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Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
All right, we're talking about almost two different subjects. I thought Rivera should have laid out for that ball. It would have not been as sure a grab as you hinted at---more like a near-miracle grab.
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He caught the ball on one hop. If he had laid out for it he
probably would have at least drawn leather on it. It would have been far easier than a "near-miracle." But he didn't try for the ball, which is the whole point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
The pitch that tied the game was definitely disputable, and a pitch right before that appeared to be missed. The zone was pretty unpredictable all night, so there was bound to be tension.
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The pitch looked low to me. I don't trust the network's pitch track. As Tuss said, it is subject to where it is drawn on the screen and is used for comparison purposes only, not as the actual strike zone of a hitter. I looked to me like the pitch was similar to where Reed had been calling it a ball all game long. I also think that Kellogg, in real time without slowing it down on a replay, got the check swing call right. I think the batter held up. And Timmons got the dropped ball call right in my estimation as well. It looked like Aybar never controlled the ball and that it dropped from his glove as he reached in for it, which I'm sure is what Timmons told Scioscia. It wasn't "on the transfer.," he just clanked it..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
I'll tell you one thing, I would respect Scioscia a whole lot less if he wasn't upset by calls like those, or the one that ended the game in particular. What are you a baseball manager for?
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Well, he can get upset, but he should have been more upset in how his team managed to choke the game away.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
Defending umpires is fine, but going after a guy like Scioscia isn't necessary in order to defend the umpire's right to call a borderline pitch a ball instead of a strike to end a ballgame.
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I didn't go after Scioscia, I just reported what was said and that the umpires publicly stated that they were verbally abused following the game by the coaching staff. I like Scioscia. He was a helluva catcher and a really good manager.
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Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
And if you knew more about the guy, you would know that he would never blame one of his players for anything. He blames himself and/or the whole team. Last night, he said that they should have never been in the position to lose the game like that, and pointed out the two innings when they didn't cash in, and the two mistakes on defense during the Sox's big inning. That's customary. He said the same thing after that Doug Eddings fiasco four years ago.
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Well, good. He should take the blame for that and for the Eddings game, if he doesn't want to blame the boneheaded mistakes his team made.
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Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
Umpires wished more catchers were like Scioscia when he caught and they wish more managers were like him now.
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I agree with you on that one. I wish I would have had Mike in front of me on Saturday and Sunday!
