LOS ANGELES — The agent for Cody Bellinger called Major League Baseball deputy commissioner Dan Halem to complain about the pitch-clock violation that Bellinger received when the Chicago Cubs center fielder stepped out of the batter's box in anticipation of a lengthy ovation before his first at-bat as a visitor in Chavez Ravine on Friday night.
"I called [Halem] and said, 'Why do we not have provisions for this?' And he goes, 'We do,' " agent Scott Boras said before Saturday night's game between the Cubs and Dodgers. "It's umpire discretion, and normally the clubs notify the umpires beforehand if they have any kind of special things.
"[Dodgers manager Dave Roberts] was even screaming from the dugout, 'Hey, give him some time!' You have the opposing manager trying to make sure a [visiting] player is appropriately welcomed. I couldn't believe it. I was like, 'Why are you not doing that?' Unreal."
