Guccione nailed it
 

We spend a lot of time dissecting bad/questionable calls by the big boys on these boards...Well, this time it is kudos to Chris Guccione in the ninth inning of last nite's Yankees/Orioles game

If you have ever had this happen to you in a high level game, you know how difficult a call this is.

with 2 strikes on Giambi, the O's pitcher through a high and tight fastball that barely nicked the butt end of Giambi's bat and was caught by F2 for strike 3.
Guccione heard something, had to determine if the contact was bat or batter and after a few moments (fraction of seconds), determined it was bat and whacked him out.
the catcher heard it too and was pointing it out to Guccione, which made the call look indecisive so Girardi came out, acted like a fool and got dumped.

Just one of those calls that is difficult and Chris handled very well, I thought....

Guccione, Giambi, Girardi??? Was this a Mafia reunion? And WAY too many G-names

Hey, whats a matter for you? You no lika my friends? When wasa the last time you wenta a swimming in that bigga lake near your house?

Youa makea the boys feela real bad abouta your comments!

Your friend,

Anthony G.

It figgers someone with a name like Cecone would be the first one to reply!!!

The call seemed to be correct but the way it unfolded it looked like the PU let the catcher make it for him.

Watched this morning and in fast motion it did look like nothing happened, but as you stated, he heard something and it takes a good umpire to make that call, and he did.

Thanks
David

Well, yeah. But what else is he going to do there. It sure appeared to be a foul tip on the replay. There's zero chance a plate umpire sees this -- it's all on sound.

And Girardi should get suspended for a game for his outburst.

All Chris did here was utilize excellent timing. So it took a few seconds from the time the ball hit the bat to when he made the call.

Saw it on MLB.com...and they had the Yankees (YES) broadcast. They replayed it with the field microphones cranked up and you can definitely hear two sounds (the ball hitting the bat and then the ball hitting the glove).

The Yankees announcers (though they criticized his long delay in making the call) actually said Chris clearly got it right after listening to the above-mentioned replay.

That was a bit more than "good timing" IMO. It seemed to take him a couple of seconds to realize what had happened. Not suprising, but it allowed F2 to make a big enough scene so when Guccione finally did make the call, it looked like he was persuaded into it by F2. Good call, decent sell, but delayed beyond what would be considered "good timing".

Girardi threw a big league tantrum not seen in Yankee Stadium for years. Welke came in from 3rd and said "Ok Joe, you've made your point." He sure did.

Here is my 2 cents.

He definitely heard something, I think the delay was the fact that he was looking for a reaction from Giambi, he wasn't 100% sure whether or not it hit him on the hand. He looked at Giambi, saw no reaction after he backed out of the box, then he rung him up.

great timing - great call.

It happened to me...
 

I had a similar sitch this year in a 4A first-round playoff game here in SC, and it provided me a lesson in slowing things down before rushing a call.

Bottom of the 8th, 1 out, R2, 2-2 count on the batter. F1 brings a high curveball, catcher raises up enough to mostly block my view of the check swing by the batter. In the heat of the moment, I reflex the "Did he go" to U2 who is in the "B". About the time the word "go" gets out of my mouth, I realize that I heard double contact (nick of the bat, ball into the glove) - like the OP sitch, didn't see it, but I heard it. About the time my man in "B" give the safe sign, I'm coming up waving it off and declaring the foul tip and punched the batter out. I know it looked terrible, but I know it was the right call, and had I just hesitated a second or two more, would have saved me the deserved "discussion" with the HC. He did accept my explanation after some discussion, and we moved on.

They ended up losing the game after giving up 7 in the top of the 9th. Major ignorant fan screams exiting the field (of the "you cost us the game" variety). I beat myself up for a week about the timing, or lack thereof, on the call. However, the team rebounded (each round of the playoffs here are double-elimination) and ended up winning the 4A state title in SC this season. The HC is a class guy and I was happy to see them win it all. And, I learned a lesson to keep things under control in the heat of a big game.

It was his behavior that was complete and utter BS.

MLB was busy today suspending Baker, Girardi and Joyner. Three who have been around long enough to know better, but who demonstrated that they don't.

Frustration over on how the Yankees are playing.

Bob

The tantrums are part of the show.
 

C'mon guys. You know joe six-pack and his little Mrs. and the snotty youngun's love that cuss and kick dirt on the umpire stuff. To most people, and let's face it, we are NOT even close to thinking like most people, the show includes a couple of bean balls, a manager cussing the ump and getting dumped and if they are really lucky a dugout clearing brawl.

I have friends who are MiLB umpires. They spoke to my Sports Marketing Class I teach about how they are part of the marketing. They get briefed on how many minutes between innings, which inning the hot dog race will be so take a little longer, etc.


Unfortunately, to most of America, including the owners, employees other than players it is a side show and umpires are a big part of it, in pro ball.


My two cents.

Exactly what would it take to get a night off in your world? Right cross to Guccione's jaw?

Did they ever suspend Earl back in the day? (I don't know, wasn't born)

A tantrum is part of the game. Heck, for some "fans", it helps sell the game. Why would MLB punish such behavior? He did it to get his team going, show the fans he cares, and help gain the respect of his players. And it worked.

And now, he gets suspended. For doing a part of his job.

I think all of this does not deserve a suspension.

When managers start throwing bats and balls out of the dugout, make contact with an umpire, put others at risk, etc., then we can start talking suspensions.

This stuff is a part of baseball, always has been, always will be. MLB is trying to crush the human element out of everything in baseball, and it will eventually ruin the game.

How silly. Do you really think out of control coaches account for ticket sales? If that were true, ticket sales would be less than 10% of what they are.

Players are the show. Players put fannies in the seats.

MLB has to rein in the managers. They have systematically worked to de-nut umpires over the last six years. If they don't in turn limit the managers conduct, umpires will be nothing but doormats before long.

The days are different, the times they are a-changing. Earl Weaver wouldn't survive today.

Get used to it.

I agree. Entertainment is one thing but to let it get completely out of control will turn MLB into the NBA. Steroids were ignored for so many years because the MLB thought that is what the fans wanted, entertainment. Now look where we are with it.

I want to see good baseball played at the highest levels, not grown men acting like spoiled children.

Back in Earl's day, umpires could and did give it back just as well the managers gave it. Part of the show. Not allowed now (Haller said "F--- you in the famous YouTube video. Winters calls Bradley a piece of sh-t and gets suspended). Are people saying that tirades like this are OK from managers, but umpires should have to stand there and just take it?

Also, Torre seemed to do OK as the manager of the Yankees and I never recall a tirade like this from him.

Torre never blew up, but he did get tossed from a game arguing a runner leaving the baseline in Kansas City, then the next night made a point to walk the card out (which he never does) and proceeded to get tossed during the plate conference as well...

just to be fair about it. Guess we just have different opinions.

And I also think suspending Winters was wrong too... at that level, nothing like a good ruckus. But that is MLB's marketing department who makes these calls, not us, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Let me add that my expertise lip syncing :p caught Guccione the other night saying "That's f***ing right Joe" right before Welke stepped in.

MLB said it was the kicking of the dirt that got Joe the suspension. I can live with the line being drawn there...

The only problem with I had with the call is that it took him too long to realize that the double hit he heard wasn't the ball hitting the batter. By pausing and not pointing to the batter, the PU gave the catcher a chance to put his two cents in and then it looked like the catcher talked him into it. I heard the two sounds in real time and thought that the ball hit Giambi. But as soon as he didn't react, I knew it hit the bat. I think if the PU points the batter right away that tells every he saw something and buys him just enough time to determine if his next move is to call a strike (and an out in this case) or award him his base.

Personally, I loved the Girardi tirade. I think that it fired up his club, took the pitcher out of his rhythm (he couldn't find the plate after that) and gave the PU a little deserved crap for making it look like he got talked into the call by the catcher, even though the PU did get the call right.

Everone's probable seen it, but it still gives me a chuckle. Especially growing up in MD. watching Earl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or1_1Cktdvs

Giambi
 

On the replay I saw on ESPN, the ball never hit the bat. It was not even close.

Well, I guess that settles it.