tim mcclelland
 

i was watching game 1 with tim behind the plate. Does he even sell any calls anymore? his strike hammer looked rather lazy and i don't think he's even vocalizing his strike calls and his strike 3 ringup looked pretty lazy too...it must be nice to have earned the credibility he has to get away with his stuff...

and OT, why is Jeff Kellogg not working this postseason? i didn't see him on the Div Series roster and he's not on the LCS rosters, considering he worked a WS last year (and even a late series game on the plate), did he just have a bad year? And does anyone know what the mechanic is called that Kellogg uses to ring up batters? i think it looks cool, sweeping your right hand across and punching to the left...

Um, did you happen to check out his "skills" this evening?

Yow!

tonight
 

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?

The teaching point is that you can never assume what will happen at a play, you have to try and keep your mind focused on what is going on in front of your eyes.

I know a lot of us veterans will at times assume something like this: We think this pitch will be off the plate, so we mentally call the pitch a ball. But, then the pitch hits the corner, but we assumed it was a ball, so we ball it anyway.

How many times will anyone see that call in their career on the MLB level? Once, maybe. It was a weird play, and I'll bet you dollars to donuts he either didn't see Posada get tagged, or he made a mental mistake in assuming only R2 would vacate 3B when R3 returned.

Great play by the F2, he was on the ball, and U3 missed it.

BTW, the conversation with Sicosia and Jerry Lane was enlightening too, but I wish Fox had not broadcast it. That kind of inside baseball needs to be left on the field, and Lane was dead on right to let the Anaheim F2 he needed to give a look.

The later commentary by McCarver about it was nuts, some of the most stupid stuff I ever heard him say. "Yeah, F2 is thinking about what the HP umpire said, so he ends up misplaying a ball for a passed ball. Right.

Comments?

An umpire like Tim McClelland, somnambulating through his job, no longer able to interest himself, makes being an umpire more difficult for everyone.

I was under the impression that these games were important. So getting the calls right is critical. So why is McClelland out there?

Wow!

I just read J.K.'s defense of McClelland's latest butchery. Admirable loyalty to a once-great umpire.

I can't wait to hear the others.

McClelland's performance tonight was horrid. His decision not to get into position to have the best view of plays was inexcusable. He is not that old. He is not infirm. He needs to decide to work like he used to or seek an evaluator's job and leave ML umpiring to those willing to work hard.

AGAIN, we agree!

SI.Com Article on Post Season Umpiring......
 

"I thought Cano was on the base," said McClelland, a longtime veteran and one of baseball's most respected umpires.

He said the second replay showed that Cano was off the base when he was tagged.

"I did not see that for whatever reason," he said. "I'm just out there trying to do my job and do it the best I can."

The Angels did get a break in the fourth when Swisher was called out for leaving third base too soon on Johnny Damon's fly to center field. Swisher was called out on an appeal, resulting in an inning-ending double play -- though replays appeared to show Swisher did not leave early.

"In my heart, I thought he left too soon," McClelland said. "But the replay showed that he didn't."

There was another disputed call in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, when first base ump Laz Diaz ruled Torii Hunter out on his sixth-inning bunt. Angels manager Mike Scioscia argued that first baseman Mark Teixeira's foot came off the bag when he stretched for Sabathia's throw.

Missed calls and shaky umpiring have been an embarrassment for Major League Baseball throughout this postseason.

Entire article is at:

Umpires miss more calls in Game 4 - MLB - SI.com

Please do not put your thoughts in my post, Kevin.
 

Ah,

Kevin, you misunderstand. It was an explanation, not a defense. I use this site as way to become a better umpire and teacher of umpires, not a forum to bash people. I am not sold on the tag at 3B that he was wrong, camera angles can lie.

Obviously he kicked the play at 3B, and it was awful he got himself straightlined on the play. He can defend himself in the media, I don't need to.

Must be an Angels fan b/c the call at 1B was right. He held the base long enough for the call. He doesn't have to maintain contact with the base throughout the entire play. Just have secure possession of the ball while touching the base, which he did. Laz's call was right and a good call.

Just another McCarver reporter writing things which he has no idea about.

Camera angles can lie? That's absolutely incredible, JK. Yours is a defense against perhaps the worst call we have ever seen in a high-profile game.

And this is not bashing. Bashing is senseless and baseless attacking. It originally referred to beating a person because they were gay. That's senseless. This is sensible and worthy and simple criticism of an outrageous mistake by a highly paid professional. And it was made due to laziness, just like his other mistake in this same game, or his giving a playoff game to the Rockies two years back.

An indefensible mistake. Even McClelland can't offer a defense or an excuse.

More, not so flattering comments and opinions from NBC.COM......
 

Article - Atrocious umpiring not a factor as Yanks stomp Angels:

"Had the game remained close, then the umpires would have faced their greatest scrutiny yet. Tim McClelland, widely revered as the game's best, horribly botched two plays at third, making it obvious in the process that he wasn't even paying attention to the game in front of him."

NBC Sports - Baseball - Circling the Bases

Which Call is the worst ever?
 

Kevin,

I am confused. Are you saying that camera angles are always perfect to get the best view of any play? Are you just so mad about the two calls missed at 3B you can't see the forest from the trees?

I did not see all the replays in the game on the appeal at 3B, but unless there was one I did not see, unless you have a perfect angle on the play, it's not a done deal he missed it. Having said that, it looks like Fox did find the magic angle to show he missed it. If he kicked it, bad for him.

Maybe it is another reason why the the plate umpire should have the tag at 3B to begin with.

Look, when I went to school, Tim was one the instructors I had. He's a great guy, IMO. If I was going to defend him I would. But I am not trying to defend him or the call. I saw the play at 3B totally live, he blew that up like Hiroshima. He got straightlined by the runner going back to 3B. No excuse for that.

But doggone it, camera angles do lie at times, and you are saying stuff I am not saying. Step away from the keyboard and take a deep breath will you?

No. In a four, or six man crew, U3 should be able to line up the the catch and tag. Tim failed to do so, didn't see the tag up, and guessed. The BIG problem was that he called what he didn't see. In that case, you always give the benifit of the doubt to the runner. ALWAYS.

You've got to be 100% sure to make that call. THAT was the big mistake.

...that's the sad part right there.

To Grune's point......
"Missed calls and shaky umpiring have been an embarrassment fo Major League Baseball throughout this postseason"
What would the NFL being doing if this type of thing occured in their playoffs?

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty:
Wow!

I just read J.K.'s defense of McClelland's latest butchery. Admirable loyalty to a once-great umpire.

I can't wait to hear the others.

It is indeed sad that some will ignore the reality of it all and make excuses for such shoddy and unprofessional work for no reason other than misplaced loyalty to a fellow umpire.

On that we can agree.

Since U3 said he thought runner was on base ( as opposed at a snap judgement on the runner touching and being tagged almost at the same time) why after Scioscia came out didn't he simply ask PU if he had an out?
Not the best grammer, but point is there....

New at this aren't you?

The PU would have told him to talk to U3 because it was U3's call.

Grade the officials on every down of the game like always. Some NFL officials don't get a single foul/no-foul call wrong during the entire 17 game season. That is about 2329 consecutive downs without making a mistake (about 137 per game). What do you want the NFL to do because a guy got one wrong during the playoffs?

McClelland's explanation was that he thought Cano was on the bag when tagged. I'm wondering if that would've mattered.

Posado was the lead runner. When Posado returned to 3rd, that bag became HIS bag - not Cano's. The Angel's catcher, Napoli, elected to tag Cano first. Cano was clearly off the bag -but- if he had been on the bag, didn't the bag still belong to Posada - even though Posada had overrun the bag?

Yes, I realize that there were never two runners on the base at the same time. But the issue is one of ownership. WHO does the bag belong to? Posado had returned to 3rd and overran it. Posado needed to return to that base to be safe.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that when Cano was tagged he was on the base and, for that reason, McClelland had called him safe. Posado is off the bag on the leftfield side of 3rd, after overrunning it. Where can Posado go to be safe? We know he can't run to 2nd. Can he go back to 3rd? Cano has already been declared SAFE at 3rd. Can he go home? No! Because he failed to touch 3rd.

Can Cano be safe at 3rd when tagged ... and if Posado returns to 3rd ... can Cano be re-tagged and be declared out?

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

Yes, and yes. He would first be safe, while Posada was still off the base, then after Posada steps on the base, Cano could be re-tagged and be called out.

I get confused sometimes by all the "McClelland is one of the best umpires in MLB." Ive watched him work a lot, and I will admit his ball/strike consistency is very good but I have also watched and noticed him blowing/missing a good number of calls. In MLB does "the best" simply boil down to ball and strike Questec ratings?

I didn't realize that Sammy was in attendance, or that he had came out!:p

There should be two openings in MLB next year, Cuzzi and Mcclelland. They don't have to be fired, just put back in AAA until they can handle umpiring in the bigs. If they don't like that, retire and let other guys in.

On second thought, just fire them. Professionals should not make those gross mistakes. I'm tired of the ol' "everybody makes mistakes" reasoning. If my doctor makes a mistake, he's not getting off the hook because some pre-med student made the same mistake. Let's try to have the best officiating the best. I am getting tired of seeing gross mistakes at this level.

You're taking my reply the wrong way...the point I was trying to make is the same one you made....the NFL reviews plays an grades officials on every call. If you don't grade out high...you don't work the playoffs.
.I was not being critical of the NFL or their system for rating, evaluating, and advancing officials for post season assignments.

I can live with Cuzzi's miss, because it wasn't for lack of effort.

For the record, the NFL officials are downgraded for plays that no one knows are a mistake. They get dinged for movement when they are involved and not involved in plays. NFL officials have to move on every play and during dead ball periods. I would not even think it would be fair to even compare the NFL to MLB when MLB might not even have a touch situation or movement during a great deal of the game. I have said this before; it is a lot harder to officiate a football game than it is a baseball game any day. And the NFL turns over their staff often and change people every year. Can MLB say the same thing?

McClellon had one shot at this play and missed it big time. And he did not have to move much to see the play and adjust to get an angle. We have all missed plays. The lesson in this is to never assume anything. You have to get in position to see something. And if guys knew at the MLB level that they will not have a job in a year for these kinds of calls or at the very least sit home during the playoffs, they might do a better job on the routine play like this.

Peace

JK, in this situation the U3 has NOTHING more to do than to get sufficient angle to line up the runner and the catch. If you can't get that simple responsibility done, maybe you should be doing something else.

Ummm - No, I'm not.

I suppose I sould cave been clearer. "Him" refers to U3, not to Scioscia. McClelland could have very easily gone to PU ( or crew in general) to ask if he missed something. Surely one of then would have said obvious tag while off the base. McClelland gives the hammer. Play over, Move on.

Robbie, this isn't "kiddie ball", this is the real deal. Each umpire is responsible for his own calls. These guys don't put their call on another umpire like so many amateur umpires do.

RP, yes, but
 

As you well know the speed of the game is very quick out there, and if the ball is a rocket shot the 3B umpire might have a harder time lining it up than the HP umpire does. The PU does have the whole field in front of him and U3 does not.


However, before Kevin assumes I am defending Tim in this case, please be advised that I'm not. Yes, U3 has little to do except for one or two calls a night and making sure runners hit 3B and tag up. He ought to get it right. I am confused as to why he called the out in the first place. He had to know he did not get a great look at the tag.

Unless he is suffering from assume disease...

This guy could have lined that catch up in time ... if he showed effort and interest:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/...3121079162.jpg

No matter how hard the shot to center field was, McClelland should have stopped, watched the touch by F8, and quickly turned his head to see Swisher's feet. Had he done that, he would have been able to judge that Swisher did not leave early. Instead he was running in, only watching the play in the outfield, and never once looked at Swisher's position on the base. If he were not 100% sure in his HEAD, not his heart, that Swisher took off too soon, then the call should have been the default, which is that he did not leave too soon.

I told you not to post those photos you took of me!

[QUOTE]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.

Pete Booth

Wow, that weight loss program of yours must have worked great!:)

Yeah, but look how it aged me!!!:eek:;)

Ditch the cane and you'll peel years off from one moment to the next.

First off...how do you manage to mess up the quoting system every time you make a post? I mean seriously...you press the quote link and type below it. That's it. Why does every one of your posts have multiple quote tags?

The NFL did not replace him. They just mark it down as a missed call. They did not take away any of his games. Why would MLB remove these guys in the middle of a series?

Hey!!! I worked with that guy in 2004. FYI, he never once pivoted into the infield on hits. And JK, maybe Tim should stop making calls with his "heart" and go back to using his mechanics and eyes. Just a thought.

Your point?
 

RP,

I don't disagree with you, he messed up big time. I stated why I think he did, but no matter what the reasons, he has to accept the consequences for his actions, just like we have to accept ours in our levels of umpiring.

But, as I was listening the the ALCS after my last game of the season :(, to hear the drones babble on about how good replay is was absurd. Camera angles do lie, and no camera system is ever going to be perfect. They have enough trouble in the NFL with it, and you can set cameras up on every line
you want, including the LOS every play.

Trained human eyes are still the best eyes to see things in sports with, until the owner of the trained eyes turns his brain off for whatever reason.

As a disciplinary move for poor performance......and NOT for just one blown call.

http://b0.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/0...01612270_m.jpg
Piss poor per-for-mance

He'll look younger but he'll lean to the right and walk in circles.:D

Don't lose sight of Niedermeyers ultimate fate :D

Killed ... by his own men.

I think this thread has run it's course.