2005 ALCS: White Sox vs. Angels

[nutmeg]

The Angels were robbed. I'm not even an Angels fan, but I'm as pissed about this as I would if it had happened to the Red Sox

The Angels definitely were robbed. If the White Sox win the ALCS because of this bad call, I am going to be REALLY pissed...

[GraniteStateConservative]

There will be a lot of Angels fans now. I would have decked the ump if I were Scioscia. God, I'm pissed.

The ChiSox are cheaters. I hope you ChiSox fans enjoy your stolen win.

[doug from upland]

We don't know what would have happened in extra innings, but this was no way to end a great game.

THEFT IN COOK COUNTY

[sinkspur]

That's bullsh!t in a 1-1 game.

OK. How many men did the Angels leave on base?

[Petronski]

Fourth and one? Who cares...I remember German flak so thick I could get out and walk on it. Calm down junior and move the ball.

[MrJingles]

If the White Sox win the ALCS because of this bad call

Based on how my Sox have played in the last two games, that might not be a realistic concern.

[sinkspur]

The ChiSox are cheaters.

How? The Sox are playing good ball, running out every questionable play.

Good catchers tag every hitter after every close third strike.

[Miss Behave]

"The ChiSox are cheaters."

Say what?

[Colonel_Flagg]

Good catchers tag every hitter after every close third strike.

Correct. This was a good, heads-up play by Pierzynski. He shouldn't be blamed for running out the play to the end. The quality of the umpire's call is another issue, but it's certainly not cheating to run out a play to the end. Angels fans can blame the umpire if they must, but at least half the fault lies with the catcher for not making sure of the out.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Doesn't matter how many were LOB. A 1-1 game is a well played game. If you score those LOBs, you suddenly don't have an excellent pitching performance by both sides.

[commish]

The ump rung him up. The play is dead. The inning is over. Period.

The ump rung him up, but the play was not dead. He called the third strike, and then pointed toward first. Pierzynski saw and heard the call, so obviously the play was not dead. That said, Cali got hosed bigtime. Like I said earlier, the ball clearly bounced, but it was clearly inside the glove when it did as no dirt flew up.

So I agree it was a bad call, but I also can see where it was just as much the fault of the catcher for not insuring that the play was actually dead.

[nutmeg]

I would have decked the ump if I were Scioscia.

Same here. Scioscia is a classier guy than I realized. Did you hear Guillen say "I don't feel any need to watch the replay." BARF!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Good catchers tag every hitter after every close third strike.

You don't run out DEAD PLAYS. He rung him up. The play is dead.

[sinkspur]

The ESPN press conference just concluded included somebody from the umpiring crew or an umpiring rep who said they "observed a change in trajectory" of the ball on the replay as the ball went into the catcher's mitt. They even went to the "booth," where Jerry Crawford, a retired ump, was helping with replays.

When it's close, you don't leave any margin for error. The Angels were back on their heels in that situation.

[MrJingles]

The ChiSox are cheaters.

I don't think you can say that. A.J. ran out what he saw as an uncertain play. That's what he's supposed to do. Get mad at the umpire, not the Sox.

I hope you ChiSox fans enjoy your stolen win.

Yes, I do enjoy it. Not as much as I would have otherwise, though.

[sinkspur]

You don't run out DEAD PLAYS. He rung him up. The play is dead.

Well, obviously not.

But, Scioscia took the Landry route: We didn't do the things we needed to do to win the game.

That's class, and class is always better than whining.

It's now a five-game series. Buck it up.

[GraniteStateConservative]

He called the third strike, and then pointed toward first.

Sorry, no. The ump calls third strike, no swing and then punches him out.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The ESPN press conference just concluded included somebody from the umpiring crew or an umpiring rep who said they "observed a change in trajectory" of the ball on the replay as the ball went into the catcher's mitt. They even went to the "booth," where Jerry Crawford, a retired ump, was helping with replays.

They didn't observe anything. They are in total CYA mode.

[commish]

Sorry, no. The ump calls third strike, no swing and then punches him out.

Look again.

This is the definative catch of what I am saying. Angels catcher is already up and gone. Piersynski is already turning toward the ump - Obviously having heard him or seen something, and the ump is pointing toward first base.

He called the strike, Pointed to first and then made the call a second time. The way Piersynski wheels around he is also obviously yelling "NO CATCH" or something along that lines.

[nutmeg]

I hope you ChiSox fans enjoy your stolen win.

I wouldn't feel good about the way this game was won if it were our Red Sox instead of the White Sox. Can you even imagine if it were the Red Sox vs Yankees and the Yanks lost because of this bad call?! We'd get grief about this bad call for generations, not just for a few years...