Bucknor, Cuzzi pay the price

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Matt

Wrong. The Cardinals' piss-poor performance cost them game 6 and 7. Not the call.

The call only cost them Game 6. Game 7 was lost due to piss poor performance. (I can't help but think of how Douglas C. Niedermeyer would say piss poor performance.)

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Yeah, maybe they need instant replay in the damn booth for those bozos, who make many more mistakes than the worst umpires in the universe. Maybe these jokers should have to sit out the playoffs because of their poor performances. Then they would see what it's like.

Originally Posted by mrm21711

The fact that CB Bucknor was even considered, nonetheless selected, to work a World Series is one of the biggest jokes I can imagine.

Tou-friggin'-ché!

[GA Umpire]

McClelland screwed up, mentally and physically. We know that. Cuzzi and Bucknor screwed up as well. All of this focus on the umpires, did anyone notice the mental mistakes made by Hunter and Molina when Hunter was on 3B and Guerrerro hit the ball to Jeter.

First, Hunter went on that. No chance to make HP. Any descent runner should have been able to read that and know. He did stay in the run down long enough to get Guerrerro to 2B.

Second, Molina did not continue in the run down after he gave the ball to ARod and threw it too early to ARod. He stopped in the infield grass and became a spectator when he should have gotten in line on the 3B end when he threw the ball to ARod.

Did anyone (even here) notice that or were they too focused on the call of Damon at 1B? Which, to me, is a tough call since the angle would be tough and the umpire can't listen for the pop on that toss. Tough call to make at regular speed.

And, the fact that Mathis can't lay down a bunt.

So much is put on the umpires, no one is noticing how poor the play is as well. Or, no one knows what to look for to know the play is just as poor. I wonder which it is.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by GA Umpire

McClelland screwed up, mentally and physically. We know that. Cuzzi and Bucknor screwed up as well. All of this focus on the umpires, did anyone notice the mental mistakes made by Hunter and Molina when Hunter was on 3B and Guerrerro hit the ball to Jeter.

First, Hunter went on that. No chance to make HP. Any descent runner should have been able to read that and know. He did stay in the run down long enough to get Guerrerro to 2B.

Second, Molina did not continue in the run down after he gave the ball to ARod and threw it too early to ARod. He stopped in the infield grass and became a spectator when he should have gotten in line on the 3B end when he threw the ball to ARod.

Did anyone (even here) notice that or were they too focused on the call of Damon at 1B? Which, to me, is a tough call since the angle would be tough and the umpire can't listen for the pop on that toss. Tough call to make at regular speed.

And, the fact that Mathis can't lay down a bunt.

So much is put on the umpires, no one is noticing how poor the play is as well. Or, no one knows what to look for to know the play is just as poor. I wonder which it is.

You're right, very few of us know very much about how the game is played, and of course, if we did, we could see that some of the play was poor enough to effectively erase or excuse any bad umpiring.

And the reality of what is now almost a dozen blown calls in this postseason alone should be effectively clouded by a dozen misplays, baserunning blunders and managerial gaffes.

That's very reasonable, objective thinking. It's the kind of thinking that is employed when most propaganda is concocted.

[jkumpire]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

You're right, very few of us know very much about how the game is played, and of course, if we did, we could see that some of the play was poor enough to effectively erase or excuse any bad umpiring.

And the reality of what is now almost a dozen blown calls in this postseason alone should be effectively clouded by a dozen misplays, baserunning blunders and managerial gaffes.

That's very reasonable, objective thinking. It's the kind of thinking that is employed when most propaganda is concocted.

With all due respect,

Are you an Angels fan, or is there some other reason you are so angry in these threads?

I really am not happy with the guys involved in these foul-ups either, nobody is on this board. But you are almost over the top angry about it, even taking shots at posters you think are defending these people.

Lighten up a little!

[JJ]

Part of what magnifies these - or any - missed calls vs misques by the teams is the teams are not expected to be perfect...but the umpires are. Even though everyone knows they are NOT perfect.

JJ

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

With all due respect,

Are you an Angels fan, or is there some other reason you are so angry in these threads?

I really am not happy with the guys involved in these foul-ups either, nobody is on this board. But you are almost over the top angry about it, even taking shots at posters you think are defending these people.

Lighten up a little!

Angry? Me?

That's the best laugh I have had in weeks. Thank you.

And do you actually think that my criticisms of this spate of awful calls shows bias toward any one team? Is that also a joke? Because it should be. I ripped Bucknor for two calls that favored the Angels. I ripped McClelland for two calls, one of which took a run off the board from the Yankees. I ripped Culbreath for missing a strike three call on Posada that triggered that rally. I commended Jerry Layne for a neighborhood call and two tag play calls at the plate that all went for the Yankees. I ripped Cuzzi for a call that went for the Yankees. I ripped Kulpa for a horrendous call at third that went for the Phillies.

Do you honestly think I am biased for any one team in my criticisms of umpires?

I love the game and I love the umpiring profession. I am not biased toward a team in making my judgments nor am I angry in my expressions. Thanks for the guesswork, though; it shows interest.