[nickdangerME]

Did anyone else see the Ky / NY LL World Series game on TV yesterday? With 2 outs, F6 took at throw for a tag at 2B that clearly beat a sliding R1. U2 made the out call, and R1 and F6 began heading off to their respective dugouts. After two steps, F6 realized the ball was not in his glove and U2 saw the ball on the ground next to the bag. U2 immediately reversed his call and R1 scampered back to 2B. The Harlem rally stayed alive (though ultimately came to nothing).

The out was obviously booted and the reversal was correct, if embarrasing for U2. What was fascinating was that the KY manager was miked so we got the ensuing discussion. Here's my recollection:

U2 (before manager can speak): "Coach, I'm sorry. I blew the call and called the out too early. The throw beat the runner and the tag was down, but the runner was safe because his slide dislodged the ball."

Manager (searching for something to say): "But you called him out! The ball came out aftwards."

U2: "No coach, the runner was safe. The slide dislodged the ball. I blew the call by making it too early. I'm sorry."

The announcers, including a Major League player as color man, were impressed that U2 owned up to his mistake so promptly. They commended him and suggested that if more umps were willing to admit errors and correct an obviously bad call at all levels of the game, baseball would be better off and umpires would earn more respect.

It's a given that such a screw-up should not occur at this level, but it did and I think U2 handled the aftermath as well as anyone could. Any thoughts from those who watched it or on the merits of the commentators' observation that baseball and umpires at other levels would be better off if U2's approach was emulated more frequently?


Nick