Tigers vs Yankees Blown call at 2B

[jwwashburn]

I have never worked a 6 man or, even a 4 man crew in a baseball game.

My question is why the 2nd Base Umpire was running toward that play instead of in position? Am I ignorant of some other responsibility?

Joe in Florida
PS Go Tigers.

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I have never worked a 6 man or, even a 4 man crew in a baseball game.

My question is why the 2nd Base Umpire was running toward that play instead of in position? Am I ignorant of some other responsibility?

Joe in Florida
PS Go Tigers.

I was wondering that as well. My thinking is that he was in C?

But he should have been still. But I think the announcers need to realize they did have a better angle on it than the umpire.

But I haven't gone over it on replay yet.

(I just watched it over and over again on replay. IMHO, the umpire was too close and his head was moving.

But my favorite moment was when one of the reporters asked Girardi as he was whining about the "need" for IR, "But, Joe, you guys didn't score any runs!")

Rita

[RPatrino]

He certainly was moving while viewing the play and never really even came to a set position to call make the call. Had he been set he might have had a better chance to get the call right.

In this situation he would have been coming from B, I believe, however it does make me wonder why he was running to get into position.

[qcumpire]

It almost looks like he was too close to the play to see the tag underneath the runner.

[jicecone]

Exactly my thought when I watched. He was too close to the play and saw the runners back but, not Cano tagging him below.

As pointed out though, there were two other runs scored in the game and NY didn't have any of them. So I guess the winning run was the missd call. SH## happens.

[umpjim]

No excuse for the umpire for the reasons posted but why was there no tag to the bag by F4?

[tmagan]

Remember, in the 1999 ALCS, the Yankees got the benefit of the doubt on a tag play in Fenway Park, leading to garbage being thrown on the field. I do think you need expanded replay in the postseason, because these tag plays are impossible for the umpires.

[kylejt]

Sometimes, you anticipate the tag coming right at the leading edge of the bag, and put your focus right there. To me, it looks like what happened here. When you do that, you have a tendancy to try to get close. When you get too close, you sometimes lose the big picture,(or tag away from the bag).

As for moving, please remember that Suzuki dive at the plate, and how much Fred Astaire work the PU had to do. Movement is not aways bad, to get the right angle. It usually is to get closer.

Lesson: Angle over distance.

[RPatrino]

Movement while watching the play is always bad. Adjusting to get a better angle and then getting set to see the play is always a good thing.

[Rich Ives]

The runner slid right over the glove. Why would you even begin to think there wasn't a tag? Look for a drop. If there isn't one you have a tag.

[APG]

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

The runner slid right over the glove. Why would you even begin to think there wasn't a tag? Look for a drop. If there isn't one you have a tag.

I agree and in my opinion, he should have been moving back to "open the field". He was right on top of the play and could not see the glove under the runner. Bad positioning, bad call.

But 1 bad call shouldn't cost the game. If you loose because of a call, you didn't play hard enough!

[johnnyg08]

New York didn't score any runs. The call was wrong, but it didn't matter.

[dash_riprock]

Of course it mattered. It changed the game.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by tmagan

I do think you need expanded replay in the postseason, because these tag plays are impossible for the umpires.

Say what??

This tag play was far from impossible. If, as others have stated, he hadn't been so close and so high above the play, and hadn't been moving at the time, chances are he would've easily seen it.

The propensity for these guys to be that danged close to a play never ceases to amaze me. Maybe they do it to convince fans and the media that they are "right on top of it", but they should know better that that isn't the best position.