– Williamsport, PA (AP)
To scuff balls and corked bats, add
potatoes to the list of innovative
baseball tactics in the 1987 season.
Williamsport catcher Dave Bresnahan
threw a potato toward third base Monday
during an Eastern League game
against the Reading Phillies.
Reading’s Rick Lundblade, not realizing
the object was a spud, raced for home,
where Bresnahan pulled a baseball
from his glove and tagged him.
When the dust cleared, Lundblade
and Reading manager George Culver
protested, and plate umpire Scott Potter
ruled Lundblade safe at home.
Bresnahan was charged with an error.
Williamsport manager Orlando Gomez
didn’t find much humor in the ploy.
“I fined him $50,” he said. “It was
an unthinkable act for a professional.”
The Bills won, 4-3. Potter said league rules
prevented him from discussing the incident.
Bresnahan was unavailable for comment.
The 25-year-old second-string catcher
is in his fourth season with the Cleveland
farm system. He is batting .149
in 52 games for the Bills.