Eddings' Obstruction Call

[David B]

Originally Posted by yawetag

It doesn't look like obstruction (or interference, for that matter) at all. A.J. seemed to have slipped the same time Aybar passed him. If there was any contact, it was AJ's elbow hitting Aybar.

I wouldn't have called it myself.

Exactly what you're taught, when in a rundown you want to try and run into or make contact with the fielder who has just thrown the ball and is in your way.

Good job of baseball by the runner. Umpire had to make the call based on obstruction. The replay I saw on ESPN didn't show everything, but the fielder was in his way so obstruction.

The manager said he did it intentionally, "DUH" that's what he's supposed to do.

Thansk
David

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by David B

Exactly what you're taught, when in a rundown you want to try and run into or make contact with the fielder who has just thrown the ball and is in your way.

Good job of baseball by the runner. Umpire had to make the call based on obstruction. The replay I saw on ESPN didn't show everything, but the fielder was in his way so obstruction.

The manager said he did it intentionally, "DUH" that's what he's supposed to do.

Thansk
David

Yes -- good job to try to get the obstruction call. Still, a bad call based on the replays I saw. It appears to me that Pierzinski (sp?) fell down because there wasn't any contact -- much like falling when someone pulls the chair out from under you.

I can see how U2 might miss it (being "actively" involved in the run-down), but I would think U3 would have a good view of the play / actions of Pierzinski and the Rays' fielder and given some input (and maybe he did, but the input wasn't accepted).

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Yes -- good job to try to get the obstruction call. Still, a bad call based on the replays I saw. It appears to me that Pierzinski (sp?) fell down because there wasn't any contact -- much like falling when someone pulls the chair out from under you.

I can see how U2 might miss it (being "actively" involved in the run-down), but I would think U3 would have a good view of the play / actions of Pierzinski and the Rays' fielder and given some input (and maybe he did, but the input wasn't accepted).

Any reason Ted Barrett, the #2 on the crew, commented to the media instead of DeMuth the crew chief?

[UMP25]

Because Dana gave him the OK to do so. Ted's considered a bit more explanatory and a tad better speaker than Dana.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I can see how U2 might miss it (being "actively" involved in the run-down)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't U2 watch the runner through a run-down? After all, the object at that point is for defense to tag him.

If so, you would think U2 would have seen the whole play and ruled it correctly.

[David B]

Originally Posted by yawetag

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't U2 watch the runner through a run-down? After all, the object at that point is for defense to tag him.

If so, you would think U2 would have seen the whole play and ruled it correctly.

I still think that he saw contact, he made the ruling. Once he called it, no one objected so it was too late to go back and change it. Probably on second thought, he would have called it differently.

But then, most of us have been there before also.

Thanks
David

[UMP25]

No one objected? Where were you when the Tampa fielder and their manager were screaming at Eddings? Believe me, there was plenty of objecting.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Bad angle...bad call...

Anyways, if this was soccer, we would call that a flop...

That's a bs move on piersflopper

[David B]

Originally Posted by UMP25

No one objected? Where were you when the Tampa fielder and their manager were screaming at Eddings? Believe me, there was plenty of objecting.

That's not objecting, that's just coaches doing their job. We ignore coaches, we eject players. I was talking about from his other umpires.

Thanks
David

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by David B

Good job of baseball by the runner. Umpire had to make the call based on obstruction. The replay I saw on ESPN didn't show everything, but the fielder was in his way so obstruction.

The manager said he did it intentionally, "DUH" that's what he's supposed to do.

Thansk
David

Well, you might want to change your tune. Both Eddings and MLB admitted the call was incorrect:

MLB official reveals obstruction call incorrect
By Mark Gonzales, 9:35 p.m.

BOSTON -- It turns out Tampa Bay had a legitimate gripe about Sunday's obstruction call against third baseman Willy Aybar that helped the the White Sox to a 5-4 victory.

Mike Port, Major League Baseball's vice president of umpiring, Thursday told the St. Petersburg Times that it was "a missed call" that led to the Sox's A.J. Pierzynski reaching third base and eventually scoring the winning run.

Port said umpire Doug Eddings believed he saw Pierzynski "impeded more than he was" by Aybar, who was chasing Pierzynski in a rundown.

"Looking back at that occurrence, for the first and last time, it was a missed call," Port said told the Times. "And it was not because Doug Eddings, an umpire with 10 years experience, and 10 before that in the minor leagues, didn't know the application of the rule, but just that in the moment in applying the rule, he saw something he thought was more than it turned out to be."

Eddings was "the first to admit" he missed the call and told MLB officials after reviewing replays, Port told the Times.

[David B]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Well, you might want to change your tune. Both Eddings and MLB admitted the call was incorrect:

Not really, I didn't say the call was correct, but just that in real time I can see how he made the call.

IMO he should have asked his partner if he saw anything differently, and he might have, but they didn't offer any help so he had to go with what he saw.

Still, that was a great piece of baserunning, and he "flopped" as Bob said and got the call.

Hey, happens in the NBA all the time.

In retrospect, there are many calls that could be changed if we could do them over again.

But, I am glad to hear that MLB admitted the call was wrong, that helps us umpires to know how to handle that type of call if it happens again.

Do you have a link to the story from MLB perspective I would like to read the reason for his change of heart, since this play does happen quite a bit.

Was it because the BR intentionally stuck his arm out or what?

Just curious.

Thanks
David

[UMP25]

FYI, Eddings did go to his partners for help to see what they saw on the play. The crew huddled for about a minute or so and let the call stand.