Another one

greymule · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 10:51am

I didn't see the game, but the article just appeared on the web, and I don't see that anyone posted anything about it yet.

Regrets? Umpire has a few after costly blown call against Tigers - Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

jicecone · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 12:49pm

Big League Stew Mon Jun 28 06:21am PDT

"We already know umpires are human. If umps apologize too frequently, we'll begin to think they're extremely flawed humans who need to be replaced with Extreme Robot Umpire Overlords who are fitted the latest QuesTec software.

So, just get the calls right in the first place — that way you have no need to say you're sorry.

Or fix the call if you make a mistake and then apologize for messing up. That would be an apology with some value.

Or just make the call and live with it. Keep your mea culpas to yourselves, please.

No more Mr. Sorry Guy."

I couldn't agree more.

johnnyg08 · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 01:09pm

But what if the pitch was balled and it could've been a strike?

Should he bring the guy back and say..."I know I called ball, but the more I think about it, it was a strike."

Or are we talking only about game ending strikes that should've been balls?

MD Longhorn · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 01:17pm

Honestly, I saw this on TV, and while it looked a bit outside, it was also curving out - where the catcher caught it was way outside, but I'm still not positive this missed the plate - and certainly not egregiously. I'm VERY surprised to hear an apology on this one. Save the I'm Sorry's for the truly historical mistakes, and live by your call the other 99.999% of the time.

MD Longhorn · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 01:20pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

But what if the pitch was balled and it could've been a strike?

Should he bring the guy back and say..."I know I called ball, but the more I think about it, it was a strike."

Or are we talking only about game ending strikes that should've been balls?

You know ... one pet peeve of mine when watching MLB (and ONLY MLB - I don't see this problem in NCAA games or even MiLB games) is that the umpires seem to have forgotten what's drummed into the rest of us constantly... See it... think it ... THEN call it. Seems the MLB guys (or a lot of them at least), while being far superior to us in every other way, have this bizarre need to make BIG calls - and to make them big, they make them FAST - especially the bangers at first, and ESPECIALLY strike three called. This was one example. If it really was ball four (still not sure it was), then if he's not so eager to make the SuperLoud PunchOut call - perhaps he gets this one right. We are told 100 times a year, until we don't have to be - SLOW DOWN.

Maybe it's just me.

asdf · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 02:07pm

David Brown is the typical thin skinned sportswriter that loves to criticize, but hates criticism.

His premise that an umpire should change a call is consistent with someone who spends all his free time playing fantasy sports or computer "what if" games.

Adam · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 02:57pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

honestly, i saw this on tv, and while it looked a bit outside, it was also curving out - where the catcher caught it was way outside, but i'm still not positive this missed the plate - and certainly not egregiously. I'm very surprised to hear an apology on this one. Save the i'm sorry's for the truly historical mistakes, and live by your call the other 99.999% of the time.

+1

Sven K · #8 (**permalink**) Mon Jun 28, 2010, 11:45pm

It was outside all the way and never had a chance to catch any of the plate. The camera is right in line with the mound and the plate and it was waaay outside. Even Greg Maddux thought it was several inches wide. This was no reward for "hitting the glove". The catcher had to reach to pick it. Ugh. Ball four scores the tieing run. Bad time to give the too-wide strike.

And, while embarassing on replay, I agree that no apology should be offered. A public apology serves no purpose here.

They kicked another one in the next day's game and Leyland got tossed arguing it.