[ravinson]

I have no idea how the umpire, standing BEHIND the catcher, could have determined that the ball glanced off the dirt. No way.

It was too close to call with the naked eye, but he determined it by watching Pierzynski run to 1st. At that point he had to either go with the veteran catcher batting or the third string catcher who had exercised gross negligence by presuming the oucome of a critical close call. At that point it was no longer a close call.

[Lancey Howard]

I wonder what the veteran catcher who manages the Angels had to say to the third-string catcher who exercised gross negligence by presuming the oucome of a critical close call?