Umps Call Foul

Newsweek via MSNBC.Com ^ | Oct. 7 issue | By Mark Starr - Newsweek

[Bobby777]

Baseball is using advanced electronics to second-guess its umpires - Guess who’s not happy about it

Oct. 7 issue — On the mound at Fenway Park, Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield winds up and sends a 68mph knuckleball fluttering toward home plate. Just as the ball reaches the plate, it makes a sudden downward plunge before disappearing into the catcher’s mitt. Umpire Joe Brinkman, crouched on one knee and peering over the catcher’s left shoulder, calls ball one.

[Bobby777]

I don't know about you guys or gals, but I find myself disagreeing with the homeplate umpire 15%-20% of the time in some games ... outside the plate are called "strikes" and corner slides are called "balls" ... I'd swear some must be on the take some games ... (not to disrespect umpires ... met Bill Haller back in the 1970's along with Billy Martin and Martin's associate who was with him when Martin punched out the marshmallow salesman) ... Royals / Yankees series ...

[Bobby777]

robot umpire ping ...

[always vigilant]

No offense but until you’ve umpired a game, with talented players, you really don’t know what your talking about. Players are of all different sizes come to bat and standing behind a catcher and calling balls and strikes is not the easiest thing to do. Thinks move quite quickly back there.

Cheers!!

[Cold Heat]

Put some sensors in the plate and get rid of the umpires.

[RonF]

Bring back the above-the-belt strike!

[Bobby777]

well I've certainly played the game (not major league of course) and I know where the strike zone is ... I know umps can't get it right all the time but some of these calls affect the final outcome of the game ... so, yes the strike zone changes in height, but never in width, for the width of the plate is static ...

accuracy is a sin?

[JoeSixPack1]

As the article stated, Baseball is played on the field. A bad call was the only reason Casey Stangel or Leo Durosha or Billy Martin ever got face time in the news (well, mostly Leo!) Anybody kick dirt up on an ump lately?

Tricking the umpire is part of the game. Pissing him off is too. Not cheating. As many strikes that were called balls were called foul as they were called fair. The old spitballs, or tar bats or faked baulks made the game.

Being fallable is all part of baseball.

When robots step up to the plate or can run down a fly ball I'll accept computer umpires. Until then, the only excitement left is a mis-called first base out. Or some sicko fans beatin' the heck out of the first base coach. (not). Or a bunt that backs up and hits the catcher in the foot.

Cussing out the ump made everybody get up and wait to see the old HEAVE HO,
YOUR OUTTA HERE!!!! That's baseball.

Oh yeah, remember, there is NO crying in baseball.

[Jeff Chandler]

Umpires are human, and do make mistakes, but that's part of the charm of the game.

First Astroturf, then the DH, now robo-umps?

[Bobby777]

well I think I could only support it like the instant replay in football ... that is, to supplement the home base ump, not replace him (applying more flame-proofing with fire extinguisher ... LOL) ... and not the other umps ...

[Mo1]

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[Bobby777]

myself, I hate seeing pitchers bat ... maybe that's because our team is American League ... it seems like a waste of a good hit ... how many pitchers can hit though?

[JoeSixPack1]

Babe Ruth? :-)

[Bobby777]

waste of a good "at-bat" I mean ...

[Sonny M]

When post season time comes around, only the absolute best umps should be doing those games, if this can guarantee me the most accurate and best umps in the playoffs, then I'm all for it. Besides, the umps union has had way to much power over the years, I was glad to watch them disintegrate, and reform something new, and hopefully less powerful.

[Ditto]

"...how many pitchers can hit though?

In the AL, none. There are a number in the NL who can handle themselves a the plate just as well as the average shortstop.

The DH has only made a manager's life easier by taking a lot of decisions away. Aside from Astroturf and George Steinbrenner, it's the worst thing to ever happen to the game.

[Bobby777]

was it Don Drysdale? ... I can't remember but they are few and far between ... as for Astro-turf, I can remember fielding a ball, charging it, and then kneeling down to scoop it into my glove, only to have it hit a rock and go right over my shoulder ... a single became a double ... I'm sure I got charged with an error ... boo hoo ... hehe ...

wound up on 3rd one game, only to get a line drive (got it!) but later in the game the crowd began to laugh ... looked out across the outfield to see 3 streakers running from right field to left field, hop the fence and jump into a waiting car ... yep, it was the 70's ...

[sinkspur]

... I know umps can't get it right all the time but some of these calls affect the final outcome of the game ..

Umps get reputations for having "wide strike zones" or "always calls low strikes." Players know it, and adjust accordingly.

Umpiring is a VERY tough calling, and the major league umps are the best. They don't get everything right, but nobody does, in any profession.

As far as calls affecting the outcome of a game, Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys used to always say "If the game can be decided by a referee's call, we just didn't play hard enough and we deserve to lose."

[Bobby777]

anybody got stats on the best 3 pitcher's hitting in the NL? ... I'm curious ...

[Bobby777]

I know ... I've seen our guys on both sides of the fence (the Kansas City Royals) ... gotta love 'em because we're not going to the World Series anytime soon ... and it's not because we don't have some good ballplayers ... however, there is a Kansas City tradition of trading an out for a hit by bunting, which works about 3% of the time (for our team) ... has since the Whitey Hertzog days ...

I always hate seeing a guy square around, especially when we are close on the game ... most of our guys who can steal, do so without needing the bunt ...

[taxcontrol]

Isn't basball that game they play between football seasons? :-)