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9/5/2003 – The Brewers’ Bill Hall started to bat out of order in the bottom of the second inning against the Cubs but did not complete the plate appearance.  Hall was listed eighth in the batting order but came to the plate in the seventh spot the first time through the order. He took the first pitch for a ball before the mistake was rectified. Keith Osik took his proper place at the plate, and despite being spotted ball one, struck out on five more pitches.  Hall then popped out to end the inning. The Cubs won, 4-2.

9/5/2003 – The Brewers’ Bill Hall started to bat out of order in the bottom of the second inning against the Cubs but did not complete the plate appearance.  Hall was listed eighth in the batting order but came to the plate in the seventh spot the first time through the order. He took the first pitch for a ball before the mistake was rectified. Keith Osik took his proper place at the plate, and despite being spotted ball one, struck out on five more pitches.  Hall then popped out to end the inning. The Cubs won, 4-2.

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8/16/2003 – The Yankees were playing at Camden Yards in Baltimore. In the bottom of the first inning, the Orioles had runners on second and third with one out. It was Jay Gibbons turn to bat but Tony Batista came to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly. Gibbons then grounded out to end the inning. Since the Yankees said nothing about the batting out of turn, the second inning should have started with Batista hitting again. However, Brook Fordyce popped out to start the inning. The Orioles batted correctly for the rest of the game. With that run in the first, the teams ended the ninth inning tied and the Yankees won in 12 innings, 5-4.

8/16/2003 – The Yankees were playing at Camden Yards in Baltimore. In the bottom of the first inning, the Orioles had runners on second and third with one out. It was Jay Gibbons turn to bat but Tony Batista came to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly. Gibbons then grounded out to end the inning. Since the Yankees said nothing about the batting out of turn, the second inning should have started with Batista hitting again. However, Brook Fordyce popped out to start the inning. The Orioles batted correctly for the rest of the game. With that run in the first, the teams ended the ninth inning tied and the Yankees won in 12 innings, 5-4.

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8/14/2002 – The Tigers were batting in the top of the second inning in their first time through the order of their game in Anaheim. They started with the fifth player in the lineup, Carlos Pena, who doubled. After that both Wendell Magee and Shane Halter made outs. The next scheduled hitter (eighth in the lineup) was Brandon Inge but Chris Truby (ninth) came to the plate. Truby struck out to end the inning so The Angels said nothing. The Tigers then started the next inning in the proper place with the top of the order and Inge hit in the proper place for the rest of the game. The Tigers lost the game, 5-4.

8/14/2002 – The Tigers were batting in the top of the second inning in their first time through the order of their game in Anaheim. They started with the fifth player in the lineup, Carlos Pena, who doubled. After that both Wendell Magee and Shane Halter made outs. The next scheduled hitter (eighth in the lineup) was Brandon Inge but Chris Truby (ninth) came to the plate. Truby struck out to end the inning so The Angels said nothing. The Tigers then started the next inning in the proper place with the top of the order and Inge hit in the proper place for the rest of the game. The Tigers lost the game, 5-4.

Indians manager Mike Hargrove accidentally hands in an incorrect lineup card, forcing Cleveland to forfeit the designated hitter and bat starting pitcher Charles Nagy in the 7th spot in the batting order

Indians manager Mike Hargrove accidentally hands in an incorrect lineup card, forcing Cleveland to forfeit the designated hitter and bat starting pitcher Charles Nagy in the 7th spot in the batting order

Toronto defeats Cleveland, 4 – 3. Indians manager Mike Hargrove accidentally hands in an incorrect lineup card, forcing Cleveland to forfeit the designated hitter and bat starting pitcher Charles Nagy in the 7th spot in the batting order. Nagy fails to get a hit in his two at bats. Alex Ramirez was penciled in as the right fielder and hitting 7th, but he was injured and not available for the game. Manny Ramirez, who was slated to be the DH, moved from DH to right field before the first pitch of the game.

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8/8/1998 – In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Giants’ Shawon Dunston pinch hit for Ellis Burks in the second spot in the order and ended the inning with a strikeout. In the top of the sixth inning, manager Dusty Baker made five substitutions in his lineup, including leaving Dunston in the game. New players went into the third through fifth spots in the order. Stan Javier started the bottom of the sixth properly and was out. Then Joe Carter and Rich Aurilia got confused and Aurilia batted out of turn. He walked, Carter flew out and then Bill Mueller, who had been in the game, walked. By now it was too late for the Braves (ahead 10-2) to say anything, if they actually knew there was a problem. With all the changes, they might not have realized Aurilia batted out of turn. The Giants scored three runs in the inning but lost the game 14-6. Carter and Aurilia hit in the proper order the next time around the lineup in the seventh inning.

8/8/1998 – In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Giants’ Shawon Dunston pinch hit for Ellis Burks in the second spot in the order and ended the inning with a strikeout. In the top of the sixth inning, manager Dusty Baker made five substitutions in his lineup, including leaving Dunston in the game. New players went into the third through fifth spots in the order. Stan Javier started the bottom of the sixth properly and was out. Then Joe Carter and Rich Aurilia got confused and Aurilia batted out of turn. He walked, Carter flew out and then Bill Mueller, who had been in the game, walked. By now it was too late for the Braves (ahead 10-2) to say anything, if they actually knew there was a problem. With all the changes, they might not have realized Aurilia batted out of turn. The Giants scored three runs in the inning but lost the game 14-6. Carter and Aurilia hit in the proper order the next time around the lineup in the seventh inning.

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6/2/1997 – The Tigers used two different lineups in their game in Oakland. Brian Hunter led off the game with a triple to right. Then Damion Easley grounded out to first with Hunter scoring on the play. However, Art Howe pointed out that Bobby Higginson was the proper second batter so he was called out and Hunter placed back at third base. In the press box it was announced that the ground out with the first baseman getting an assist and the pitcher getting the putout would stand as the play. However, according to rule 10.03(d) this is not correct. The complete play included the run scoring, which is why Howe objected. In this case, the play should have been an automatic putout for the catcher not the groundout that occurred. The lost run did not affect the Tigers as Hunter scored when the next batter, Melvin Nieves, drove him in with a sacrifice fly. The Tigers beat Oakland, 8-7.

6/2/1997 – The Tigers used two different lineups in their game in Oakland. Brian Hunter led off the game with a triple to right. Then Damion Easley grounded out to first with Hunter scoring on the play. However, Art Howe pointed out that Bobby Higginson was the proper second batter so he was called out and Hunter placed back at third base. In the press box it was announced that the ground out with the first baseman getting an assist and the pitcher getting the putout would stand as the play. However, according to rule 10.03(d) this is not correct. The complete play included the run scoring, which is why Howe objected. In this case, the play should have been an automatic putout for the catcher not the groundout that occurred. The lost run did not affect the Tigers as Hunter scored when the next batter, Melvin Nieves, drove him in with a sacrifice fly. The Tigers beat Oakland, 8-7.

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7/7/1996 – On the last day before the All-Star break, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Matt Mieske batted out of turn in the top of the second inning at Yankee Stadium. The lineup posted in the dugout was different than the one given to the umpires. After John Jaha led off the inning by doubling to right-center, Mieske singled to right, moving Jaha to third. When Yankee skipper Joe Torre talked with the umpires, Jose Valentin, the proper batter, was called out. Mieske then batted again and flew out to right. The Brewers beat the Yankees, 4-1.

7/7/1996 – On the last day before the All-Star break, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Matt Mieske batted out of turn in the top of the second inning at Yankee Stadium. The lineup posted in the dugout was different than the one given to the umpires. After John Jaha led off the inning by doubling to right-center, Mieske singled to right, moving Jaha to third. When Yankee skipper Joe Torre talked with the umpires, Jose Valentin, the proper batter, was called out. Mieske then batted again and flew out to right. The Brewers beat the Yankees, 4-1.

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5/2/1995 The Mets game in Montreal produced a comedy of errors. This was the first home game of the season for Montreal and their sixth overall. There were substitute umpires working major league games to start this season since the regular arbiters were locked out by the owners. When Luis Aquino and Cliff Floyd entered the game in the top of the sixth, the home plate umpire, Don January, incorrectly decided that Aquino was batting fifth and Floyd ninth. When Floyd came to bat in the #5 slot, Mets’ manager Dallas Green told January that the Expos were batting out of order. Expos manager Felipe Alou claimed he had Floyd fifth and Aquino ninth and that January made the mistake. Alou was ejected. January then allowed Floyd to bat and ground out, despite knowing that he was not the proper batter. Then January called Aquino out for not batting in order and sent the runner back (that, at least, was the right call.) After calling Aquino out, the next batter should be the one in the sixth spot, Sean Berry. However, January decided that Aquino should bat now. He singled to left and then Berry ended the inning with a ground out. Thus, Aquino had two at bats in one time through the batting order. Despite this confusion the Expos won, 9-6.

5/2/1995 The Mets game in Montreal produced a comedy of errors. This was the first home game of the season for Montreal and their sixth overall. There were substitute umpires working major league games to start this season since the regular arbiters were locked out by the owners. When Luis Aquino and Cliff Floyd entered the game in the top of the sixth, the home plate umpire, Don January, incorrectly decided that Aquino was batting fifth and Floyd ninth. When Floyd came to bat in the #5 slot, Mets’ manager Dallas Green told January that the Expos were batting out of order. Expos manager Felipe Alou claimed he had Floyd fifth and Aquino ninth and that January made the mistake. Alou was ejected. January then allowed Floyd to bat and ground out, despite knowing that he was not the proper batter. Then January called Aquino out for not batting in order and sent the runner back (that, at least, was the right call.) After calling Aquino out, the next batter should be the one in the sixth spot, Sean Berry. However, January decided that Aquino should bat now. He singled to left and then Berry ended the inning with a ground out. Thus, Aquino had two at bats in one time through the batting order. Despite this confusion the Expos won, 9-6.

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5/21/1994 – The Reds worked with two different lineups in this game. The official version had Brian Dorsett hitting seventh and Bret Boone eighth. However, the lineup posted in the dugout reversed them. Boone led off the bottom of the second out of order by grounding out. Then Dorsett walked, also out of order. Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda talked with umpire Jerry Crawford. Dorsett was told to return to the dugout and pitcher John Roper, the ninth hitter, was ruled out. Reds manager Dave Johnson protested because he did not understand the rules. He thought Dorsett was out and Roper should bat. He did, however, take the blame for the mix-up. Lasorda protested for the same reason: lack of understanding. He thought that Boone should have been the next batter. The umpires ruled this situation correctly and Roper was given a time at bat with an automatic putout for the catcher. Lasorda eventually dropped his protest as the Dodgers won, 6-4.

5/21/1994 – The Reds worked with two different lineups in this game. The official version had Brian Dorsett hitting seventh and Bret Boone eighth. However, the lineup posted in the dugout reversed them. Boone led off the bottom of the second out of order by grounding out. Then Dorsett walked, also out of order. Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda talked with umpire Jerry Crawford. Dorsett was told to return to the dugout and pitcher John Roper, the ninth hitter, was ruled out. Reds manager Dave Johnson protested because he did not understand the rules. He thought Dorsett was out and Roper should bat. He did, however, take the blame for the mix-up. Lasorda protested for the same reason: lack of understanding. He thought that Boone should have been the next batter. The umpires ruled this situation correctly and Roper was given a time at bat with an automatic putout for the catcher. Lasorda eventually dropped his protest as the Dodgers won, 6-4.

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9/26/1993 – In the second game of the doubleheader, the Pirates were not clear about their batting order against the Cubs. In the bottom of the first, the first five players batted in order. The fifth-place hitter, Al Martin, knocked in the game’s only run with an infield single. The scoreboard listed Tom Foley batting sixth, Tom Prince seventh and Rich Aude eighth. The correct order was Aude, Foley and Prince. When Foley batted in Aude’s spot and grounded out, the Cubs properly did nothing. Aude led off the second, which matched neither lineup, and singled to center. The Cubs then talked to the umpires about the batting order. Aude was taken off the bases and Prince was declared out. In spite of the difficulties, the Pirates won the game, 1-0.

9/26/1993 – In the second game of the doubleheader, the Pirates were not clear about their batting order against the Cubs. In the bottom of the first, the first five players batted in order. The fifth-place hitter, Al Martin, knocked in the game’s only run with an infield single. The scoreboard listed Tom Foley batting sixth, Tom Prince seventh and Rich Aude eighth. The correct order was Aude, Foley and Prince. When Foley batted in Aude’s spot and grounded out, the Cubs properly did nothing. Aude led off the second, which matched neither lineup, and singled to center. The Cubs then talked to the umpires about the batting order. Aude was taken off the bases and Prince was declared out. In spite of the difficulties, the Pirates won the game, 1-0.