Good news! Ron Kulpa is behind the plate for game 4

[jaar01]

You know, the self-described Cardinal fan who was born and raised in St Louis. The same ump that helped to open the floodgates tonight when he made the worst blown call in a World Series in some 26 years. You thought the home plate umpiring was bad tonight, wait till you get a load of Kulpa in game 4. Nice job Selig. Well played.

 

[Grapesoda2021]

should find out where he lives, I bet some crazy Ranger fans out there would lynch his ass

 

[romeo212000]

Bud Selig continues to show nothing but incompetence in his position.

 

[jaar01]

We have our first umpiring controversy in the World Series.

The play occurred in the fourth inning of Game 3 on Saturday. First base umpire Ron Kulpa missed a call at first that led to four runs for the St. Louis Cardinals.

With Albert Pujols on first base, Matt Holliday hit a ground ball in what appeared to be a routine double play. But Ian Kinsler's throw to first was off line and first baseman Mike Napoli put a slap tag on Holliday's shoulder as he approached the bag.

Replays showed Holliday was tagged out by Napoli. But Kulpa called Holliday safe. The Cardinals took advantage and grabbed a 5-0 lead.

Kulpa, who made a great call in Game 2 when he ruled Kinsler safe on the key stolen base in the ninth inning, may have some answering to do after the game.

But to make things worse, Kulpa was born and raised in St. Louis. He dreamed one day of playing for the Cardinals in the World Series. Instead, he's one of the men in black calling the game.
But sorry, Kulpa said, there's not a thing he can do to help the Cardinals win.

"My friends understand," Kulpa, 43, said earlier in the week. "All they want is the tickets."

Kulpa, who arranged 24 tickets for friends and family, is on the World Series umpiring crew for the first time in his 13-year career. He was the right-field umpire in Game 1, second base umpire in Game 2 and will be the plate umpire Sunday for Game 4 in Texas.

 

[Grapesoda2021]

i fucking hate this guy....

 

[jaar01]

Oh, and now he says after watching the tape of the play that he did in fact blow the call. Uh, damage done sir. Way to cheat for your beloved hometown Cardinals. What a complete and total loser of an umpire. And yippee, he's behind the plate for game 4. Selig should NEVER allow an admitted fan of a WS team to be umping in that series. How can MLB be so colossally stupid. Holliday was out by 2 FREAKING STEPS and he damn well knew it.

 

[Grapesoda2021]

Also let it be known that he was the same umpire who called the ball beltre hit off his foot fair and in play. Thus, robbing him of an at-bat in the 9th inning and killing any comeback hope in game 1

 

[jaar01]

So Kulpa, a St Louis native and lifelong Cardinal fan who's dream was to play baseball for the Cardinals, has already made 2 fantastically bad calls in this World Series that both directly benefited his precious Cardinals, and now, in the Rangers biggest season saving game of the year, is going to be calling balls and strikes. Beautiful.

 

[jaar01]

How in the blue hell can Bud Selig allow an ADMITTED LIFELONG ST LOUIS CARDINAL FAN be an umpire in a World Series featuring his favorite team? He subconsciously, if not consciously, is going to favor his team no matter what he says about being a professional. He has already blown 2 huge calls in this World Series, one of which is the worst call since the Denkinger call in the 85 Series. And now he's going behind the plate. You can't be serious! I am extremely upset by this. MLB should never allow such a conflict of interest to even be in play in a World Series. And can we please get instant replay in baseball!

And yes, that play DID change the tenor of the game, regardless of how bad the final score was.

 

[romeo212000]

I agree with you jaar. Ultimately the blame has to be on the team for not overcoming it, but Harrison shouldn't have to get 6 outs in one inning and it completely changed to complexion of the game. Look up incompetent in the encyclopedia and you will see a picture of Selig.

 

[Al Falfa]

We have our first umpiring controversy in the World Series.

The play occurred in the fourth inning of Game 3 on Saturday. First base umpire Ron Kulpa missed a call at first that led to four runs for the St. Louis Cardinals.

With Albert Pujols on first base, Matt Holliday hit a ground ball in what appeared to be a routine double play. But Ian Kinsler's throw to first was off line and first baseman Mike Napoli put a slap tag on Holliday's shoulder as he approached the bag.

Replays showed Holliday was tagged out by Napoli. But Kulpa called Holliday safe. The Cardinals took advantage and grabbed a 5-0 lead.

Kulpa, who made a great call in Game 2 when he ruled Kinsler safe on the key stolen base in the ninth inning, may have some answering to do after the game.

But to make things worse, Kulpa was born and raised in St. Louis. He dreamed one day of playing for the Cardinals in the World Series. Instead, he's one of the men in black calling the game.
But sorry, Kulpa said, there's not a thing he can do to help the Cardinals win.

"My friends understand," Kulpa, 43, said earlier in the week. "All they want is the tickets."

Kulpa, who arranged 24 tickets for friends and family, is on the World Series umpiring crew for the first time in his 13-year career. He was the right-field umpire in Game 1, second base umpire in Game 2 and will be the plate umpire Sunday for Game 4 in Texas.

How the hell do you turn a 16-7 rout into an umpiring controversy??? I can't member the inning but late in the game the Rangers had the same number of hits as the Cardinals, yet trailed by 5 or 6 runs. That's just piss poor baseball. Simple as that.

 

[jaar01]

Because with 2 outs and no one on base, Texas likely gets out of the inning down 1-0. We then score 3 in the bottom of the 4th, going up 3-1. Harrison is still in the game, now pitching the 5th with a 3-1 lead and plenty of gas left. It changes the entire complexion of the game from pitching moves to how certain batters are attacked. Yes, the Rangers went on to play a terrible game, but that blown call was huge.

 

[Al Falfa]

Because with 2 outs and no one on base, Texas likely gets out of the inning down 1-0. We then score 3 in the bottom of the 4th, going up 3-1. Harrison is still in the game, now pitching the 5th with a 3-1 lead and plenty of gas left. It changes the entire complexion of the game from pitching moves to how certain batters are attacked. Yes, the Rangers went on to play a terrible game, but that blown call was huge.

As bad as the blown call was, Harrison should have had enough left to finish the inning. He didn't. What I saw was that both times Texas put up a three spot the relief pitching gave it right back. They had their chances to win this game or least get back in it, but Feldman, Ogando and the defense pissed their pants.

 

[bri134]

As a Cardinals fan, it's hard to be faced with the supposition that the Cards didn't earn this win entirely on their own merit. Having said that, it's equally as difficult to ignore the impact this blown call had on the game.

Rangers bullpen issues after Harrison was relieved aside, personally I do not want there to be any circumstances surrounding a game that would lead to controversy about its outcome. If the Cardinals end up winning it all, I want it to be free from speculation that it was only with the help of an external source.

As a fan, I'm not going to apologize for the win, as each team gave the other plenty of chances to run away with it. However, as fans both Ranger and Cardinal alike, we all deserve better officiating out of MLB, especially on the game's biggest stage.

Here's to hoping for some great baseball, and that the rest of the games are officiated cleaner than the first three have.

 

[Grapesoda2021]

I agree with you jaar. Ultimately the blame has to be on the team for not overcoming it, but Harrison shouldn't have to get 6 outs in one inning and it completely changed to complexion of the game. Look up incompetent in the encyclopedia and you will see a picture of Selig.

At least you don't have to put up with David Stern..... That fucker rigs playoff games for big markets. Last year, he didn't do it cuzz he knew he would get caught, but 2006 still smells like asshole and controversy

 

[romeo212000]

As a Cardinals fan, it's hard to be faced with the supposition that the Cards didn't earn this win entirely on their own merit. Having said that, it's equally as difficult to ignore the impact this blown call had on the game.

Rangers bullpen issues after Harrison was relieved aside, personally I do not want there to be any circumstances surrounding a game that would lead to controversy about its outcome. If the Cardinals end up winning it all, I want it to be free from speculation that it was only with the help of an external source.

As a fan, I'm not going to apologize for the win, as each team gave the other plenty of chances to run away with it. However, as fans both Ranger and Cardinal alike, we all deserve better officiating out of MLB, especially on the game's biggest stage.

Rep coming your way for a good post.

Here's to hoping for some great baseball, and that the rest of the games are officiated cleaner than the first three have.

I think most here would agree that the issue is exactly what you said more than Kulpa blowing the game for Texas. The more important factor here is this game, and the World Series deserves better.

In my opinion this year has seen some of the poorest umpiring in all of major league baseball throughout the entire year, and entire league. Combine that with umpires who provoke coaches and players (one of which I specifically recall is on this WS crew) and then throw them out, an admitted St. Louis native and Cardinals fan being selected for the WS crew, and Bud Selig has offered nothing to the fans in the form of apology or correction. This is not about one team getting screwed. This is about the teams and fans deserving better.

 

[jaar01]

The World Series umpiring crew is supposedly chosen before the teams are determined. But that is an aside. The second the Cardinals qualified Kulpa should have been excused from the crew. Selig should have cited conflict of interest, and could have done so without questioning the integrity of the umpire. There is no logical reason for an admittted lifelong St Louis Cardinal fan, who said his dream was to play baseball for the Cardinals, to be umpiring in a World Series with the Cardinals playing. They are only human, and a subconscious bias could very easily enter into his judgement calls. And now he'll be behind the plate for game 4. It just shouldn't happen.

 

[guitarmy21b]

This about sums up my thoughts

 

[Ginger]

Well do you guys feel like fools now after agreeing with Jaar? After all, that is his schtick. Say outlandish things in the hopes that someone will agree with him so he can laugh at your stupidity. I mean, come on a conspiracy theory against the Rangers? Umpires intentionally throwing the game against the Rangers? Why would they do that? Doesn't make any damned sense at all.

Now Kulpa did in fact just ump probably the most lopsided strike zone in a World Series game in recent memory probably in an effort to make up for yesterday's blown call and the fact that he is a St. Louis native but that isn't what caused the Cardinals to lose or the Rangers to win. Cardinals didn't bring it tonight and the Rangers did just enough. Other than the jacked up zone the game was well played and well pitched, at least by Holland. Really happy with the way Jackson pitched. Thought he would fare much worse.

 

[Grapesoda2021]

How would you explain the lopsided strike zone in st. louis? Carpenter and Garcia got a lot of home cooking