We was robbed!! Sox 2 Angels 1

ESPN ^

[navysealdad]

Game 2 of the ACLS left Chicago celebrating a 2-1 victory. Controversial strikeout didn't end the ninth..

[Black Tooth]

Face it, The Angles Lost this.

Read what the critics are saying coast to coast. The umpire was the game.

[beezdotcom]

Well, I mostly agree with you. I think Pierzynski was shrewd to run. I think the ump botched this call horribly, whether there was a bounce or not. But if I'm the catcher, and I _KNOW_ I caught the ball, and I see the ump signal 'OUT', I'm generally not going to think there's any reason to 'be safe and make the tag.'

After THIS, however, I wouldn't blame any catcher for ignoring ANY call made by the ump, and stalking EVERY player all the way back into the dugout for an extra tag, JUST to be sure. I would find the hotel where the opposing team was staying, knock on EACH of their doors at 3am, and tag them one more time for good measure.

[mrexitement]

His postgame conference says different. Angels scored 1 run today. White Sox tried to give them the game. They needed to play better to win today.

[bigsigh]

You're correct the cathcher should throw to first.

I'll wager with 99.9% certainty the plate ump did not see the ball. It's an angle that would have been blocked by the catcher or his glove. The bounce, if there was one, was too close to the glove.

Sometimes you can hear or "feel" the bounce because there is a break in the flight as it hits the ground.

The base umps can also make the call if they see it hit or go directly into the glove.

The ump raised his right hand to call the strike, we don;t know if he said "out." It appeared he then raised it again in a clinched fist to indicate out.

Whatever the case, the catchers will usuall tag the batter or throw to first. Angels blew it more than the ump.

[hole_n_one]

The problem seems to be that the same identical signal implied one thing from the hp ump in the 8th (out) and another thing in the 9th (strike).

[Charles Henrickson]

There are two issues here: 1) the ball, 2) the call.

1) The ball: It looked to me like the ball was trapped against the ground. In fact, when they showed the ultra-close-up slow-motion, it looked like the ball may even have bounced a tiny bit before reaching the mitt. In any case, it was certainly close enough that an ump might reasonably judge that it was trapped.

2) The call: To me, the call was more questionable than the ball. I mean here the ump's hand signals. But Diddle's post on ump hand signals seems to support the actual outcome. The ump signaled no contact (the extended arm) and a strike (the clenched fist). But no out signal (more dramatic than a strike fist) or verbalized call of "Out." When AJ didn't hear "out" (after he first saw the Angels walking off and assumed it was a caught strike), he did the smart thing and ran to first.

My opinion: right call and signals by the ump, smart thinking by AJ, brain fart by Angels (although their confusion was somewhat understandable).

[tallhappy]

it looks like the catcher got the mitt underneath the ball.

Another way to say that is catching the ball.

Still, a guy cannot run out of the baseline.

[SideoutFred]

It does not bounce.

A major league catcher knows when he catches a ball or not, if he didn't he would have flipped it to first base if there was even a shadow of a doubt in his mind.

I have tickets to games 3 and 4...our voices will be heard.

The call does not mean the Angels would have won, but it certainly means they go to the 10th inning tied.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Read my mind catcher... yes, I AM looking DIRCTLY at you. Don't be a putz try to show me up by rolling the ball and act like the inning is over.

[hole_n_one]

lol!

[Sonar5]

You Said:
"it looks like the catcher got the mitt underneath the ball.
Another way to say that is catching the ball.
Still, a guy cannot run out of the baseline."

Please Go read a baseball rule book. You have no idea what you are talking about.

[Lancey Howard]

The whole thing in ludicrous. He would be out for running outside the base line

That is absolutely not true. Some people on this thread are woefulling uninformed about what constitutes when "running outside the baseline" is against the rules. They would call a runner out for rounding first base on a double. Or for sliding past home plate on a close play and then scrambling back to score if the tag was missed.

[BurbankKarl]

Doug Eddings 88

MAJOR LEAGUE SERVICE TIME: 6 Years

CAREER: Joined the Major League staff in 1999...has worked the Division Series (2000, 02) and the 2004 All-Star Game...attended Wendelstedt's Umpire School (1989)...was the home plate umpire for Cal Ripken Jr.'s last Major League game (10/6/01)...previously umpired in the Arizona League (1989), Florida State League (1990-91), Eastern League (1992-93), Texas League (1994), International League (1995-96), Pacific Coast League (1997-98), Dominican League (1994 and 1995) and Venezuelan League (1995). PERSONAL: Douglas Eddings...born on September 14, 1968 in Las Cruces, NM...currently resides in Las Cruces, NM...single...attended New Mexico State University... began umpiring Little League games at the age of 14...enjoys golf, working out and riding his Harley-Davidson...would want to be a Secret Service agent if he was not an umpire.

[Petronski]

It reminds me of the day after the Steelers lost to the Patriots on a late late score, when too many seconds had been left on the clock.

At first I asked: how could the announcers miss that? How could the network? And the NFL guys, how could they miss that?




And then I realized: how could the Steelers miss that??









Why didn't the catcher throw to first?

[beezdotcom]

His postgame conference says different.

Well, of COURSE it does.

They needed to play better to win today.

Apparently. Whether they SHOULD have needed to will be discussion fodder for a long time...

[bigsigh]

AIt's been awhile, but as I recall, the batter is not out automatically until he enters the dugout.

[GB]

This ain't in the league with Don Denkinger's call at first base in the sixth game of the 1985 World Series. But it was a brutal call. Pierzynski did a great selling job, too.

Bottom line, though, this happens in sports because the officials judging these things are imperfect human beings. And there's no need for the Angels to get mad about it. They just need to come out Friday and get even.

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP what you said.

[Defiant]

Worst call I have ever seen in forty years of watching sports.

I guess you don't remember the play at first in game 6 of the Cardinals/Royals world series (1985). They sold posters of the ump calling the guy safe while the first baseman had the ball in his glove and the runner was 3 feet from the bag. The Royals went on to win that game and the series.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Didn't see it.