為這是不是安打。

這也是釀酒人的問題。

球團決定提出抗議，也準備將申訴內容和相關影片送給大聯盟理事長辦公室和負責球隊關係的資深副總Phyllis Merhige，希望能力挽狂瀾，將「錯誤」的事情改正。釀酒人公關部長Mike Vassallo也表示，今年6月12日對休士頓太空人曾經對判決提出抗議，後來安打改判成Prince Fielder的失誤，幫Guillermo Mota省兩分自責，希望這次也行。

這更是Bob Webb的問題。

因為根據聯盟規則，官方紀錄員是唯一能在二十四小時內改變判定的人，即使，聯盟在檢視過釀酒人提供的證據時，可能要求官方紀錄員更改判定，但並不能強迫紀錄員去更改判定。

雖然我還不知道釀酒人的申訴抗議會不會改變任何結果，也不知道這應不應該改變任何結果，畢竟最當下的判斷大多是最準確的，紀錄員不會受到是否為無安打比賽的影響，更麻煩的是，即便紀錄員發生錯誤，倘若真的改判，那大聯盟史上第一次改判的無安打比賽就將出爐，那棒球歷史又該怎麼寫？

這可能是棒球之神的問題了。

王建民本季第十三場先發雖然七局下出狀況，一度是敗戰投手候選人，還好洋基八局上的反攻取得8比6領先，並因為下雨超過一個半小時，裁判裁定比賽保留（ Suspended Games），比賽保留到7月27日再戰才能分出勝負。

現今棒球規則

問題來了，因雨中止時八局上還沒打完，難道不是用七局結束時的比數來收尾嗎？需要將比賽保留嗎？到底棒球規則是怎麼寫的呢？根據大聯盟官網的規則四：Official Rules: 4.00 Starting and Ending a Game，保留比賽會在這些狀況發生：

SUSPENDED GAMES.
(a) A game shall become a suspended game that must be completed at a future date if the game is terminated for any of the following reasons:
(1) A curfew imposed by law;
(2) A time limit permissible under league rules;
(3) Light failure or malfunction of a mechanical field device under control of the home club. (Mechanical field device shall include automatic tarpaulin or water removal equipment);
(4) Darkness, when a law prevents the lights from being turned on;
(5) Weather, if a regulation game is called while an inning is in progress and before the inning is completed, and the visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead, and the home team has not retaken the lead; or
(6) It is a regulation game that is called with the score tied. National Association Leagues may also adopt the following rules for suspended games. (If adopted by a National Association League, Rule 4.10(e) would not apply to their games.):
(7) The game has not become a regulation game (41/2 innings with the home team ahead, or 5 innings with the visiting club ahead or tied).
(8) If a game is suspended before it becomes a regulation game, and is continued prior to another regularly scheduled game, the regularly scheduled game with be limited to seven innings.
(9) If a game is suspended after it is a regulation game, and is continued prior to another regularly scheduled game, the regularly scheduled game will be a nine inning game.
EXCEPTION: Optional Rules 4.12(a)(7), 4.12(a)(8) and 4.12(a)(9) for National Association Leagues will not apply to the last scheduled game between the two teams during the championship season or league playoffs.
No game called because of a curfew (Rule 4.12(a)(1)), weather (Rule 4.12(a)(5)), a time limit (Rule 4.12(a)(2)) or with a tied score (Rule 4.12(a)(6)) shall be a suspended game unless it has progressed far enough to have been a regulation game pursuant to Rule 4.10(c). A game called pursuant to Rules 4.12(a)(3) or 4.12(a)(4) shall be a suspended game at any time after it starts.
NOTE: Weather and similar conditions—Rules 4.12(a)(1) through 4.12(a)(5)—shall take precedence in determining whether a called game shall be a suspended game. If a game is halted by weather, and subsequent light failure or an intervening curfew or time limit prevents its resumption, the game shall not be a suspended game. If a game is halted by light failure, and weather or field conditions prevent its resumption, the game shall not be a suspended game. A game can only be considered a suspended game if stopped for any of the six reasons specified in Rule 4.12(a).

其中4.12(a)(5)是說，天氣，假如例行賽在一局進行中且該局沒有結束，而客隊得到一分以上取得領先，且主隊尚未將比數超前。

當天新聞報導

所以很清楚了，因為比賽打到八局上兩出局，先攻的洋基剛好得四分取得領先，而後攻的金鶯還沒機會追平或超前，所以比賽保留，看起來就這麼簡單，不過，在讀到相關比賽新聞時，發現都提到這是今年剛採用的新規定，像是The Journal News就寫：

The Yankees can be thankful for a change in baseball rules over the winter, otherwise the game would have reverted back to the seventh inning and Baltimore would have come away with a 6-4 victory.

"We would have been tearing this place apart if that happened," said Kyle Farnsworth, who was warming up to pitch in the bottom of the eighth before the rains came.

而NY DailyNews也提到：

A new rule instituted this season essentially paused the game until late-July instead of going back to the end of the last full inning. Under the old rules, the Yankees would have lost the game, 6-4, in seven innings.

"It's a rule change from this year, which is a plus for us," Torre said.

則寫道：

The rule was changed before this season; according to Manager Joe Torre, had the same situation happened last year, the Orioles would have won because they were leading 6-4 after seven, and the final score would have been the score in last completed inning.

但洋基官方網站的新聞Yanks will have to wait for win over O's和金鶯官網的新聞Orioles get bogged down in rain都沒有提到新規則的事情，不過有這麼多當地新聞背書，看起來應該是今年採用的新規定沒錯，讓王建民不至於吞敗，Joe Torre和Brian Cashman也逃過一劫。

年初宣布更改規則

不過問題又來了，那更改前的規定是怎樣呢？到處Google一下發現，根據大聯盟官方2月16日發佈消息：Playing Rules Committee implements changes for 2007 season，裡面提到：

In accordance with a unanimous recommendation from the Major League General Managers at their 2005 meetings, the Rule has been changed so that a tied regulation game that is stopped now will be suspended and resumed before the next scheduled game between the same two clubs on the same grounds (or, before the next scheduled game at the visiting club's grounds, if no more games remain at the original club's home park); only if no scheduled games remain between the two clubs would the game be a called, tie game, in which case it would be replayed in its entirety only if necessary to affect a playoff spot.

看起來有點關連，不過提到的是平手比賽，美聯社當天新聞MLB makes rule changes for first time since 1996則是這麼說的：

Before this year, when an official game was called due to weather and the score was tied, the statistics counted and a new game was replayed from the start. Under the change, when a game is tied in the bottom of the fifth inning or later and is called because of weather, it will be suspended and resumed before the next scheduled game between the teams at the same ballpark.

講得也是平手比賽，感覺和洋基金鶯這場比賽並不完全一樣。

因此，再查詢是否有更詳盡的資料，發現兩份文件，在Summary of official scoring rule changes 規則更改摘要裡面，沒有和保留比賽有關的內容，但在正式規則修訂Official rule changes當中，找到更動之處，在第四頁裡：

8. Rules 4.10(d), 4.11(d), and 4.12: Rules related to tie games and suspended games.
Rule 4.10(d) has been amended so that a regulation game called with the score tied now becomes a suspended game.

Rules 4.11(d) and 4.12 have been revised accordingly to agree with the above change, and Rule 4.12 has been reorganized and amplified for “cleaner” and clearer explanation of the rule.
NOTE: This change has no impact for National Association Leagues (Minor Leagues) that have previously adopted the optional suspended rules. In those leagues application of the new rule is a moot point because a regulation game called with the score tied is currently a suspended game under the optional suspended game rules. That particular stipulation has been removed from the “optional” section of the Minor League rule and inserted in the main portion of the rule so that it now applies to all levels of professional baseball.

第五頁與第六頁上半部則將4.12全部列為修改段落，但並未註明舊規則到底該怎麼運作。

過去案例研究

如此一來我開始覺得困惑，畢竟還是看不出來到底今年之前的規則是啥，只好來找尋過去的案例，結果發現洋基金鶯之戰並不是第一次，今年5月1日小熊對海盜就曾經發生過，New rule aids Cubs in win:

If the Cubs win the National League Central or NL Wild Card by a game come September, they can thank a rule change made in the offseason.

Under the old Major League Baseball rules, the Cubs would have lost Tuesday's night game to the Pirates if the game had been called -- even though Chicago had the lead when play was stopped due to rain in the seventh inning.

The Cubs entered the top of the seventh trailing, 5-2, but scored four runs that inning to take a 6-5 lead before a rain delay stopped play with the first batter of the bottom of the inning, Chris Duffy, at the plate.

Almost 2 1/2 hours later, the game was officially stopped for the night. Because the visiting team (the Cubs) took the lead in the top of the inning and the home team (the Pirates) did not get a chance to match that in the bottom of the inning, the former rule would have stated that the game reverted back to what the score was at the end of the last completed inning and would have been ruled complete.

With the new rule, in circumstances surrounding Tuesday's contest, the game is suspended and picked up at the point it was left off before the rains stopped play.

Officially, Rule 4.12 (a) states: A game shall become a suspended game that must be completed at a future date if the game is terminated ... (due to) weather, if a regulation game is called while an inning is in progress and before the inning is completed, and the visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead.

這場比賽和洋基金鶯之戰狀況一樣，事情越來越清楚了。

驚人發現

不過，這時候我找到2000年4月12日的一場道奇和巨人的比賽，此役因雨保留，當時先攻的道奇在六局上得一分取得領先，而下半局還沒機會反攻直到到隔天再戰。

DODGERS 6TH: Green doubled to center; Karros was hit by a pitch;
Hundley walked [Green to third, Karros to second]; Beltre hit a
sacrifice fly to center [Green scored, Karros to third]; Elster
was called out on strikes; Dreifort popped to second; game
suspended for rain until April 13; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Dodgers 3, Giants 2.

換句話說，似乎以前客隊領先時就會保留，那規定真的是今年才採用的嗎？此時我有個驚人的發現，在美聯社最初的新聞當中（YESNetwork 06/28/2007 11:55PM ET），相關內容是這樣寫的：

Before this season, play would have reverted to the last inning and Baltimore would have won.

"It's a rule change for this year, which is a plus for us," Torre said. "Hopefully we can go home and build off this. We didn't get a result yet."

Before 1980, the score would have reverted to the start of the inning, giving the Orioles a 6-4 win. But the rule was changed after a game on Aug. 13, 1978, when Baltimore led 3-0 after six innings and the Yankees scored five runs in the top of the seventh.

也在The LoHud Yankees Blog的回應寫道：

The rule about suspending games when the visitors take the lead has been on the books since 1979. The rule change this year for suspended games was about games that were tied.

換句話說，有可能保留比賽這段早在1980年就改了，而非今年。

舊有棒球規則

所以目前只差今年以前的棒球規則，手邊有一本2002年的，也找到網路版的過去棒球規則：

舊版的4.12(a)(5)是說，天氣，假如例行賽在一局進行中且該局沒有結束，且以下的一個狀況發生：1. 客隊得到一分以上追平比數，且主隊並未得分，2.客隊得到一分以上取得領先，且主隊沒有追平或將比數超前。

和今年的規則相比，差距其實在平手部分，而非客隊領先，和大聯盟當時提到規則修改的新聞稿所寫的吻合。

關鍵在裁判？

根據以上的研究顯示，其實關鍵在Derek Jeter的那支兩分打點安打，萬一沒有那支安打，洋基沒取得領先，比賽可能就不用保留，那結果會如何將很難說。

而Jeter之所以敲出安打，事關裁判裁定因雨中止的時間，所以不管怎麼樣，還是得記住這場比賽的裁判是誰吧：（HP--Jim Joyce. 1B--Jim Wolf. 2B--Rob Drake. 3B--Tim Tschida，Tschida是Crew Chief）。

最後，再次強調這是我現在的認知，一時也找不到更確定的答案，任何人有意見請不吝賜教。