CB Bucknor's bizarre behavior leads to Yankees getting screwed by Orioles challenge

All you ask for out of an umpiring crew is basic respect and knowledge of the rule book. Sometimes, they'll botch a strike on the black. Occasionally, they'll blink at the wrong time and leave a call up to the replay system. But they should, uh, know what's going on in the game and understand how to apply its rules. The Yankees did not experience that on Sunday against the Orioles in a pivotal Game 162.

With runners on first and second and nobody out in a tie game in the fifth - with Ben Rice and Aaron Judge headed to the plate - Jose Caballero danced off second base and begged for time. For whatever reason, much-maligned umpire CB Bucknor declined to offer it to him. No justification was given. He just ... waved him off.

Needless to say, Caballero being discombobulated did quickly come into play. On a slow-developing pickoff play, he was initially ruled safe, but Gunnar Henderson's gesturing and waving called the result into question.

Upon further review, Caballero's hand pushed exclusively into the foot of Henderson. He got back to the bag in time, but the bag wasn't there. If that seems like blocking or impeding the base to you, which has been a point of emphasis in recent years, you'd be ... right. But Bucknor and the umpiring crew couldn't figure that one out, even after communing about it.

Yankees screwed out of a rally by bizarre Orioles replay review on Jose Caballero pickoff

And, wouldn't you believe it, the Orioles immediately rallied and put the first two on against Fernando Cruz - who's been nigh unusable - the next half inning. He pitched out of it, but only by the skin of his teeth. October baseball on Sept. 28. Nothing like it.

Whether the Yankees are playing in the Wild Card or ALDS to begin their postseason run, you can only hope that a field full of the game's best umpires will be able to get calls like this one right, especially in slo-mo.

And why, exactly, were Caballero's requests for time ignored anyway?