Its never easy being a Pirates fan, huh

[Comeds]

Wow, thats really bad.

 

[MISKO]

mann that guy wasnt even close to being safe

 

[elocomotive]

Yes, reffing is a tough ass job. But, so is my job, and I'm sure there are countless others on this board who can claim that, as well. I'm not given any free passes at work... That's inexcusable.

Look, you just can't compare a regular job to reffing or umping. Those individuals are forced to make judgment calls of inches and milliseconds hundreds of times a night. Any ref or ump is going to get some calls wrong, especially with a game that took so long, some mental lapses are going to happen. That's just part of the job. Nobody is going to do it to perfection, and there are calls all the time that even with slow motion it's difficult to determine what the "right" call even is.

Jim Joyce blew a perfect game for a pitcher and he was considered one of the best at his job. Further proof that being an ump/ref is not a job where 100% accuracy is or should be expected or is even possible.

Something should happen to this guy if the league finds there have been problems with this guy far more often than most umps. Otherwise, it's just unfortunate timing and part of the game. Pirates had plenty of chances to win the game. They'll have plenty of chances to win the other 161 games they'll be involved in.

You can't say it's inexcusable if you conclude that mistakes are part of the position. And you can't blame a season filled with 4,374+ outs on just one of them. It's a sucky call, but that's an unavoidable part of the game as it currently stands.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

That umpire deserves to be suspended. That was as bas as the Galarraga call last season.

 

[awaz]

as far as stakes go, the galaraga (sp? sorry) call was worse.. but as far as actual calls go, last night was much worse.. lugo wasn't even close to the plate when he got tagged, and the ball beat lugo by a good 2 seconds.. mckenry had time to field the ball and turn before lugo even entered his slide

the call at first was a much quicker play and if it weren't for the circumstances it would've passed with very little comment.. calls like that are missed all the time

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

as far as stakes go, the galaraga (sp? sorry) call was worse.. but as far as actual calls go, last night was much worse.. lugo wasn't even close to the plate when he got tagged, and the ball beat lugo by a good 2 seconds.. mckenry had time to field the ball and turn before lugo even entered his slide

the call at first was a much quicker play and if it weren't for the circumstances it would've passed with very little comment.. calls like that are missed all the time

The galaraga call doesn't even compare to this call. That call erased an individual performance and a chance for 1 player to ink his name in the history books. Yea, it sucks and it is a shame but it did not effect the outcome of the game/season.

This call can potentially impact the NL Central, NL East, and even the NL Wildcard spot. Odds are, this missed call won't mean shit. Who is to even say the Pirates would win the game? But it can potentially impact who makes the playoffs and ultimately who goes to the World Series. These are calls that cannot be missed and need instant replay for.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

After looking at the replay a few times, I still believe the runner was out...but I am also thinking that it is not so easy to see the tag. Also making it difficult is that the glove makes no noticeable motion after applying the tag.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

After looking at the replay a few times, I still believe the runner was out...but I am also thinking that it is not so easy to see the tag. Also making it difficult is that the glove makes no noticeable motion after applying the tag.

At worst, he swiped his pants which would cause no radical change in motion. That is still an out.

 

[elocomotive]

After looking at the replay a few times, I still believe the runner was out...but I am also thinking that it is not so easy to see the tag. Also making it difficult is that the glove makes no noticeable motion after applying the tag.

Would have been a hard call to make from a bird's eye view.

 

[awaz]

The galaraga call doesn't even compare to this call. That call erased an individual performance and a chance for 1 player to ink his name in the history books. Yea, it sucks and it is a shame but it did not effect the outcome of the game/season.

This call can potentially impact the NL Central, NL East, and even the NL Wildcard spot. Odds are, this missed call won't mean shit. Who is to even say the Pirates would win the game? But it can potentially impact who makes the playoffs and ultimately who goes to the World Series. These are calls that cannot be missed and need instant replay for.

no doubt about that. its part of the reason i can't fully get behind baseball. thats a call that would've been easily fixed by replay, but baseball is too 'pure' and too 'traditional' to adopt changes that will make the game leaps and bounds better

i still think the galaraga call was a more tragic mis-call though.. perfect games are tough to get and thats most likely the closest he'll ever get to one, and closer than 99% of pitchers ever get.. last night was a dreadful call and a bad spot to make it.. but like elo has pointed out, there are 162 games in a baseball season, who knows if the pirates would've won it anyway, and who knows if its going to come down to 1 game or 1 out.. for all we know it could spark the pirates on to running away with the division.. in galaraga's case it was concrete, he missed the call and cost the pitcher a chance at history, period. the game last night is a bunch of ifs.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

At worst, he swiped his pants which would cause no radical change in motion. That is still an out.

Yeah, I think it's an out. Just pointing out that it maybe wasn't as clear-cut a miscall as everyone thinks. Possibly an understandable mistake, but still punishable by Bieber.

 

[awaz]

After looking at the replay a few times, I still believe the runner was out...but I am also thinking that it is not so easy to see the tag. Also making it difficult is that the glove makes no noticeable motion after applying the tag.

At worst, he swiped his pants which would cause no radical change in motion. That is still an out.

judgement calls are made all the time in baseball.. i'm sure it happens multiple times a game where the ball gets there way before the runner and they call it an out, even if the defender doesn't get the tag, or tag the base.. honestly look at double plays, i bet 15% of the time the 2nd baseman doesn't tag 2nd.. that isn't the right way to do it, but thats how its done.

the throw beat the runner by a mile, and the catcher was in position to make the call. that should've been an out

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

And if we want to argue about which umpire fuck-up was more costly to a team's playoff chances, then I will replace the Unperfect Game with Tigers-Twins game #163.

 

[elocomotive]

...but like elo has pointed out, there are 162 games in a baseball season

I'm glad someone is appreciative of my incredible depth of knowledge on baseball. I didn't even have to look it up... okay, maybe I Googled just to be sure.

 

[Comeds]

I understand you want umpires to be accountable but you cannot have them fearing for their job with every call they may. As bad as it was, MLB has stated it likes the human element in their game so occasionally things like this happen.

 

[awaz]

I'm glad someone is appreciative of my incredible depth of knowledge on baseball. I didn't even have to look it up... okay, maybe I Googled just to be sure.

haha thats about as deep as i go too.. and most of the time i use it to talk about how stupid baseball is!

the pirates bein good and a guy from my hs being on the team has sparked my interest a bit though.. 162 games is still a shit-fuck-ton of games though

 

[awaz]

I understand you want umpires to be accountable but you cannot have them fearing for their job with every call they may. As bad as it was, MLB has stated it likes the human element in their game so occasionally things like this happen.

thats dumb. sure it gets people talking about baseball, but not in a positive light.

i suppose any publicity is good publicity.. but its affecting outcomes of games and is therefore dumb.

(not knocking you, knocking mlb)

 

[elocomotive]

I understand you want umpires to be accountable but you cannot have them fearing for their job with every call they may. As bad as it was, MLB has stated it likes the human element in their game so occasionally things like this happen.

They would have changed this years ago had someone not sent Bud Selig a link to the All Your Base Are Belong to Us video which he TOTALLY misinterpreted. He has feared machines taking over baseball ever since. It also explains his ignoring the steroid problem in baseball, which he said in an internal baseball memo "was necessary to allow players to bulk up against the impending revolution of our machine overloads." He needs to take off the aluminum hat.

 

[dare2be]

I'm sure the "I just emailed Bud Selig" incident played a factor in his fears as well...

 

[dare2be]

Just insert stun gun electronics in the baseball mitts so that when the ball is in the glove and the runner is tagged with it, you'll know right away whether the tag got him or not.

/gives new meaning to the phrase "you're out!"