Umpiring at an all-time low

[Ram Man]

But if he can challenge the play, then he will challenge any play that is close.

The solution is to limit the number of challenges per game. That's all. Use them wisely.

[TheYankee]

the easiest solution is just to get rid of everyone right now and hire new umpires under 40.. a lot of these problems seems to occur because they're old, senile, privileged f**** who don't give a crap about the game anymore and see themselves as bigger than what's going on on the field

Damn right! DOWN WITH OLD PEOPLE!

[TheYankee]

The solution is to limit the number of challenges per game. That's all. Use them wisely.

Coaches challenges is a dumb concept. The NFL is smart to involve replay. The coaches challenge system is dumb.

[Ram Man]

Coaches challenges is a dumb concept. The NFL is smart to involve replay. The coaches challenge system is dumb.

It is one alternative to avoiding endless challenges. The other is as they do for college football whereby every play is theoretically reviewed and the referee is notified if a play is being reviewed. Having a fifth (or seventh in the case of post-season) umpire in the booth who would notify the crew chief on the field if they wanted to review a play would be to incorporate replay into baseball. You'd then run the risk of having managers storm the replay booth and kick dirt on the upstairs ump.

[False1]

I guess it correlates to the perceived dropoff in quality of umpiring, but there seems to be a ton more showing up of umpires on ball/strike calls - even the borderline ones. That used to be the providence of managers only. Umpires are going to miss some calls. I really don't want the game being slowed down by batters taking a stroll every time a strike is called, or stepping out to question the umpire on a call.

[PirateChief]

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/...type=1&s_type=

someone needs to stop these wastes.

[PirateChief]

human element is so great in the game

[RYMASTER or Ryan_Yankees]

Holy cow.

[Blazer]

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/...type=1&s_type=

someone needs to stop these wastes.

Jesus! Of the 6 pitches in the zone that weren't swung on only 1 was a called strike, and that one was right down the middle.

[delv]

there's only one answer: that ump must have been being paid off by the Castros

[Dave B]

That one's easy to excuse: Chapman throws so hard they can't see it.

(There's no way that's actually real, is there?)

[RogerNatural]

Batters, take notice: home plate now extends outward to the opposite batter's box line.

[Peanut]

Some of it might just be the improvements in technology, especially when it comes to the balls/strikes stuff. But it really does seem like umpires get worse every year

[flymick24]

[Jax Teller]

Apparently Bob Davidson ejected a fan during the Brewers-Cardinals game....wtf?

[Seth]

Apparently Bob Davidson ejected a fan during the Brewers-Cardinals game....wtf?

I saw that this morning on Quick Pitch. Davidson has moved into the Angel Hernandez territory of douchebagery for throwing out a fan. What guys like Davidson and his ilk don't realize or care is that the fans don't watch or go to games to watch the umpire be the center of attention.

Here is the clip of ejections from last night's Cardinals/Brewers game: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[Jax Teller]

I've never heard of such a thing before.

[Blazer]

What did Bob Davidson say after a 4 day drunk?

"I threw out a WHAT?"

[Seth]

I've never heard of such a thing before.

The only thing I can think of that's close was Angel Hernandez ejecting Steve McMichael when he was singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field a few years ago.

http://billroper.livejournal.com/815338.html

[mal1219]

So wait ... the people that pay for the tickets, and are the main reason (besides incompetent MLB people not regulating these umpire f*cks) they have a job are getting thrown out?!

This is just ridiculous. Fan should've just sat in his chair. Let them call the police.

[Jax Teller]

I think I read somewhere that charges were filed against the fan...misconduct or whatever.

[Principessa21]

Supposedly the fan was using homophobic slurs. What surprises me is (1) that Davidson overstepped his boundaries (according to the MLB rule book, the umpire can eject fans on the field of play, but no mention of them in the stands) because (2) he thought Molina was going to go over and punch the guy. I don't agree with the fan's behavior, but that can't be close to the worst, and the Cardinals are such crybabies.

[DiMaggio5CF]

From the MLB.com article:

By rule 7.09 (f), "It is interference by a batter or a runner when -- If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

That type of play happens all the time, and it is never called. The big gripe to me, IMO, is the timing of the call and one particular umpire taking upon himself to make that call in September. I personally think that call should be made more often, but MLB should make an announcement at the beginning of the season that such plays will be more strictly enforced.

That said, it's hard to have a real big problem with Timmons' call because it's technically the right call.

[yankee82093]

I actually don't really have a problem with the interference call. However, I don't think he should have thrown out Duncan, the brewer's CF, or the fan.

[NelsonMuntz]

Matt Holliday was ejected after arguing an absolutely ridiculous strike 3 call. The ball was low and about a foot outside. Video: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/vid...nt_id=11898541

[flymick24]

that ump looked like elvis

[CyYoung4Vazquez]

That 'stolen base' by Texas was probably one of the top 3 bad calls I have ever seen. Ump should be suspended. Pitiful.

[fredgmuggs]

That 'stolen base' by Texas was probably one of the top 3 bad calls I have ever seen. Ump should be suspended. Pitiful.

I saw a bunch of replays and I'm not sure if Jeter made the tag. But then again I'm not sure he missed the tag either.

[MassNYYfan]

This whole crew is the sh*t.

And by that I mean actual feces.

[Yankeeah]

It's hard to say if he tagged him or not but when the throw beats the runner by that much you have to be 100% positive he doesn't tag him.

By the way, the home plate umpire is much worse.

[yankeefan122]

That 'stolen base' by Texas was probably one of the top 3 bad calls I have ever seen. Ump should be suspended. Pitiful.

The only play I've seen worse at 2nd was when we played Seattle a few years ago and Cano had a guy tagged out by like 3 feet. Yet the ump called the guy safe.

[NelsonMuntz]

It's hard to say if he tagged him or not but when the throw beats the runner by that much you have to be 100% positive he doesn't tag him.

By the way, the home plate umpire is much worse.

He is awful. That outside pitch that he is giving to Wilson is at least 6" off the plate.

[RYMASTER or Ryan_Yankees]

The call at second base reminded me of...




EDIT: As yankeefan122 apparently already mentioned.

[RYMASTER or Ryan_Yankees]

That 3-0 pitch to Tex in the 13th...wow.