As mentioned earlier in the LCS thread:

2005 World Series Umpire Assignments

Game One - Umpire - Previous WS Worked - M.L. Service Time

HP Joe West* 2 (1993, 1997) 28 Years
1B Jeff Nelson (None) 8 Years
2B Jerry Layne (None) 17 Years
3B Derryl Cousins 2 (1988,1999) 27 Years
LF Gary Cederstrom (None) 12 Years
RF Angel Hernandez 1 (2002) 13 Years

* Crew chief

Wrst and Hernandez - mark my words, this will be a Disaster (with a capital D) What should we set the over/under at for total ejections during the series? How about 6?

Since Hernandez will be in the outfield, I think you can count him out for ejections. wink

If anyone can find a way, he can!! However, his starting in the outfield will probably mean he's on the plate in one of the later, much more crucial games - that is scary!

Well, off to a rousing start, and ANOTHER missed call! Plate ump Jeff Nelson calls a hit batsman on a foul ball off the BAT and what happens next? GRAND SLAM! Merit system, eh?

Thankfully, Nelson's call didn't cost the Astros the game, as they got two runs back in the 9th. The Sox won it all by themselves.

[ October 26, 2005, 11:18 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

So, MIB...you think it's alright for the umpire to say the batter got hit when he (the ump) was about 2 inches from it and could clearly see that he didn't?

MIB, You're missing the entire point - I am a low level (compared to MLB)high school and college umpire (I do not work NCAA Div. I level. I have never been to umpire school, just local clinics/workshops and have been trained by some experienced local umps. The MLB umps are PROS, and have been trained and selected/hired as such - the best of the BEST! They have made numerous cuts from umpire's school to rookie league to Class A, and only if they remain the BEST. There is no excuse for many of the blown calls we have seen in the postseason from umps of this quality/talent level. This is their career and livlihood. And, this is supposed to be the cream of the crop of the majors, hand-picked on a merit basis. It's the hypocritical aspect of that which gripes me. These obviously aren't the best, and have been picked for politics (I guess - I can't figure out any other reason why a Phil Cuzzi could conceivably be picked.) As a society, we hold professionals to higher standards and there's nothing wrong with that. Experienced surgeons aren't supposed to make life-ending mistakes during surgery. However, again, I do applaud Gerry Davis and Tim McClelland - two of the very best of the best.

How could YOU--or I--say the plate umpire "could clearly see" what happened? It seems to me he didn't. Many folks were saying umpires go by sound in those situations.

[ October 26, 2005, 11:17 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

I'm just as critical as the next guy over umpiring mistakes, but I get much less worked up when an umpire simply misses a difficult call (the foul ball call last night) as opposed to when an umpire makes a confusing signal and then tries to explain his way out of it (the ALCS call).

But, ultimately, I'd prefer no controversy. And there isn't really any controversy lingering from last night's missed call since the Astros came back to tie.

Basketball officials say that the best thing you can do after a close/blown call is to "get the ball back in play." If the game goes to overtime after a close/blown call in the waning seconds of regulation, all that much better. I guess the same thing applies in baseball. The strike call was blown, but the Astros tied it up, so controversy won't linger, I don't think.

[ October 26, 2005, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

I only saw two minutes of the game last night, and it just turned it on just after the controversial call. After the first replay, I thought it hit the bat. But it didn't seem clear to me after the second replay and thought it might have hit his arm. I would think the home plate umpire had a clear view of it.

If the call was botched, the Astros tying it up doesn't make up for it. It means they had the potential to still lead the game by 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth after the home run was given up by Lidge. But also, even if it was called a foul ball, there's no telling what Dye would have done that at bat. And also, close calls will not always be called correctly, which is part of the game.

The only thing I didn't understand is why Nelson didn't ask the first base umpire for assistance on that play.

I've had that play many times, where the ball comes up and in to a batter, and it's difficult to gage whether or not the ball hit the bat or the arm. Lots of times, I'll defer to my partner for help.

In many of the disputed calls this postseason, the umpires convened and discussed the play. I'm just surprised that did not occur last night.

Josh

Apparently, Houston catcher Brad Ausmus didn't see it, either:

Because, like I said, he's about 3 inches from it. And if he can't see something that is 3 inches in front of his face, he has no right having the job.

Oftentimes, the closer one is to something, the more difficult it is to see.

A simple test with our own eyes 3" (never mind that Nelson was nowhere near 3 inches away) from something ought to show you your statement is fallacious.

[ October 26, 2005, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

My theory is umpires are overly used to having the final say and never admitting wrongness. It's part of their job, and it probably seeps into everyday life. I suppose if we had a heated argument about fluid mechanics and the physics of a knuckleball I might be tempted to whip out my credientials, but seriously, would you care?

The allure of message boards and message board arguments is they serve as entertainment. Expecting final say on a topic is fruitless and counter to the point of message boards (and flame wars!). Don't put too much credence into a handle with the letters u m p in it. Aside from factual game mechanics and rules, their opinion is just that, an opinion.

Is there a park in the majors with screwier Ground Rules for home runs than Minutemaid Park? They've got to change them to make them clearer. It's crazy that if it hits 6 inches to the right, it's a home run, but if it's 6 inches to the left, it's still in play....

and that hill needs to go, too....

Yeah...Fenway. See, they have a marked line ON TOP of the Green Monster in which if it's hit, it's a HR. I think it was G*** K***** who hit one in the summer, and hit the line. Now, the position of that mark is so that if it's hit, the ball can only bounce ONE WAY, and that way is up. Gravity and physics and all that stuff tell you that if something bounces on a surfce, the object will bouce upwards. This is what happened, but one of the mall cops at Fenway that day said, "Nope, it's not a HR"

Just had to vent for a sec LOL

How does that cliche go--opinions are like a--holes, everybody's got one. wink

I do not pretend to know everything, but I do pride myself on my abilities in my profession, which is one reason why I am so hard on myself when I make a mistake. I am definitely my toughest critic, and no one is more upset and disappointed when I err than I am, especially if it occurs in a game under the national spotlight. Unfortunately, there are a lot of these national spotlight games throughout the year, none more so than post-season, of course.

I am proud that I have built an excellent reputation, too, because reputations take a lifetime to build and can be destroyed in seconds. Because of this, I will fiercely but not blindly defend not only myself but more importantly my peers, as well as those umpires working the amateur level. I do not respond to those who scream and yell about umpiring, hurtling insults and other such epithets of ignorance. Ours is an imperfect profession worked by imperfect beings, as illustrated in this year's post-season. However, I find it quite annoying when someone who doesn't take the time to understand what we do and how goes off on a rant. I'd much prefer an honest question and not a confrontational, emotional one.

Now, having been a bit too verbose here, I'm off on a much-needed vacation for the next few weeks. Have a good winter everyone, and see you all on the diamond come spring.

Cordially,

MLB Umpire

Have a good vacation Ump, you've earned it after the season. Thanks for posting on here, I think it's great we have the opportunity to "talk" to a real MLB umpire, that's not something everyone can do.

Again, have a good one, see you in the spring.

Thank you, illini. It truly is my pleasure to be but a small part of this forum. I don't say much, which is probably good, but I do enjoy discussing with you fine people all the wonderful idosyncracies, oddities, and other interesting stuff that make up baseball.

Now it's off to the land down under for a while--some place nice and far away from the glaring eyes of the media and just about everyone else.

Enjoy your vacation! Talk to you in the Spring!