The phantom out (Expected call)

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Every year this gets debated ad nauseum...anyone remember Carl and my squabble over the fence clearing homerun hitter that misses home plate?

I can only offer you this: the myth that the expected call is the only way you will move up has been proven wrong by none other than Dave Yeast. In NCAA baseball, he and his evaluators expect you to make the correct, albeit difficult call. The nonsense about coaches not making a peep when 'everyone in the park knows the call' makes me want to scream. I recall one coach come out to me and argue that steal at second. He says, "Blue - the ball was there five steps before the runner. You've got to make that call." I replied, "Coach, your second baseman needs to learn how to tag the runner. That wasn't a force play." He shook his head and glared at the second baseman. The shortstop (and team captain) barked at the second baseman to do his job and that I would do mine. I smiled and trotted back to my first base position. I never heard a peep and that second baseman learned that he needs to actually tag the runner.

If you start allowing phantom tags and close touches when turning a double play, you will suffer in the long run. Pretty soon, the shortstop or second baseman is going to start dragging his tag foot four feet from the base and then you really will have a ****storm on your hands. Call it the way it is supposed to be called.

I don't want to start the 'get the call right' crusade again, but we've witnessed too many movements in professional and amateur ball to do this. While it is the lazy out, you can and will take just as much heat for blowing that call. Umpires are supposed to call what they see. If you allow one team an advantage you are not serving the best interest of the game.

As a tribute to calling what is correct, Bruce Froemming was crucified for calling ball four on a ninth inning, two out perfect game by Milt Pappas. Froemming insists that the ball was outside and Pappas counters that the pitch was close enough. There aren't too many times that an umpire, fan, player or coach get to see a MLB perfect game. Froemming could have taken the easy way out.