Another interesting call reversal
 

I was just driving home from school listening to the Padres/Marlins game on the radio. The Marlin batter hit a line shot down the 3rd base line which landed just past Chris Guccione, who was U3. He turned with the ball as he backed up, and was looking right at the ball and pointed it fair, which ended up being a double and an RBI.

Immediately, Padres broadcaster Jerry Coleman said, "That ball was clearly foul, and I'm not being prejudiced for the Padres when I say that."

Ted Leitner said to Jerry, "well, they'll never reverse that!"

By this time Bud Black is out arguing with Guccione, who agrees to get help from Ed Hickox, the PU.

I'm saying to myself, "Don't be too sure, they are reversing calls left and right these days."

So I start rooting for Hickox to reverse the call, and sure enough, he overruled Guccione. Foul ball, take the run off the board, return runner to 1st base.

Then the Marlins skipper comes out. Joe West told him not to come out, but come on, he's gotta come out and argue on a reversal like that. West dumps him unceremoniously.

When I got home, I saw a couple replays of it. It was at least 6 inches foul, not really even close. I think Guccione pointed the wrong way by accident and knew he screwed the canine on the play.

Did U3 really get overruled, or did he just get information from PU and change his call? I'd hate to think it was the former, that would be horrible.

I don't know, I wasn't in the huddle with them. Crew chief Joe West is the one who signaled foul when the decision was made, but it was based on Hickox saying essentially, "dude it was way foul."

Interesting.

Perhaps it's different in MLB games, but isn't the umpire who made the call going to be the same one who changes it? I thought the crew chief only got involved on rule interpretations.

Watch the replay on the Marlins website. The line drive is coming at Guccione and he has to get out of the way. As hes avoiding the ball, he begins to put his hands up to signal "Foul" but then for some reason after the ball lands, he points fair and trails the ball down the line a bit watching for interference. You can see him clearly drop his head after pointing fair almost saying "I f'ed this one up, I know it."

I've got no problem with initial call. When in doubt, call it fair, as you can always undo it. It's the process of the crew chief making the call that bothers me.

I guess West figured he would take all the heat for the call, being the senior man, and keep Guccione from having to do all the ejecting. Guccione blew a call earlier in the game from what I understand. A Marlin slid straight into a easy tag at 3rd and was called safe. The throw beat the runner and the glove was down at the base waiting on the runner. You know, the one's umpires normally call OUT on.

The "changed call" dynamics are frequently different in MLB than what you or I would use in our amateur games. It's often the crew chief who announces such a change. (I'm not saying it's right, and I don't know if there's a specific procedure detailing this, and I don't know if it's all the time -- just that it happens frequently.)

well Hickox is the man ... his hat under his hsm and all ... he still saw it correct .... seems like the hat doesnt hinder the hsm at all ...:D

But he still looks like Rick Moranis in Spaceballs!:p

http://www.thelosscolumn.com/wp-cont...spaceballs.jpg

Yup. CCs usually garnish more respect from managers, I surmise. This is usually true across all sports.

well at least he can see unlike ray charles on third in that game... o wait that wasnt him was it??:cool:

Yeah, and it wasn't Hellen Keller either. If you are going to mix in a blind person into the umpiring equation, make sure they are alive.

Like Stevie Wonder has the plate tonight.:)

If Joe West is on the crew, he is the next best thing to Stevie.........:(