Chad Fairchild
 

It seems like he is always around controversy, and today he missed a call in a Braves/Mets game which is simply inexcusable and beyond unacceptable. A ball which clearly bounced over the wall for a ground rule double which he ruled in play.

Why don't you find a link to the video so we can see if your opinion is valid or not?

The fact that MLB thinks an umpire can tell where a ball less than 3" in diameter hits a "wall" from 70 yards away while on the "run" is the problem. The ball bounced right back in the direction of the field at an angle congruent with the flight of the ball and the angle of the wall. I'm sure that that is what lead Fairchild to believe the ball hit the wall.

This should be reviewable under a better replay system.

Disclaimer - I'm a Braves fan.

I get that there is an expectation on the part of players, especially at the professional level, that all calls will be correct every time. That being said I always coach the players to, well, play until someone tells them to stop (i.e., they play, officials make calls, and trouble inevitably ensues when those lines get crossed).

what's unacceptable is building a stadium where this can happen.

Looking at the video the first time, I thought it hit the wall.

And, it should be reviewable, I agree -- on all "boundary" calls, leave it live, go to the replay and retroactively make it dead if needed.

Hell, I have made plenty of rulings based upon what I thought I observed. Right or wrong I had to make a decision.

But I have NEVER missed a call on Replay yet.

Things like this happen quick. Umpires use as much evidence as they can gather. The chances of the ball hitting a railing slat and boncing back at that angle is much less than a ball hitting the wall. Easy to see in slo-mo though.

Some of these new stadiums were designed to give the spectators the best view, only to have to add railings later to keep them from falling. Texas Rangers Ballpark raised some railing heights because fans fell (one died). Stadium designers might not have underestimated fan stupidty if they consulted with umpires.

IR is going to be expanded next year and should include this kind of sitch.

The OP stated a conclusion, not a comment so I simply asked for the proof so we could weigh in. Sorry if that irks you and if it does, tough $hit! You can blow it out your backside for all I care.

I agree with you Oz, that the OP stated a conclusion, but I think he also added comments ["simply inexcusable and beyond unacceptable"]; comments that make me wonder if he is a RAT troll? I expect to see that $hit on (insert team name)'s fan sites.

Jeff Kellogg has had a long year dealing with Chad's various escapades.

Check the history. He always posts nonsense like this.

Fairchild tossed Miguel Cabrera and Jim Leyland today.

Fairchild must be doing something right, he did get assigned the All-Star Game.

Missed call, Yes.

Inexcusable and beyond unacceptable? You set the bar way too high (or is it too low?) on what's an acceptable miss. This call is nowhere near what I would consider inexcusable and beyond unacceptable (e.g., Jim Joyce v. Armando Galarraga, or Tim Welke v. Jerry Hairston). If you think you could clearly see a ball rebound off a railing just above the orange line from almost 200 feet away, more power to ya.

I thought it was done but since it isn't...knock it off.