Umpire Doug Eddings got himself noticed Friday night at Coors Field, but for all the wrong reasons. Eddings, the home plate umpire, instructed Cardinals reliever Hancel Rincon to straighten his cap in the sixth inning of St. Louis’ 7-6 win over the Rockies, a move Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol immediately slammed as “power-hungry.” Rincon was making his MLB debut, and Eddings’ wild directive just overshadowed what should have been a huge moment for the kid.
The “Unwritten Rule” That Isn’t Even a Rule
Rincon entered the game with his cap tilted slightly to the left, which is apparently how he’s always pitched. “I’ve been pitching with my hat like that,” Rincon said through an interpreter. “It’s not an excuse. But I had no idea why he told me to do it.” Marmol was absolutely livid, rushing out to defend his rookie and getting ejected after arguing with Eddings. Marmol pulled no punches after the game, calling it a “power-hungry move” and pointing out legends like Dontrelle Willis, CC Sabathia, and Pedro Strop have all worn their hats tilted. Both Marmol and Eddings confirmed it wasn’t a suggestion; it was a straight-up order. Talk about a way to welcome a kid to the big leagues, right?
The Batter Who Didn’t Say Anything and the Umpire’s Excuse
Here’s where it gets even crazier. Eddings admitted after the game that wearing a tilted cap isn’t even against the rules, calling it “a little unwritten rule.” He then tried to justify his call by claiming Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, who was the batter, asked about Rincon’s hat. Eddings said, “The batter said, ‘Hey, can he wear his hat like that?’” and even added, “Nobody said anything until he gave up a couple runs.” But Goodman immediately shot that down on Saturday, telling reporters, “I never once mentioned the hat. It doesn’t matter who’s pitching. I don’t care how they wear the hat.” Goodman is right. MLB Rule 3.03, which covers uniforms, doesn’t say anything about cap tilt, only prohibiting things like patterns that look like a baseball or polished metal. The fact is, a pitcher can wear his hat askew, and Eddings knows it.
This whole mess blew up, and on Saturday, players from both the Cardinals and Rockies showed their support for Rincon by tilting their hats. It’s clear that Eddings’ “power-hungry move” struck a nerve throughout the league. What’s next for Eddings, and how will MLB address an umpire inventing rules on the fly? We’ll be watching to see if this just fades away, or if players continue to stand up against officials who think they can dictate style over substance.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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