tim mcclelland

[bniu]

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...

[kylejt]

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

Yow!

[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?

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?

[David Emerling]

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?

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?

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

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

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

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.

[mrm21711]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

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?

[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.

Pete Booth

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

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.

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?

[RPatrino]

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.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Why would MLB remove these guys in the middle of a series?

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

[Kevin Finnerty]

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?

[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.

[Ump153]

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.

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.

[Kevin Finnerty]

AGAIN, we agree!

[jkumpire]

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.

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.