Gents... FYI...
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20060316TDY24004.htm
This was on ump news today. Although I agree that Davidson made the wrong call, I find it amusing that a journalist would publish an article, referring to a rule that he has wrong. Quote:
"Davidson erred badly in the eighth inning by calling a runner out in a situation where other umpires never do. The rule in the books says a runner must wait for the catch before advancing. However, if he leaves at more or less the same time as the catch, major league umpires rarely, if ever, uphold appeals on the play.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka's upper body was in motion as he turned to watch left fielder Randy Winn make the catch. Davidson said he saw Nishioka leave early. If he believed so, he had the duty to apply the rules impartially--in the manner in which they are typically applied. In this case, the accepted call would be "safe."
Team Japan played by the rules as they are observed and was punished by Davidson. United States manager Buck Martinez goaded the ump into making his own call after Martinez was unhappy with second-base umpire Brian Knight's call. Davidson later covered his *** by asserting the call was his to make all along--even though he only took that stance after undergoing Martinez's assertiveness training session."
Personally I found this article hilarious. Davidson could have done some 'preventative' umpiring and avoided the entire situation, and international press bashing. He could have warned the pitcher before balling him. And could have backed up Knight's call, as Sal suggested, seeing as he was not in any position to make that tag up call in the first place. Yes Knight, messed up his appeal responsibility. However he did get it right. It was a former MLB umpire, and apparently a 'homer' who got it wrong.
Just My 2 Cents Worth