Ausmus consults with Torre about challenge

DETROIT -- Brad Ausmus has exchanged text messages with MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Joe Torre about his first unsuccessful replay challenge, and the two might meet up in Los Angeles when the Tigers are in town next week.

In Friday's win over the Orioles, Tigers shortstop Andrew Romine bobbled a toss on the exchange from his glove to his hand while attempting to turn a double play. The umpire ruled the runner safe at second base. Ausmus challenged that the runner at second was out.

After consulting with an official at Major League Baseball's replay operations center, the umpires confirmed the ruling on the field. Torre told Ausmus it was the right decision.

On Saturday, Romine said he knew this sort of confusion was going to come up.

"I can't necessarily say I was surprised, because I heard the discussion before the season started and how they were going to rule that," Romine said. "After watching the video, I was under the impression I had control of the baseball in the glove. But as far as the ruling and the wordage they're using, I don't know what they're saying -- if it needs to be transferred into the bare hand or not to have possession. There's a lot of confusion, apparently."

Ausmus made the case that the fielder can control the ball long enough in his glove and said plays of that nature need to be looked at more closely. But he knows replay is a "work-in-progress." Romine said it's something he'll have to adjust to, but he can't change the way he turns a double play.

"To me, in the game of baseball, I don't know if that's always when you have control," he said. "You can have control with the ball in your glove, but I don't write the rules. If they're changing them, that's something we're going to have to adapt to."