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Umpire Doug Eddings Admits Hat Call Was Uninformed

9/5/2026

22 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Eddings Ejects Marmol

Umpire Doug Eddings ejected Cardinals manager Oli Marmol during the game against the Colorado Rockies.
Eddings cited rookie Hancel Rincon’s hat before issuing Marmol his fourth ejection of the season and 25th career.
In the sixth inning, Eddings ruled Rockies runner Troy Johnston safe on an out call, extending Colorado’s lead to 5-4.
Ivan Herrera hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth, giving St. Louis a 7-6 victory.

Summary

Eddings Hat Rule

Umpire Doug Eddings told Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman no MLB rule governs hat angles, calling it an unwritten rule.
Cardinals broadcasters Chip Caray and Brad Thompson called the umpire’s hat request overstepping.
Oliver Marmol demanded a league explanation of the hat incident in his post-game comments.
Umpire Doug Eddings later admitted he didn’t know the hat was technically legal under MLB rules.

History

Historical Context

The July 24, 1983 Pine-Tar Game saw umpire Tim McClelland nullify George Brett’s two-run homer because pine tar covered roughly 24 inches of the bat, violating Rule 1.10(c). Lee MacPhail’s protest reversal forced a resumption on August 18, 1983, cementing the 18-inch limit. Today, a hat-angle clash between umpire Doug Eddings and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol revives the same enforcement debate.

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Eddings Ejects Marmol

Umpire Doug Eddings ejected Cardinals manager Oli Marmol during the game against the Colorado Rockies.
Eddings cited rookie Hancel Rincon’s hat before issuing Marmol his fourth ejection of the season and 25th career.
In the sixth inning, Eddings ruled Rockies runner Troy Johnston safe on an out call, extending Colorado’s lead to 5-4.
Ivan Herrera hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth, giving St. Louis a 7-6 victory.

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