Quote:
Originally posted by Ump20
Heaven forbid but this seems to support the EWS crew in that the call was made after a “final judgment” and based upon a manager’s complaint. I also know that a year or two ago a MLB ump [Frank Pulli] went on his own to a video replay on I think was a homerun call so MLB umps are not infallible or without mistake. Jim Simms/NY
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Jim,
Appearances can be deceptive. The fact that an official
can ILLEGALLY change a judgement decision, and apparently get away with it, doesn't mean it wasn't ILLEGAL to do so in the first place! (grin) I can see it now, "
Your honour, I murdered three people last week and no-one arrested me or put me in jail. That means you can't do that this time either!" Yeah, right!
I have no doubt that a whole host of largely inexperienced umpires all over the world have ILLEGALLY changed their judgement decisions at one time or another. Heck, I probably did it once or twice myself - when I didn't know any better! That doesn't make their actions any less ILLEGAL or any less PROTESTABLE. The fact that there may never have been a case where a coach/manager has tested this principle, and had it verified by the league,
doesn't change the principle. Only if the league properly decides otherwise will the principle itself be in any doubt
for that league. If the league deciding otherwise is the MLB, and they make such a contrary decision, THEN we could truly say that changing judgement decisions is no longer ILLEGAL under the OBR.
Woe be to baseball the day that happens. Umpires will spend their entire lives second-guessing their judgement decisions. As Carl said in another thread or post, and I am paraphrasing and claiming no accuracy for the numbers, the day will then come when Team A lodges 61 protests of judgement decisions and Team B lodges 47 protests of mostly the same decisions (but less because they won). Games will then regularly be decided in the protest committee, in much the same way that America's Cup yachting decides the bulk of its close races these days.
Cheers,