But scorekeepers have been known to reverse their judgments the next day. I don’t see why he can’t ‘review’ the play and declare an error on the pitcher, and at least the kid gets on the no-hitter list. There’s plenty of precedent for scorekeepers changing their minds.
Sorry. The Scorekeeper didn’t make the call @ 1st. His job is NOT to DECIDE balls, strikes or outs. He can designate a hit or an error, but he CAN’T call a ball or strike or foul or a run scored or an out or whatever. His job is statistics — to record the events of the game, NOT to call the game.
This isn’t on the Scorekeeper, it’s on the Ump. And NO Ump is going to review his own call and reverse it once play has resumed — he hasn’t the power to do so. In fact, neither does the Commish, the League President or any other figure in or out the sport.
An Ump CAN, and occasionally has reversed himself — immediately, BEFORE play resumes. I’ve BEEN the Ump in Little League, high-school ball, Company Softball, etc. Say you inadvertently give the Ball sign and KNOW you meant to give the Strike. You MAY reverse this before play resumes, if you KNOW you fumbled it. Otherwise, once play resumes, you’re stuck with it and so’s the player.
If you DO reverse yourself, SOMEBODY is going to be unhappy ... so ? That’s life. Deal with it ...
The rules REQUIRE the Ump to make the correct call. The players aren’t supposed to be penalized unduly because of a momentary lapse on the part of the Ump. But, he ONLY gets ONE opportunity to make it right. Once the pitcher starts delivering the next pitch, however, his ONE opportunity is gone forever.
I don’t recall an Ump ever reversing himself because of a tirade by the players or managers. I do recall discussions between the Umps that produced a different call — rarely, but it has happened. The Crew Chief asks ‘You sure ?’ and some discussion might ensue to lock it down. And of course, the Ump CAN defer to another Ump who might have ( or assert ) a different / better view of the call he made before play is allowed to resume — rarely, but it has happened.
This is just baseball, pure and simple. It’s what you get when you put human beings into the mix — imperfection.
And ... come on, it’s only a game, guys.
One Man’s Opinion ...
21stCenturion