The Fox crew
Okay--so home plate umpire missed the call tonight. The ball went off of Jermaine Dye's bat, not his arm, and he should not have been awarded first base.
But Fox--gimme a break! That wasn't a major factor in setting up the Paul Konerko home run. There's no guarantee that Dan Wheeler doesn't allow Dye to reach on the very next pitch anyway.
I'm fine with you pointing out the error. But showing the HPB call at least a dozen times compared to showing Konerko's GRAND SLAM only four or five? Where the hell are your priorities? And what's the relevance of digging up the completely irrelevant Doug Eddings business again?
At some point, Fox has decided that this postseason is about umpires missing calls, and they're doing everything they can to make that storyline primary...even when they don't have all the facts (see Eddings) or when it's really not that crucial to the game (see Dye).
Please stop, Fox. Don't continue to make yourselves a joke.
UPDATE: Funny. Chris Burke's slide under Pierzynski in the top of the 9th was an awesome "safe" call by Nelson. Very close. When I saw it live, the throw had him beat, and I called "out." The replay showed Nelson got a bang-bang play right. Tim McCarver said "Great slide by Burke!" but gave nary a nod to Nelson's call. Not that I expect a lot of love, but crap, let's realize our bias and give a little balance, okay?
5 Comments:
Yes, I thought the same thing, the HBP call was really a non-issue. He might have walked on the next pitch anyhow.
Umps make bad calls, and in this case it wasn't even a bad call, it was a human call. Sometimes hard to discern a knicked/hit bat and a hit player , especially on a pitch like last nights call. I'd like to see a few sportscasters stand in and call balls and strikes, especially with the motion on some of the pitches last night.
Dear BR,
Having watched several replays of the call, it looks to me like a very tricky one, notwithstanding the World Series and two very deserving (tm) teams.
Please offer a more in-depth analysis of this call, on all posible sides.
No depth really to give, Lemming. The ball hit Dye's bat. Nelson thought it hit his arm. The ump is often going by sound in that situation, and Nelson heard the tick and thought it was the arm. It's a forgivable and understandable mistake, but it's a mistake that I'm sure Nelson regrets.
But for Fox to make it the #1 story? To show it more often than a freakin' World Series Grand Slam???? Yuck
Having been behind the plate for Little League and high school games, both as an ump and a catcher, you go by sound almost always. The catcher has a pretty good view, and he even moves by 'instinct'.
There have been several times when I umped that I thought a batter got hit (more directly grazed) by a pitch, but wasn't quite sure. I simply asked...most players are honest. But then again, we are talking kids.
Ump has to make the call to the best of his ability, and he he made a quick and sure call. That is most important.
By the way, McCarver thinks he knows everything. He was a good catcher...not a great one. He knows his baseball, he just needs to shut up once in a while and let the video / game speak for itself. The great ones (see Vin Scully, Pat Summerall in football early in his career, Dick Enberg in basketball) know when to let the game speak for itself.
love your explanation that the ref went by the sound made - may be the best I've heard/read. Thanks.
Post a Comment
<< Home