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What is the umpire's job? Which is the right call, the one that leads to the less controversy and pleases the most people, or the right call according to what the umpire sees - which can obviously be influenced by the amount of effort the umpire puts into getting the correct call?
I think you are misinterpreting what an EXPECTED call is. An EXPECTED call is not a bang bang play at the plate.
An EXPECTED call is one in which the runner is out / safe "by a mile" and an umpire makes the opposite call.
It's like the "neighborhood play" If the throw is a good one and F4/F6 is in "the vicinity" ring up the out. It's the same way for both teams. Now if the throw is bad, etc. is a different story.
IMO, the plays you describe do not fall under the category of EXPECTED. They are close calls and it's the "nature of the beast" so to speak meaning one side will be happy and the other upset, especially if there are 2 close calls that go against them, but that's part of being an umpire.
In Papa C's book 51 ways to ruin a baseball game he explains the ramifications of the EXPECTED call by giving examples.
Generally speaking when a runner is OUT they are OUT and vice/versa.
Pete Booth
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Peter M. Booth
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