Phil Cuzzi's Vision

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

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

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.

[SAump]

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?

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by kylejt

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

I agree with the lesson, but only because it's much easier to fix if you guessed wrong. A better lesson is to slow down. Pause, read & react.

[TussAgee11]

When I saw the play I thought he did wait it out and used his timing.

The bottom line is, the ball comes down so quick and then bounces up and kicks left. That change of direction, the eyes can't detect the point at which the ball hit the ground.

A guy 100 feet away has a MUCH better look because the eyes do not need to change direction so quickly, you can just take in that big picture without having to shift the eyes so quickly.

Now that there is IR in MLB for home run calls, I see no need for 6 umpires in the post season. The only thing they are good for is those boundary calls, and since that's now reviewable, I say there should be a shift to a 5 man crew (one guy gets a day) for a 5 game series, and 2 separate 4 man crews for a 7 game series.

Probably won't happen though...

[kylejt]

He hustled out, got in a great set position, paused and made the call. The trouble was, again in my opinion, that he was too close to the play take in the whole scene. I think his timing was okay.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by kylejt

He hustled out, got in a great set position, paused and made the call. The trouble was, again in my opinion, that he was too close to the play take in the whole scene. I think his timing was okay.

I think this is exactly what happened. The ball came down virtually right on top of him and he barely saw it before it hit F7's glove/the ground.

Whoever said an umpire calling this from 100 feet away would have seen it better is exactly right.

[Cub42]

The reason that a 6 man crew is used in the P/O's is to improve outfield coverage on catch no catch calls, and for improved F/F coverage. The only thing I can come up with regarding Cuzzi's call is he either didn't pick up the ball until after it hit fair, or he called it too soon.

[BigGref]

Just plain missed it, it happens...
So what is the common process in determining Fair/Foul, do you look at the ground and wait for the ball to hit, or do you try and track the ball into the ground and make the determination then?

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by Cub42

The reason that a 6 man crew is used in the P/O's is to improve outfield coverage on catch no catch calls, and for improved F/F coverage. The only thing I can come up with regarding Cuzzi's call is he either didn't pick up the ball until after it hit fair, or he called it too soon.

Which is why Evans has recommended putting umpires around the warning track between LF & CF and RF & CF - IMO, especially with replay now, having 2 umpires on the lines is just pointless. I mean at times they are literally 20-30 feet behind the 1B & 3B umpire.