tim mcclelland

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

First off, I'm not sold on all these video cameras Fox is using.

Second, Tim needed a couple more steps to get into a great position to see the tag. Was he wrong? Maybe, but see the post above.

Third, on the play at 3B, IMO two bad things happened.

A. he got straightlined by Posada when he steeped off 3B. There was little chance he could see the 2nd tag from where he was. Should he have moved further? Maybe, but at least he had the guts to call what he saw and assumed something happened that he didn't see.

B. The problem with his call on the whole play may be something all of us can learn from. Since I am not God, I cannot go into Tim's mind to find out what he was thinking. But I would almost be willing to bet that he assumed a certain normal call he has called hundreds of time was going on. Instead, there was a call that happens, what, once in a career?

Tim McClelland is a professional baseball umpire which means it's HIS Job to get into position. Unlike us amateurs which work 2 man, in the PROS they have 4 (6 for playoffs)

I realize he was your instructor but the point is IT's his job and he gets paid well to get into the proper position as for the most part the ONLY base he has to worry about is third.

The problem which has been stated is MLB and some kind of rating system for the umpiring crew.

Last year Ed Hocule blew a call BIG TIME and the NFL downgraded him. Cuzzi / McClelland after those 2 horrible calls should have been replaced PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

This is not "kiddie ball", High level HS varsity, or even Division I college ball. This is the PROS where umpires make a GOOD living. Also, for the most part they are there for life which is a joke.

Give some young / middle aged individual who has been working their butts off at the minor league level a chance. Also, these are not the FIRST blunders that Cuzzi / McLelland have been involved with.

I agree with Kevin. The calls at that level are inexcusable and it's time for MLB to get involved and have a rating system in place. When you make calls as bad as Cuzzi / McLelland at the highest level then you should be removed.

FWIW that is what happens at the amateur level. When you get your shot at say a high level HS regional / State VS game and made a call like the one's Cuzzi / McLelland did it's back to doing modified.

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