Absolutely we do, Steve. The big difference is, for most of us, millions of people aren't watching on TV. Thank goodness.

Nor are we crucified on internet boards by those who will never be as good.

There's no crucifixion occurring here. There is nothing more than conversation about the call, using it as a learning experience.

I've seen very little learning (e.g., "how can I minimize the chances of it happening to me") going on.

I subscribe to the "brain fart" theory. Stand around in an outfield for a while and then have a baseball hit right at you. See what happens.

At every level, the trick is to keep your head in the game, keep focused. I feel fortunate that millions of people aren't watching me when I have a brain fart.

Bottom line. It was a gross and inexcusable miss. Same is true for the guy that missed a similar call in the CWS.

And you've never made one?

I agree, sometimes the eyes, mouth and arms just wanna do their own thing and after the brain decides to catch up it too late from looking stupid.

What was he thinking when he made that call? He wasn't, the brain hadn't joined the rest of the body at that point.

Plain and simple, if it has never happened to you, your lying.

Not during a division series or CWS. Not the point. Just because an amatuer umpire missed a call one time does not excuse this PROFESSIONAL MLBU in this instance. If I were in his shoes, I would expect consequences. I can live with the wacker at first where the camera is slowed down, or the umpire's definition of his strike zone, not this. This type of gross miss is unexceptable. If Cuzzi can't handle it, get him out and new blood in. Did I mention that these are PROFESSIONAL MLB umpires. Amatuer umpires should aspire to be like the pros, for making getting into proper position look like a work of art, for having composure under fire, etc., not make excuses for them because they make the same mistakes we sometimes do. Misses like this make my credibility go down because "if the pros miss 'em, you do too." I don't need any help with my credibility meter, I shake it up just fine on my own.

Pro, Schmoe - people make mistakes.

Pro players strike out, throw wild pitches, do stupid baserunning tricks, throw to wrong bases, toss the ball into the stands after the second out, drop fly balls, miss signs, have a ground ball go through the wickets, bat out of order, and many other "dumb" things. To the purist, these are inexcusable. To the realist - stuff happens. It's over. Move on.

The first step in prevention is knowing the cause.

I guess you don't really get sarcasm, do you.

IMO, he got too close to the play. Your first reaction is to chase the play, as if you were U3. He did that, got too close, and didn't get much of a view of the ball coming down. He just saw a flash of ball and legs, and guessed.

Another lesson: When in doubt, call it fair. You've got to be really sure that it's foul to call it. Give the benefit of the doubt to the hitter, not to the guy who didn't catch it.

Class dismissed.

"Phil Cuzzi's Vision is listed on Ebay right now. It's being described as "new in box-never used".

"But that fair/foul was beyond belief. You have one thing to do all effing night and then that's it?!? Wow. The best of the best."

"We're criticizing the dreadful call by a very highly paid professional, who performs his work in public."


Okay, so now we know the cause.:rolleyes:

Minnesota Joe
 

The ball bounced into DBT while the foul call was being made. It appears that the Twins never asked if a foul call like this can be overturned. Did Joe or his manager request a second opinion before the next pitch?