Bill Hohn: Worst MLB umpire or merely the most glaring?

[Kevin Finnerty]

I don't know how many pitches most people have caught with a catcher's mitt, but I have caught countless thousands, and there are catches you make with the web mashed into the ground and the ball hits the web and bounces up into the pocket of the mitt. That's the kind of catch that Josh Paul made on that Eddings disaster.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

I don't know how many pitches most people have caught with a catcher's mitt, but I have caught countless thousands, and there are catches you make with the web mashed into the ground and the ball hits the web and bounces up into the pocket of the mitt. That's the kind of catch that Josh Paul made on that Eddings disaster.

I don't want to rehash this, as we thoroughly discussed the play at length, but I watched the Comcast replay close-up over and over, and it looked to me that the ball hit dirt, and kicked up a little dirt as it bounced into the glove. In any case, it is incumbent on a catcher to realize that it may or may not be called a catch, and Josh Paul should have tagged Pierzynski just to be certain. Eddings changed the way we call the play, but it would have been moot if Paul had done his job properly.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Agreed.

And it was the last thing Paul ever did as an Angel.

[bucblue]

What about the safe, out, out, call at first last night in the Braves/Marlins game. Hermida hit a single to left, ball back to SS, who looked and fired a shot to 1B. Hermida was asleep, 1b coach asleep, and Hohn asleep as the tag was applied before Hermida got back. Hohn game a great safe sign, then out, then out again. Double play?

[cc6]

In the second inning of the Blue Jays-Mariners game, Bill Welke called a Mariner runner safe at first even though they clearly tagged the runner AND he went off the baseline to avoid the tag. The runner before him reached on a hit by pitch that never actually hit him. I know questionable calls happen, but it was frustrating watching this in what could have been Doc Halladay's last start as a Blue Jay. Guess it happens though. It still seems like a travesty that there are MLB umpires like Bucknor and now apparently Hohn, who probably aren't as good as some AAA umpires but who keep their spot just because they got there first.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by cc6

I know questionable calls happen, but it was frustrating watching this in what could have been Doc Halladay's last start as a Blue Jay.

Well, now you don't have to worry about that anymore, since Roy ain't going anywhere.

[cc6]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Well, now you don't have to worry about that anymore, since Roy ain't going anywhere.

Our GM JP Ricciardi set the Roy Halladay trading deadline at July 28th, but it's now a day later and some trade rumours continue. It's funny that we are paying our closer something like $15 million for this year and 2010 while he plays for the Chicago Cubs minor league organization, yet we can't keep the best pitcher in the world. I wouldn't mind seeing Doc and Timmy as a 1-2 combo though.

[TussAgee11]

UMPIRE REVOLUTION!

Seriously, these guys are the best of the best.

I was wondering if anybody wanted to comment on how baseball officials have a much different style because baseball is such a different game than basketball, baseball, football? Does anyone think that style of baseball at the MLB level compared to MiLB, NCAA, or FED is a bit more laid back, and as a result, umpires behave much differently?

And if so, wouldn't that mean that an experienced amateur ball official can't really understand what umpiring in MLB is like, and therefore, aren't qualified to critique style and demeanor? The calls are the calls, but it seems lots of criticism from this forum is centered around ways in which things are dealt with, appearance, or mechanics.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

UMPIRE REVOLUTION!

Seriously, these guys are the best of the best.

And if so, wouldn't that mean that an experienced amateur ball official can't really understand what umpiring in MLB is like, and therefore, aren't qualified to critique style and demeanor? The calls are the calls, but it seems lots of criticism from this forum is centered around ways in which things are dealt with, appearance, or mechanics.

What a crock.

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by bucblue

What about the safe, out, out, call at first last night in the Braves/Marlins game. Hermida hit a single to left, ball back to SS, who looked and fired a shot to 1B. Hermida was asleep, 1b coach asleep, and Hohn asleep as the tag was applied before Hermida got back. Hohn game a great safe sign, then out, then out again. Double play?

WOW! Very Very awful.

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | ATL@FLA: Escobar's strong throw keeps game knotted - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Remarkably bad. My 6 year old daughter has a better hammer than that.



Oy Vey.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Thanks, Hohn.