What Gives With MLB Umpires?

ymarea · October 20, 2009 10:35AM

In the span of about 5 minutes, two different umps made two HORRIBLE calls in the Yankees/Angels game.

A Yankee baserunner got picked off sliding back into 2nd base. He was clearly out. The ump was standing right on top of the play, yet called him safe. He was out by about a foot.

Minutes later, the Yankees get an apparent run on a SF. The Angels do the obligatory appeal play at third and the ump calls the runner out for leaving too soon. Not only does the reply show that Swisher did not leave too early, but the 3rd base ump NEVER even looked at Swisher while he was on the bag, making it impossible for him to make an accurate call. Was this simply a makeup call for the 2nd base ump's blunder? If so, that's pretty weak.

C'mon umps, the fans have a right to expect more than that.

Walt · October 20, 2009 10:36AM

just a make up call, happens all the time in football.

ymarea · October 20, 2009 10:39AM

<< just a make up call, happens all the time in football. >>

If it was a make up call (which it likely could have been), that's an admission that the first ump blew the call. If another ump know this, why not simply have a brief conference, tell the guy he messed up, and change the call. It happens from time to time.

If nothing else, it would inspire more confidence in the umpiring. As it stands now, I wonder if any of them know what they're doing.

I'll admit something...I'm very bitter because all of my teams STINK!

halosfan · October 20, 2009 10:41AM

Those plays aside ... what is up with the HP ump squeezing the Angels pitcher because he can't see the pitches because the catcher is in the way. Dude needs to get in position. If he is physically unable to get in position he should not be an MLB ump.

Too much emphasis on the umps and not the players.

Oh, and AROD is at it again against the Angels.

All that said, the Yanks are winning. If the Angels can't hit they deserve to lose.

stevek · October 20, 2009 10:48AM

The ump who made the terrible call on the sacrifice fly looked like he had a few tokes of wacky weed.

stevek · October 20, 2009 10:56AM

I stand corrected - that ump has gotta be on hard core drugs.

ymarea · October 20, 2009 10:57AM

This has gotten absurd.

Now the 3rd base ump (Tim Mclelland (sp?) ) butchers a call that is 2-3 feet in front of him...and he's actually looking this time. Napoli runs down to 3rd and tags two Yankee runners, neither of whom are standing on a base at the time. The ump calls one safe and one out. What the heck???

I surrender.

Hyperion · October 20, 2009 10:57AM

That catcher had a brilliant doubleplay. Did he actually say "sorry, makeup call for me butchering that tag play"

Gag.

K · October 20, 2009 11:02AM

They made some truely awful calls in the Red Sox Yankees series as well. Stuff that was very clear to see. I think they should be fined. For all I know Steinbrenner paid them all off to try and finally win one this decade.

ymarea · October 20, 2009 11:02AM

I can't recall ever seeing such sustained incompetence in a game that didn't involve Eric Gregg.

DIMEMAN · October 20, 2009 11:03AM

I'm not for either team here, but Geesch, let the players win or lose the game. I've never seen so many bad calls in ONE game in all my life. That butchered call at third was horrendous both players were clearly off base hince both out!! That ump at third is wack! They should use instant replay like in other sports plain and simple!!!

DIMEMAN · October 20, 2009 11:08AM

Also, they should use that box for balls and strike and DO AWAY WITH THE HOME PLATE UMP ALTOGETHER!! In one game the count was 3 and 0 and all 3 balls were clearly in the box...not even close to the edge. That's giving the team an extra out!!!

Sorry for the rants, but I just can't stand bad calls!!!

ripkenintheminors · October 20, 2009 11:09AM

The worst I have ever seen. I can give an ump a break on a snap pickoff play, even if the guy is out by a foot. However, the crew chief of a postseason crew should get in position to see the baserunner's foot when tagging up. The double play non call was ridiculous. Two baserunners off a base in a live ball situation. Both are tagged yet one is allowed to take a base? Probably Tim's last game as a postseason umpire.

ymarea · October 20, 2009 11:14AM

<< ...Probably Tim's last game as a postseason umpire. >>

Chris, that's very interesting. I'll be curious to see if he makes another appearance this year. If MLB really cares about the integrity of its games, they will make a change.

ripkenintheminors · October 20, 2009 11:21AM

<< 

<< ...Probably Tim's last game as a postseason umpire. >>

Chris, that's very interesting. I'll be curious to see if he makes another appearance this year. If MLB really cares about the integrity of its games, they will make a change. >>

After thinking about it I'm sure he'll finish the series. I don't know how the MLB umpiring selection works but I am sure there's an extra in the event of sickness/injury. At the end of the day, though, I would expect MLB to say some garbage about "correcting him" and then leaving it at that. If he gets pulled for game 5 it would pull even more attention away from the series. I don't know if they have announced the World Series crew but if not I'd be surprised if he made it. The guy completely blew a pair of calls, one of which was calling a guy out without even looking at him tagging.

ziggy29 · October 21, 2009 1:14AM

What's really galling is that (a) these guys are supposed to be the best and most highly rated in the game, AND (b) that even when they have SIX umpires including two down the outfield foul lines, they still screw up easy calls like the so-called "foul ball" on Joe Mauer, which occurred in the LF umpire's plain view...

Don Denkinger notwithstanding, the 2009 playoffs may go down as the Year of the Bad Call and the Year of the Closer Meltdown.

Barndog · October 21, 2009 1:52AM

the bottom line to all of this is the Bud Selig is a "feminine hygiene product"

MLB needs expanded instant replay. The atrocious calls and non-calls are changing the flow of games way too much.

ripkenintheminors · October 21, 2009 2:29AM

Anyone see Tim in the postgame interviews? Although he admitted that he blew a pair of calls I wasn't a fan of his explanation.

SoFLPhillyFan · October 21, 2009 3:45AM

Transcript of post game interview. No joke. -

THE MODERATOR: Tim, whatever you want to say.
TIM McCLELLAND: As far as the two calls that I had at third base. The first one with Swisher leaving too soon. In my heart I thought he left too soon.
On the play with Cano and Posada, I thought Cano was on the base. I was waiting for two players to be on the base, and when there was never the situation where both of them were on the base at the same time. When he tagged Cano, I thought Cano was on the base, and when Jorge touched the base and continued and tagged Posada out, I thought Posada was out.
After looking at replays, I'm not sure I believe the replay of the first one. I said in my heart I thought he left too soon. But the replay showed that he didn't. We go in and watch replays regularly after every game, even during the regular season. That's part of our procedures.
Then the second one it showed that Cano was off the bag when he was tagged. I did not see that for whatever reason. So obviously there were two missed calls. Obviously, or not obviously, but there were two missed calls. And I'm just out there trying to do my job and do it the best I can. And unfortunately there was by instant replay, there were two missed calls.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Tim. Thank you for coming up.

ripkenintheminors · October 21, 2009 4:02AM

Anyone else concerned with the following phrases coming from the mouth of an ALCS crew chief?

In my heart

I thought

I was waiting

I thought Cano was on the base

I thought Posada was out

I'm not sure I believe the replay of the first one.

I said in my heart I thought he left too soon

I did not see that for whatever reason

Obviously, or not obviously

RipublicaninMass · October 21, 2009 5:48AM

Sounds like a politician

Mickey71 · October 21, 2009 7:54AM

The league needs to do a thorough investigation into this. This could be tell tale signs of gambling. I mean missing a call is one thing but these were as easy as it gets.

benderbroeth · October 21, 2009 12:52PM

<< The league needs to do a thorough investigation into this. This could be tell tale signs of gambling. I mean missing a call is one thing but these were as easy as it gets. >>

yeah i agree

Trevmo · October 21, 2009 9:50PM

i watched those games and those call were horrible. i am not a yankee fan at all but swisher was clearly on the bag when the ball was caught. maybe these umps dont get paid if the score gets too high. who know

ziggy29 · October 22, 2009 12:47AM

<< TIM McCLELLAND: As far as the two calls that I had at third base. The first one with Swisher leaving too soon. In my heart I thought he left too soon. >>

"In my heart"? What the hell? Since when do you call games with your heart? Doesn't that imply calling a game as you WANT it to be instead of by what you actually see? If I called games with my heart, the Yankees would be 0-162.

stevek · October 22, 2009 1:13AM

<< 

<< TIM McCLELLAND: As far as the two calls that I had at third base. The first one with Swisher leaving too soon. In my heart I thought he left too soon. >>

"In my heart"? What the hell? Since when do you call games with your heart? Doesn't that imply calling a game as you WANT it to be instead of by what you actually see? If I called games with my heart, the Yankees would be 0-162.

>>

Umpire 101...ya gotta anticipate the play, get yourself in position, and make the correct call...and those were easy calls because his vision wasn't blocked or anything like that.

DoubleEagle59 · October 22, 2009 6:26AM

Umpiring has been going down hill since the missed World series triple play call that Kelly Gruber made back in '94 (or was it '93?).

What Gives With MLB Umpires?

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