Why is Rollie still writing?

[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by WhatWuzThatBlue
Dear Blabby,

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From Carl Childress
"It's impossible to keep our personal philosophy out of the game. The romantic says: "Get every call right, regardless." The realist says: "My job is to see that the game is played as my League wants." The romantic says: "You must be fair." The realist says: "I must ensure that one team doesn't gain an advantage not intended by the rules."
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That's a much nicer way of putting it - inaccurate and no less inflammatory than "ingratiate", but I'll let it slide.

How would a realist answer the following query?

Doesn't one team gain an advantage when an umpire ignores the proper call for appearance sake? As an example, he sees a player miss a base and ignores it because it would require an unusual call on a routine play. Which rule intends to permit this?

Signed,
Hopelessly Romantic

Against my better judgment, but....

Let's talk specifically about my sample play. The batter crushes one over the fence in flight, like Albert did against the Astros. Instead of Minute Maid Park, though, the game is at Busch, and it is a walk-off. Around he comes and amid all the bench players he jumps into the air and comes down an inch from the white. Clearly he missed it. Clearly you saw it. Now, you intimate you would uphold an appeal on that play. Gosh! Talk about threats made by St. Louis fans against Don Denkinger....

The rules INTEND that a baserunner NOT gain an advantage by missing a base. You tell me: Would Pujols gain an advantage, missing the plate by an inch? A realist says "no"; consequently, a realist denies an appeal. (Myself? I would be halfway toward the tunnel by the time he reached the plate and wouldn't see the miss.)

But let's say I'm the third-base umpire in a four-man crew. I've been there many times since we use those almost exclusively in Texas' high school playoffs. Consider: R2. B1 singles to short right, and R2 tries to score. As he rounds third, he plants his spikes several inches from the bag and continues his mad dash home. He is safe on a close play. The defense appeals he missed third.

I can't wait to call out that sucker! Why? He gained an advantage not intended by the rules. Now you (the romantic) would call him out also, which means: You're always ready to make the easy call, which this one is, but the tough ones may give you pause.

You never answered Tee's question; namely, do you call strikes on pitches in the dirt? (Isn't not making such a foolish call the purpose of "timing, timing, timing"?)

Your previous writing said you do, so I believe you even though I don't believe you're "real."

That said, there's nothing to be gained from continuing a discussion with you. You are not hopelessly romantic, merely....