[bluezebra]

Originally posted by greymule
On a couple of occasions, I have seen umpires call batters out for stepping on the plate after hitting the ball (that is, on their way to 1B). I believe that in each case, the offense managed to get the call overruled through an appeal to the BU. These were not high-level games, in case anybody was wondering.

A few other insane calls I've seen:

Batter hits the dirt on a pitch right at his head. Ump calls strike because the bat ended up "across the plate."

Infield fly dropped and kicked into the outfield. Ump says ball dead, everybody goes back.

Infield fly caught. Runner had left before catch, but ump disallows appeal on the theory that the runner can leave the moment the ump calls IFR.

Catcher receives throw 40 feet ahead of the runner. Runner stops, turns around, and heads back toward 3B. Ump calls runner out for being out of the baseline.

Abel on 1B. Baker hits a long drive that F8 can't quite grab. Baker follows close behind Abel and stops at 3B. On a close but obvious play, Abel slides home apparently safe, but ump calls him out on a "force" at home because Baker has already made it to 3B.

Those weren't umpires. They were dummies pretending to be umpires. And BADLY. Where do these leagues come up with these jerks?

Bob