Interesting play in SD-STL
 

Not sure what the umpire was doing on this play.

Padres challenge play at home | MLB.com

The one think I could possibly defend for the out is runner leaving his baseline. At 45ft I have the runner at the edge of the grass in foul territory, and at the time of the tag 3-5ft onto the grass.

When the tag was attempted, the runner was not going toward the plate but actually in a line away from it. You'll see Davidson point to that on the attempted tag. After relaxed play at the plate, you'll again see Davidson point to the area where the runner was out of his established baseline. Good call IMO.

If the ump was pointing that the runner went out of the line he didn't sell it at all. If the runner went out of the path, why wait until the catcher and runner race to the plate? Shouldn't you call the out as soon as it occurs? I wish I could understand what you baseball guys think when you see this play -- as an outsider I see an ump who doesn't know what call to make and that looks really bad. He even asks the catcher "did you touch him?".

Shit happens. And the world is not perfect. I wish I could understand you perfectionist who believe the world is centered around your opinion. What profession are you in that you perform perfectly everyday of your life. Do we come to your job everyday and analyse your performance. And then plaster it all over the media to point out you imperfections for the day.

How many inning have you played or umpired in your life?

My best advise to you is ! Show up, keep up, shut up

Thank you for your polite and reasoned response. I always enjoy posting on the Baseball Forum. :)

Lesson to be learned: Sell your call, and don't look like you don't know what just happened. It's okay to miss close calls, we all do. But if Balkin' Bob had pointed at the tag, and called him out (instead of following it to the plate, watching for the tag there, THEN weakly point to the other spot, and calling him OUT) then he wouldn't have looked so bad.

There is zero chance he's out of his basepath on this play. Bad judgement on the part of the review official.

Your welcome.

I agree with that - good call. Announcers are idiots - if they would watch Davidson's mouth he says "out, he's out of the baseline" - mechanics not good but we've all done stuff like that before where our body doesn't react to what our brain is telling us.

His baseline is from where he is to the plate and the runner obviously violates that.

Thanks
David

Bob to catcher: Did you tag him?
Catcher: Ah, sure.
Bob: He's out, over there somewhere.

HE ASKED THE CATCHER IF HE TAGGED HIM!!!!!

Are you kidding me? I'm firing a Junior umpire if he does that (or at least yelling at him)

p.s. feel free to shave before you go to work, sir.

Regardless of what happened on this play, it is my personal and professional opinion that Bob Davidson should not be allowed anywhere on a professional baseball field. He is a terrible umpire.

How he got let back into the game after several much more qualified MLB Umpire resignees were not permitted back is a travesty.

Davidson, Hernandez, Bucknor--they're an embarrassment to the game. Just my worthless 2 cents, of course. :D

Please forward to MLB, 245 Park Avenue, New York City, New York 10167

"Thanks for being a fan of Major League Baseball."

I see what you did there.:D