Welll.....

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

he seemed a bit jumpy...but he's got to get his experience somehow...that's how you learn...I'm not bailing him out, but I'm sure this may have been one of his first experience on a global stage...probably a bit nervous.

He is a 12 year MLB umpire......

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by LMan

I'm one of the biggest 'dont knock it till you are there' guys, but even by most modest standards this was a bad, bad outing. The check swing incident was all but unbelievable at this level... I don't know what happened to the thought process on that one.Ce la vie.

Here's what I think happened after watching it a few times.

The pitch was initially called a strike - that is quite obvious. But the catcher was asking for an appeal on the swing even before he was aware that the PU was in the process of ruling it a strike. If you watch, the catcher appeals very quickly.

Since it is a policy to honor all check swings (but only on pitches called a ball), I think the PU instinctively honored the appeal, momentarily not realizing that he had just signaled the pitch as a strike. In fact, the umpire did not finish his third strike mechanic as he was interrupted by the catcher's prompt appeal. The PU went from "third strike mechanic mode" into "appeal mode".

Just a brain fart.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by mrm21711

I thought Culbreth was trying to "protect the crew" with his no swing call. However, I would have pumped him out and dealt with the consequences if I was at 1B and that happened to me.

I hope I would have made the call on what the swing/no swing dictated.

Nothing else.

[SethPDX]

I hope I would have been thinking quickly enough to repeat what my partner just called. If my partner rings up a strike, it remains a strike.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

I am sure he is just shaking at the thought.

I'll try it this way: Oh, I'm sorry to have implied that he lacked courage. I was trying instead to emphasize how the Philadelphia fans will be somewhat harsh. Is there a code to use to warn everyone that a joke is coming?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Is there a code to use to warn everyone that a joke is coming?

Not with people devoid of a sense of humor, unfortunately.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

I hope I would have made the call on what the swing/no swing dictated.

Nothing else.

As the base umpire, whenever asked about the swing, I always just rule how I saw it, with total disregard to the fact that the homeplate umpire had called it a ball.

But I think, in this particular case, I would have called it a strike regardless of what I really thought - based on the fact that the homeplate umpire had already called it a strike.

It was clearly a knee-jerk mistake by the plate umpire in honoring the appeal. I would not have compounded that mistake by overruling his indication of a strike.

You have to remember, the catcher signaled for an appeal on a pitch that was called a strike. That is highly unusual and I think that is what fooled the plate umpire.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[SAump]

The batter's performance would win an Emmy for good acting and no one talks about it. The batter was swinging at a close pitch on the corner and held up when it appeared to track out of the strike zone. He tossed his bat and ran to 1B, selling it to both PU and BU. It would have looked just as bad if the batter was called out half way up the first base line.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

I'll try it this way: Oh, I'm sorry to have implied that he lacked courage. I was trying instead to emphasize how the Philadelphia fans will be somewhat harsh. Is there a code to use to warn everyone that a joke is coming?

There is.

You missed it.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Here's what I think happened after watching it a few times.

The pitch was initially called a strike - that is quite obvious. But the catcher was asking for an appeal on the swing even before he was aware that the PU was in the process of ruling it a strike. If you watch, the catcher appeals very quickly.

Since it is a policy to honor all check swings (but only on pitches called a ball), I think the PU instinctively honored the appeal, momentarily not realizing that he had just signaled the pitch as a strike. In fact, the umpire did not finish his third strike mechanic as he was interrupted by the catcher's prompt appeal. The PU went from "third strike mechanic mode" into "appeal mode".

Just a brain fart.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

I think he started to call strike three and changed his mind and called for help on the swing.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

There is.

You missed it.

Well, so did you.

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

I think he started to call strike three and changed his mind and called for help on the swing.

How do you change your mind in the middle of a punchout?

well we all know now how you do it...

[outathm]

My general philosophy has been if the batter has a bat in their hands they went. in that instance the philosophy would have worked.

[SAump]

Originally Posted by NickG

Not to pile on (although I suppose I am), but did anyone else feel that his zone was a bit inconsistent. There were some pretty erratic b/s calls.

I feel the K-zone pitch tracker, or whatever name it goes by, has been a bit inconsistent.

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by SAump

I feel the K-zone pitch tracker, or whatever name it goes by, has been a bit inconsistent.

Is that anything like "the truth has a liberal bias"?