Opponents of Instant Replay must have HATED the end of the Royals and Angels game

Yesterday in the 9th inning of the Royals - Angels game, Billy Butler hit a fly ball and it wasn't clear where it landed.

So the umps used the technology that was at their disposal and got the call RIGHT. It was a walk off homer.

And I assume instant replay opponents HATE that.
Where is "The Human Element"?
It's better to get calls wrong than to use technology to get calls right, am I right?

Billy Butler's home run being called right is the slippery slope to ROBOTS PLAYING BASEBALL, right?

I hope you can get over your grave disappointment in a call being made correctly and the right team winning a game.

Things like that could RUIN baseball.

New Sully Baseball Video - "Strike Zone Clarity"

In the latest Sully Baseball Video, I ask the simple question: Why can umpires have different strike zones?

It's a logical question... I wonder if I will get a logical answer.

To see previous Sully Baseball videos, click here.

Why should umps have different strike zones?

I'm watching the Giants/Phillies game and already one of my big pet peeves in baseball has reared its ugly head.

Dan Iassogna, the home plate umpire, called ball four on Jimmy Rollins to drive in the lone run of the game so far. It looked knee high down the center of the plate.

An inning late, he called a pitch lower than the one thrown to Rollins a called third strike on Fontenot to end the second.

The boys on KNBR were talking about how Iassogna does not have a good reputation for calling balls and strikes.

Couple this with the Hunter Wendelstedt fiasco against the Twins and the general acceptance that certain umpires call high strikes but not low strikes... some call a ball off the plate... some squeeze pitchers... some don't...

Um, isn't that crazy?

Let's go to the Official Rules...
The Strike Zone is, and I quote:

...that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the knee cap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball.

Pretty cut and dry, isn't it?

And yet people just accept that the umpire will call it how they please.

You don't see this in other aspects of the game.
You don't hear "He calls the ball foul if it just falls one foot fair... that's just how he calls it."
Or "If you slide somewhere near home plate, that's good enough... that's how he calls it."

No. The rest of the game it is in black and white.

Now I am sure there will be many of the opponents of instant replay who will write in and say that one of the joys of baseball is seeing umpires take control of the game and decide what a strike zone is.

I ask "Why should a pitcher get squeezed and be forced to throw pitches down the heart of the plate?"

How about an answer to the question "Why should a pitch be a strike in one inning and a ball to another?"

And "Why should a 3 time batting champ get a favorable call? Isn't it hard enough to get a 3 time batting champ out without the ump bending the rules in his favor?"

I am going to make a video on this topic, but I would LOVE to hear a logical reason why the umpire shouldn't call a strike a strike and a ball a ball.

Nice to see Bob Davidson act out the end of "...And Justice For All."

It's not often that you can see a grown man lose his God Damn Mind.

But once again, in a night where we should be celebrating baseball, an umpire's ego takes center stage.

Bob Davidson tossed out a player, Brewers outfielder Chris Dickerson.

He tossed out a coach, Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan.

He tossed out Brewers manager Ken Macha.

And finally he tossed out a fan who was sitting up close and heckling Yadier Molina.

Now I don't know what he said and if the fan said anything racist, then I can understand it. But so far nobody has revealed if there was anything really offensive.

And besides, the umpire doesn't have the authority to eject a fan unless they interfere with the field of play. And this was a guy sitting up close. I can't imagine the guys sitting up in the upper deck of MILLER Park watching a team called the BREWERS and have been drinking beer since 11 AM were quoting sonnets.

But Bob Davidson basically went nuts. And we are talking about HIM instead of Trevor Hoffman's 600th save.

No doubt he would have tossed Billy the Brewers, all four Sausages from the Sausage Race and Bob Uecker before the night was out.

I can just hear him screaming "You're out of order... You're out of order... this WHOLE game is out of order!"

(Spoiler alert on this clip... it kind of spoils the ending but explains the blog post title.)

Was it REALLY necessary to end a game like that?

A thrilling game was played today with post season implications in Minnesota.
The Rangers and the Twins are both fighting for home field advantage in the Division Series (which might be huge in trying to upset either the Yankees or the Rays in the first round.)

The Twins were going for the sweep... the Rangers were rallying in the 9th.
It is everything that you want in a meaningful September Labor Day weekend baseball game.

So what are people going to talk about?

The fact that Michael Young's hand briefly touched third base coach Dave Anderson's hand as he rounded third as the potential tying run.

Interference. Third Out. End of Game.

Really?
I mean I know that technically the brushing of hands isn't allowed, but shouldn't there be the equivalent of the swallowing of a whistle at this point in a game? In a big game in the 9th inning with 2 outs... shouldn't the ump come over to Anderson after the play and say "Watch out. You touched him as he rounded the bases. Next time I'll call that"?

Did the brushing of hands REALLY help Michael Young or affect the play in any way shape or form. It's not like he was Forrest Gump picking up Bubba and Lt. Dan from the Vietnam gunfire. Their hands brushed in a wild and nutty 9th inning.

Seriously, Alfonso Marquez, was it REALLY necessary to END a game like this... the last meeting of these two in the regular season, on a ticky tack call?

Now I know I am going to get people writing in saying "A rule is a rule and it needs to be enforced at all times."

I remember when I got on Bob Davidson for ejecting John Lackey in 2009 for what I thought was a ticky tack and garbled reason, I got people writing saying that rules need to be enforced no matter what the situation is.

Why?
Seriously... why?
In other sports you see the refs let the players play the game. You try not to have games decided on a cheap hand check or a cheap penalty to cause an overtime powerplay.

If Texas finish a game behind the Twins at the end of their regular season, I am sure it will be a great comfort to Rangers fans to know they are starting the playoffs on the road because Michael Young's hand briefly touched Dave Anderson's.

Jim Joyce becomes an immortal

Seriously... I kind of feel good for Jim Joyce. Most of the times an umpire's name is not part of the story of the game.

Every once in a while an ump does something truly memorable, like Don Denkinger blowing that call in the 1985 World Series or Eric Gregg having a strike zone approximately 5 yards wide and 15 feet high in the 1997 NLCS.

But to TRULY be the story is very rare.

If the Cardinals pulled a double play on the next batter, nobody would have remembered the blown call. And the Braves could have adjusted instead of looking at those wide strikes.

But what Jim Joyce did today was extraordinary.

He blew the final play of a perfect game.

Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game. He did. That's not an opinion... that's a fact. And in real time it looked like he covered first for the final out in time.

In slow motion it looked like... um... it wasn't close.

This wasn't a blown call in the 7th. If an ump blows a call in the 7th, 8th or even the top of the 9th, you can't necessarily say the pitcher would have completed the perfect game. He could relax after letting up a hit.

But with 2 outs in the 9th... there is no other scenario other than "Perfect Game" or "Blown Call" on that grounder.

There have been only 20 perfect games thrown in baseball history (and it seems like 15 of them have been thrown since Mother's Day.) It should be 21.

Why isn't it 21?

Because of Jim Joyce.

And what is the headline for this wonderful game? Is it Armando Galarraga's game of his life?

Nope!

It's Jim Joyce!

And from this day forward when people talk about perfect games and they list perfect games, announcers will say "And remember Armando Galarraga had a perfect game, but the final call was blown by Jim Joyce."

That is epic.

That is knowing this massive bed wetting will be known among the all time bad calls.

Doesn't happen every day for an ump.

Oh and one more thing... did you see Galarraga's reaction?


He was grinning.

Jim Joyce stole his bid for immortality and he had a smile on his face.

How classy was that?
How centered is this guy?

Or maybe he knows that Joyce just got himself his own place in baseball history... and not the way he wants it.


INSTANT REPLAY ANYONE?

Whither Instant Replay

This has not been a glowing post season for big league umps.

Brandon Inge was hit by a pitch in extra innings of the One Game Tigers/Twins playoff that would have put Detroit ahead.

Some strange calls at first went against the Red Sox in a key inning in Anaheim.

Later a play at third was blown in the Red Sox favor.

In Minnesota, Joe Mauer dumped a double in extra innings that was fair by a foot... but called foul.

In the 9th inning of a tied game in Denver, a ball clearly bounced and hit Chase Utley in the batters box and it should have been called a foul ball.

At least in Denver there was an excuse... the umps eyes were covered.

But doesn't that just bring back the specter of instant replay?

Most of these bad calls were exposed in under a minute on TV.

Sometimes the correct call is shown over and over again before the manager is done even arguing on the field.

Wouldn't it be better for baseball to get the calls RIGHT?

Maybe the Twins would have scored twice in the bottom of the 12. But the win wouldn't have the ugly stench of the Tigers being cheated out of a run.

And yeah, had Joe Nathan retired the Yankees in order, there wouldn't even be the need for extra innings in the Bronx. But the Twins had enough going against them... they didn't need the UMPS working against them.

I'm becoming a broken record as I stated my belief in instant replay in general and also using the 1987 Twins/Cardinals World Series as a reason to use it... but if we have the capability to get the calls right WHY THE HELL DON'T WE????

The Angels struck out Nick Green TWICE to end the game

Yeah, last night's come from behind win against the Angels was awesome.

But we can all admit, the Angels had more than a legit gripe.

Brian Fuentes struck out Nick Green TWICE to end the game... even Nick Green knew he went around on that 0-2 pitch.

And the last pitch was right down the pipe.

Now either Rick Reed has the tightest strikezone known to man (and is essentially the anti-Eric Gregg) or he just blew TWO calls.

Oh don't get me wrong. I'll take it! 

In fact last night was a clinic on teeth grinding and bullet dodging. 

Three times I declared the game dead.

Three times I started thinking "Well... let's hope Josh Beckett has it tomorrow."

And three times I got stunned as their defense melted down (how many double plays could they NOT pull?) and their closer couldn't find the strikezone (lest we forget the 2 out nobody on walk of Ortiz?) and Jed Lowrie SMOKED a ball that Chone (sic) Figgins kept from being a game tying double.

If this is a playoff preview, I'll take it... but I'll pick up some Kaopectate along the way.

Well, it's time to update the ole board!

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 26

April 17 - 10-8 win against Orioles. (Overcame 7-0 deficit.)

April 24 - 5-4 win against Yankees. (Bay homers off of Rivera in 9th to tie it.)

April 25 - 16-11 win against Yankees. (Overcame 6-0 deficit.)

April 29 - 6-5 win at Cleveland. (Overcame 5-0 deficit.)

May 12 - 4-3 win at Anaheim. (Down 3-1 in the 8th.)
June 11 - 4-3 win against Yankees. (Down 3-1 in the 8th. Rallied against Sabathia.)

June 12 - 5-2 win at Philadelphia. (Overcame Ryan Howard's 9th inning shot to win in 13)

June 21 - 6-5 win against Atlanta. (The wind turns Nick Green's fly ball into a walk off shot)

June 27 - 1-0 win at Atlanta. (Masterson and Papelbon wiggle out of late jams.)
July 1 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Sox score 4 in the 9th and Lugo wins in in the 11th)

July 8 - 5-4 win against Oakland. (Wind keeps Hairston's 9th inning go ahead homer in the ballpark)

July 10 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Pedroia drives in the only run with 2 outs in the 8th.)

July 30 - 8-5 win against Oakland. (Ortiz tests postive then hits a 2 out 3 run go ahead homer.)

July 31 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Youk's 2 run homer saves Smoltz from another bad start.)

August 10 - 6-5 win against Detroit. (Sox snap 6 game losing streak with 7th inning rally.)

August 14 - 8-4 win at Texas. (Victor Martinez hits a 2 run 2 strike 2 out double to take the lead and make up for Buchholz's baserunning mishap.)

August 18 - 10-9 win at Toronto. (Ortiz homers and the Jays defense collapses, saving Beckett from a bad start.)
August 24 - 12-8 win against White Sox. (Red Sox overcome early 4-1 lead and a bad Buchholz start.)

August 25 - 6-3 win against White Sox. (Red Sox win with 4 unanswered runs despite some sloppy defense.)

August 26 - 3-2 win against White Sox. (Wakes pitches 7 strong and Papi homers twice including a walk off)

August 28 - 6-5 win against Toronto. (Sox come back from early 3-0 hole and Paps wiggles out of a bases loaded jam in the 9th.)

August 29 - 3-2 win against Toronto. (Buchholz dominates but needs help from Paps to finish the 9th)

September 1 - 8-4 win at Tampa Bay. (Papelbon enters the game with the bases loaded, nobody out and go ahead run at the plate... and gets a 2 innings save.)

September 9 - 7-5 win against Baltimore. (Martinez's double gives the Sox the lead and Papelbon wiggles out of two jams.)

September 13 - 3-1 win against Tampa Bay. (Pedroia's 8th inning homer off of Matt Garza breaks a 1-1 tie)

September 16 - 9-8 win against the Angels. (Red Sox make three comebacks including a rally with 2 outs and nobody on in the 9th.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 23

April 14 - 6-5 loss at Oakland. (Sox blow early 3-0 lead. Lose in 12)

April 28 - 9-8 loss at Cleveland. (Sox blow early 5-1 lead. Lopez drops 3rd out.)
May 14 - 5-4 loss at Anaheim. (Ortiz goes 0-7 stranding 12 runners.)
May 15 - 5-4 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox blow their second 4-0 lead in three days.)

May 17 - 3-2 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox strand two in the 9th. Lose in the bottom of the 9th.)

May 23 - 3-2 loss to the Mets. (Papelbon lets up a 2 out 2 run homer in the 9th to Omir Santos)

June 18 - 2-1 loss to the Marlins. (Rain washes out a tight game after 5+ innings.)

June 28 - 2-1 loss to the Braves. (Tying run on base in the 9th. Solid Penny outing wasted)
June 30 - 11-10 loss at Baltimore. (The Red Sox blow a late 10-1 to the lowly Orioles.)
July 3 - 7-6 loss to Seattle. (Red Sox comeback in the 8th only to lose in the 11th.)

July 4 - 3-2 loss to Seattle. (Saito walks three in the 9th as the Mariners rally to win)

July 9 - 8-6 loss to the Royals. (Bullpen blows early 4-0 lead.)

July 21 - 4-2 loss at Texas. (Beckett loses a complete game and the Yankees take over first.)

July 22 - 3-1 loss at Texas. (Sox are swept for the first time all season.)

July 28 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox blow 3 run lead in 9th. A's rally with 2 outs in 9th and 11th.)

July 29 - 8-6 loss to Oakland. (Down 5-0 in the first, Sox comeback falls short)

August 4 - 4-2 loss in Tampa Bay. (Longoria hits 13th inning walk off with first base open.)

August 5 - 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay. (Sox gets swept in a 2 game series with the tying run at the plate).

August 7 - 2-0 loss in New York. (A-Rod's walk off with 2 outs in the 15 ends a teeth grinding marathon.)

August 9 - 5-2 loss in New York. (4 outs from avoiding a sweep, Bard lets up back to back homers to Damon and Teixeira.)

August 13 - 2-0 loss to Detroit. (Verlander wiggles out of early and late jams.)

August 16 - 4-3 loss at Texas. (Red Sox can't rally and fall behind the Rangers in the Wild Card race)

Setpember 2 - 8-5 loss at Tampa Bay. (The Red Sox recover from a bad Beckett outing to tie the game in the 8th, only to give back the lead the next inning.)

Up to +3 with 20 games to go.

The Magic Number is down to 12... and soon there will be no reason to grind any teeth... until the playoffs of course!

Hey Ump!

More specifically, Tim McClelland!

Next time you are the home plate umpire and there is a close play at the plate that could determine whether or not a team is going to the playoffs... do every baseball fan in the world a favor:

Give a demonstrative SAFE or OUT!

Don't give a nonchalant little "safe" call about 40 minutes after the play took place.
Don't do it with the casualness and as disinterested as if it were a Devil Rays/Royals game in June.


By the way, if the name Tim McClelland sounds familiar, it's because he, like every other umpire in the world, has a Supreme Court Justice/Pope like contract where they never get fired.

He's the same dude who called George Brett out during the "Pine Tar Game."
That was a long time ago... 1983.
I'm not asking McClelland to be as demonstrative as George Brett.

Somewhere in between Brett foaming at the mouth and looking like you just don't care would suffice.