Picture this.
An NHL head coach challenges goaltender interference. After review, the “no goal” call on the ice is confirmed. Rather than continue to bark at the referee, the coach jumps over the boards and grabs the headset to have it out with the NHL’s Situation Room.
That’s more or less what happened on the baseball diamond during Saturday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
Cubs bench coach Mark Loretta swiped the headset connected to the league’s Replay Operations Center in an attempt to get an explanation on a review call.
Chicago runner Kyle Schwarber was tagged out by Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter. Third Base Umpire Mike Everitt made the call that Carpenter caught the sliding Schwarber with the heel of his glove. The official review confirmed the call on the field.
Loretta then commandeered the headset to speak with the review team.
“We had a little bit of a security breach,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. “I didn’t process that he put the headphones on. I thought he was near the headphones.”
No word on whether Loretta was satisfied with the explanation, or if he received any at all from what must have been a stunned replay room.
The Cubs lost the game 9-8.
Loretta was suspended one game for “inappropriate conduct” for his actions.
