[JRutledge]

JR,

He is a Cub fan. They get excited about things that have no real meaning. Just like being excited about being in first place in May. I do not expect him to act any differently when talking about this issue. Also like Rich said, the umpire that made this mistake changed the call himself.

I had a play during this past baseball season where my partner helped me. I was the PU. There was a runner on 1st and 2nd with 1 out I believe. There was a pitch in the dirt (I could not see it hit the dirt) on a swinging 3rd strike. The catcher completely blocked me off from an angle on the play and the batter start running to first base. The batter/runner made first cleanly, because the throw to first was an errant throw and pulled the first baseman off the base. My partner comes right to me after the play is dead (like we had talked about in our pregame on situations like this) and we had a talk away from the coaches and players. He told me that the ball was caught by the catcher, which made the batter/runner out immediately. I completely agreed with him because I did not have the best look at the play. I was the one that made the signal for the batter being out after our conversation. Not my partner, but me. I took his information and changed my own call. How you are suppose to do it. Just like in Basketball. The same procedure applies. Similar language in the rulebook applies. My partner that day is a D1 and Minor League Umpire as well. Anyone from our area knows him and that is how we handled that situation.

Peace