Angel Hernandez new low...

[SanDiegoSteve]

Just a guess, but he probably was verifying lineup changes from between innings, and was checking the batting order.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Angel uses a modified GD with his hands tucked under his crotch and his elbows on his thighs. Watching the Yankees/Toronto game I saw a pitch that Angel called a ball, then rose, and I swear I saw the lineup card in his hands. It was confirmed when he then looked at the card. Next pitch, did the same thing...

I know its nitpicking, but giving away coaches hats, etc., MLB has to find a way to keep some of these guys in line. For the most part its self policed among the umpires but Angel takes some things to new levels.

Reviewed the game on MLB and Hernandez did have the line-up card in his hand on the first two pitches of the bottom of the 8th, using the time between pitches to mark changes.

Why this is a big deal is beyond me.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Yes, beyond me as well. Thank you for the explanation.

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

Why this is a big deal is beyond me.

It's not a BIG deal.

It is

1. A method of game administration that no one teaches or endorses
2. A method of game administration that any evaluator would make a critical comment on.
3. A method of game administration that takes the concentration and focus away from the task at hand.
4. An oddity worth noting. I personally have never seen any umpire at any level do their paperwork between pitches and during live ball action.

Whether or not Angels actions in this case adversely affected the game is not the issue, he should have spent the extra 10 or 15 seconds before the inning started, finnished his between inning responsibilities and move on.

This isn't questioning one of the god's of umpiring judgement calls. It's game Ad. 101

Is there anyone on the forum that does their paperwork during live ball action?

[LilLeaguer]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

It's not a BIG deal.

It is

1. A method of game administration that no one teaches or endorses
2. A method of game administration that any evaluator would make a critical comment on.
3. A method of game administration that takes the concentration and focus away from the task at hand.
4. An oddity worth noting. I personally have never seen any umpire at any level do their paperwork between pitches and during live ball action.

Whether or not Angels actions in this case adversely affected the game is not the issue, he should have spent the extra 10 or 15 seconds before the inning started, finnished his between inning responsibilities and move on.

This isn't questioning one of the god's of umpiring judgement calls. It's game Ad. 101

Is there anyone on the forum that does their paperwork during live ball action?

Perhaps Mr. Hernandez didn't want to have the first 15 seconds of the inning having thousands of folks in the stands and the television audience waiting for him to do his paperwork.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Whether or not Angels actions in this case adversely affected the game is not the issue, he should have spent the extra 10 or 15 seconds before the inning started, finnished his between inning responsibilities and move on.

Is there anyone on the forum that does their paperwork during live ball action?

Is there anyone on this forum who routinely has the timing of his actions and his subsequent evaluations influenced by billion-dollar television contracts?

[TussAgee11]

If it helps any, he did it again in the 9th inning.

I understand that he had to make changes, but a pitching change? Do it between innings? A different batter was coming up? Change it after the batter. To hold a card while calling pitches, very strange.

What if he had to use a check swing or foul tip mechanic?

It's not THAT big of a deal, but its noteworthy as just another thing an MLB ump does (non mechanic wise) that we shouldn't be doing.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

It's not a BIG deal.

It is

1. A method of game administration that no one teaches or endorses
2. A method of game administration that any evaluator would make a critical comment on.
3. A method of game administration that takes the concentration and focus away from the task at hand.
4. An oddity worth noting. I personally have never seen any umpire at any level do their paperwork between pitches and during live ball action.

Whether or not Angels actions in this case adversely affected the game is not the issue, he should have spent the extra 10 or 15 seconds before the inning started, finnished his between inning responsibilities and move on.

This isn't questioning one of the god's of umpiring judgement calls. It's game Ad. 101

Is there anyone on the forum that does their paperwork during live ball action?

I see it is a big deal for you.

Angel Hernandez's accomplishments as a professional umpire are a matter of record.

Please let us know when you get your World Series assignment.

And I confess to having fiddled with lineup cards several times during live ball action.

I feel better knowing that the best of the best do it, too.

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

I see it is a big deal for you.

Angel Hernandez's accomplishments as a professional umpire are a matter of record.

Please let us know when you get your World Series assignment.

Ergo all MLB umps have perfect mechanics, perfect judgement, perfect discernment and are therefore worthy of emulation in everything they do.

Originally Posted by jimpiano

And I confess to having fiddled with lineup cards several times during live ball action.

I feel better knowing that the best of the best do it, too.

If it's the right thing to do then no confession is needed.
You are implying it's the right way to manage the game and your paperwork aren't you?
The next time an evaluator asks you why you're doing paperwork during live ball action, I'm sure he'll give you bonus points once you tell him Angel does it too.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Ergo all MLB umps have perfect mechanics, perfect judgement, perfect discernment and are therefore worthy of emulation in everything they do.

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

If it's the right thing to do then no confession is needed.
You are implying it's the right way to manage the game and your paperwork aren't you?
The next time an evaluator asks you why you're doing paperwork during live ball action, I'm sure he'll give you bonus points once you tell him Angel does it too.

Wait a minute. You are the same person that claimed there was nothing wrong with brushing off a bag with a plate brush. Now this is a problem? The very same reason looking at your paperwork during live ball play is the same reason you do not brush the base off with a plate brush. Now the reason we see a lot of things at the ML level that a good umpire at the amateur level would never do is because no one is going to fire them for something like this. For all you know he might have been talked to about this. But the Major League Umpire Union is one of the strongest in pro sports and this is why they keep guys around that have clearly lost their fast ball or do not keep up with standards that got them there. But if a D1 umpire was doing this on TV, it is very possible that he might not only get talked to, he might be downgraded which could lead to less assignments and ultimately being fired.

Peace