Two Pitching Changes Spark Protest

[jwwashburn]

Do you have THIS on the ipod?

Mr. Trololo original upload - YouTube

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by LeeBallanfant

Not quite, Culbreth gets two games and other 3 are fined. Umpiring crew disciplined for rule mishap | MLB.com: News

My original post was obtained from what David Shuster of 670 WSCR Radio had said during one of his news breaks this afternoon. He led off the news with this comment: "Major League Baseball has suspended Umpire Crew Chief Fieldin Culbreth and his crew for 2 games for...". Thanks for pointing out that that wasn't completely accurate.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by tmagan

Every time Dwight Howard does something stupid, he faces the media. Fieldin Culbreth is a fifty year old man and runs away when someone challenges him. Fieldin has to grow up and learn how to deal with tough questions. People half his age in sports learn how to deal with tough questions. Angel Hernandez is probably a lost cause, but Culbreth damaged his reputation this week.

Fielden Culbreth has been suspended for two games. Pretty simple rule. Should have known the rule at that level.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

If the guy is not in the game until he throws a pitch then how does it make sense to require him to throw a pitch before he can be replaced? How can he be "replaced" if he is not in the game?

You are totally correct and I was smoking something this morning. Sometimes it pays to put the brain in gear before opening the mouth.

[LilLeaguer]

I wonder if the umpires were remembering this 2011 play, which resulted in 3.05(d).

[David B]

Originally Posted by UMP25

The crew in Houston last night didn't get away with it. MLB has suspended Fieldin Culbreth and his crew for 2 games for their misapplication of the rule.

Personally, I have no problem with such penalty. Making an error in a judgment call is one thing, but to me, not getting a ruling correct is inexcusable. Period.

well and we're not talking about just one umpire here - they should all be suspended - the whole crew. That rule has been the same forever and is that way at all levels if i recall correctly.

Thanks
DAvid

[Matt]

Originally Posted by tmagan

You can get away with that in the mid-1980's, not in today's world. By not speaking to the press, does Fieldin thinks it would go away? It just makes it worse, with people thinking cover up, or he didn't know the rule. If Fieldin knew the rule, he should have told the pool reporter after the game. He didn't and you know and I know what that means.

I know what that means...that he was following MLB's directive that no umpire talks to the media about a protested call.

You, OTOH...

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by LilLeaguer

I wonder if the umpires were remembering this 2011 play, which resulted in 3.05(d).

Interesting. I had no idea this rule existed. If this had happened to me in a game, I wouldn't think twice, since the pitcher had already met his obligation by pitching in the previous inning(s).

That said, I doubt 3.05(d) has filtered down to lower levels.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by kylejt

One of the umpires made a phone call from the dugout. Hopefully, that guy gets the worst of it....

In MLB, once a manager says he wants to protest, the umpires have to meet and make sure that they are correct in their rule interpretation/application (in this case, they were way off), then the CC has to contact official scorekeeper and explain the situation (thus the phone call) to log the protest. Doing that, the CC comes onto the field, faces the press boxes and makes the "P" sign to declare the game is under protest.

If this were a playoff or world series game, that phone call would have been to the MLB representative for verification, then the official scorekeeper would be notified.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Interesting. I had no idea this rule existed. If this had happened to me in a game, I wouldn't think twice, since the pitcher had already met his obligation by pitching in the previous inning(s).

That said, I doubt 3.05(d) has filtered down to lower levels.

It should have filtered down to every league who uses "OBR, except ..." rules.

It's also an NCAA rule -- I had to enforce it last weekend, and it almost came up in a conference tournament game this weekend. Turns out the (new) defensive coach had made a "projected" substitution, so th eoriginal starter was already out of the game when he crossed the foul line.

[tmagan]

Originally Posted by Matt

I know what that means...that he was following MLB's directive that no umpire talks to the media about a protested call.

You, OTOH...

He can recite the rule in question to the pool reporter, the mechanics with regard to the incident in question, he can leave that to the report. Frankly, I could care less if he didn't know the rule. An umpire once in his career is entitled to forget a rule or a ball-strike count, it happens. When you try to hide from it right after the game, you turn a bad situation and make it worse.