No Doubt About It: A Horsesh*t Call

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 24, 2008 11:54 PM EDT

One of these days, maybe an umpire can later admit to a bad call. One of these days we might be able to witness accountability. One of these days Bud Selig will admit when he is wrong. Then again...

Balls and strikes I can understand. Tough to see foul lines I can understand. But what the hell is wrong with the umpiring we have seen this week? After the "I've called out for less" episode, now we are on the wrong side of a turn? He didn't lean, but he took a purposeful step in the direction of the fielder and leaned into him more than a Reggie Miller jump shot. Then blatantly extended the elbow. First Upton, now this.

What's worse is both umpiring crews defended the horrible call. There is absolutely nothing to defend. This is like a guy selling booze to an 2 year old but defending it by saying he had a good fake I.D.

The guy got caught in a rundown that he had absolutely no chance of getting out of. He made a desperate move. And yet, in extra innings, that was definitive enough for the ump to make that call? Please, for the love of God, look at the play before ruling on it! That is the cardinal sin of umpiring--to make a call based on anticipating what will happen, rather than just watch what unfolds.

I understand the difficulty of bang-bang plays. I understand if we could've held down a lead in the 9th, then this never would have happened. But I also understand that I don't want this to be how we lose in the playoffs as well. Hopefully baseball is watching and doesn't allow either of these umpiring crews to make it to the post-season either.

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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Had to Rec this

because you definitely said what needed to be said. Unfortunately, this won’t change a thing. Let’s face it. Unless the Yankees or Red Sox get jobbed out of the playoffs on a BS call, the media isn’t going to care tomorrow morning. Horrible officiating will continue in all sports, and nobody is going to stick up for a small or mid market team getting cheated.

Remember what happened to the Padres last year at the hands of the Rockies and a terrible officiating call? It cost them the NL West and a playoff opportunity. Lost in the media’s desire to focus on the incredible win streak Colorado put together to get to the playoffs was the fact that they didn’t earn their way in. They got in over a superior team because of a BS call. Where was the outrage then?

by RayFanNY on Aug 25, 2008 12:05 AM EDT reply actions

You seem to forget

that the umpires F’d up a homerun call for the Rockies earlier in that game that would have given them the win anyway. Atkins hit his homerun over the left field fence, but the ball hit a wheelchair just behind the fence and bounced back into play. That game never should have gone to extra innings. The Rockies deserved that win.

by rayweaver on Aug 25, 2008 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Good Call

I did forget what happened earlier. But that just proves the point even more so. That game was full of BS calls, and 1 year later nobody outside of San Diego or Colorado gives a crap. There is zero accountability.

by RayFanNY on Aug 25, 2008 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Nobody gave a crap about the blown HR call

after the phantom tag of homeplate by Holliday. It pissed me off that that’s all people talked about even though the game never should have even gone to extra innings.

by rayweaver on Aug 25, 2008 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions

And a big problem with this anyway

It can be argued that Matt Holliday didn’t touch home plate, but it is undeniable that he was never tagged out. The Padres catcher didn’t have a handle on the ball when Holliday came upon him at the plate. Once he was called safe, the Padres catcher gave up.

I'm laughing at the superior intellect.

by Orlando Rays on Aug 25, 2008 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

Noone will care tomorrow…….just be happy we took another series from a Solid team. Plus the standings havent changed Friday we were up 4.5 and monday we will be up 4.5……………GREAT SUCCESS

by Rays4ever on Aug 25, 2008 12:09 AM EDT reply actions

Totally agree

We took 2 out of 3 from a very good team on their turf, in front of huge crowds and with 1 game on national TV. Yes, we got screwed. But maybe we lose game 3 anyhow having to rely on Hammel to keep a strong lineup down.

Bottom line…the lead is still 4.5 games and we are entering the final week of August with a 6 game home stand ahead.

by RayFanNY on Aug 25, 2008 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions

It will be hilarious if the White Sox lose two today

They have to resume a suspended extra-inning game at Baltimore (they’ll technically be the home team, but they have to play it in Baltimore), then begin a series with the Orioles.

I'm laughing at the superior intellect.

by Orlando Rays on Aug 25, 2008 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I was in the car during the game,

and I just now watched the replay of the obstruction call. It was obvious that Pershitski leaned into Aybar, initiated the contact, and then flopped to the ground upon contact. If Aybar happened to elude the shoulder/elbow of Pershitski, Pershitski most likely would have fallen to the ground anyway. I am so sick of outright bad calls by the umpires. I’m glad we will at least have instant replay for the questionable homerun calls because lord knows that there are more than a few umpires out there that appear to be overdue for an eye exam.

by rayweaver on Aug 25, 2008 12:20 AM EDT reply actions

wow

never thought I’d see the day where flopping would become part of baseball. ’tis a sad day indeed.

by hibachi7_7_7 on Aug 25, 2008 3:42 AM EDT reply actions

You cannot blame Pierzinski

For being a fat ass with no balance and falling into Aybar and the umpire being so blinded by bribery that he called it the other way.

To me last nights game does not count. And never will. Except for Rocco 2nd blast of the year that game was complete shit.

Devil Rays World Series 2009

by Japhei on Aug 25, 2008 9:49 AM EDT reply actions

you all blame the umps all fcking day...

if Riggins makes the catch in the bottom of the 9th, a catch that every high school catcher should be able to make, this game doesn’t even get that far. that blown play is the reason we lost, not the umps blown call.

by davidsmarch on Aug 25, 2008 10:11 AM EDT reply actions

Did you not read the post?

It was already stated that if that was taken care of, we wouldn’t be talking about this. However, what we are talking about is accountability of umpires. If umpires want to avoid pressure for instant replay to be involved in more areas, they need to be willing to admit when they get the call wrong. Next time, read the full post and understand what is being talked about before critizing.

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 25, 2008 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

you feel like saying "I understand if we could've held down a lead in the 9th" is blaming Riggins?

no, that is generic blame on the whole team. this loss belongs squarely on Riggins. yes the umps blew it as well, and yes they are crooked a-holes who need to go to hell, but it should never have gotten that far.

by davidsmarch on Aug 25, 2008 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions

You can't solely blame Riggans

Let’s see….didn’t Sonny give up 4 runs with the help of a couple HR’s? Also, wasn’t there a groundrule double that kept Aki from scoring to make it 6-4? Don’t forget Pershitski’s tag-up on the sac fly that Upton was slow on throwing the ball back in. Lots of things went into the final outcome of the game that were dictated by the players. The problem here is not Riggans mishandling the ball, it’s that a terrible call led to runners on 1st and 3rd with only one out in the bottom half of the 10th inning. If the ump would have gotten the call correct, it still would not have guaranteed a Rays win, but the rest of the inning would have been played differently. With two outs and a man on first, maybe they pitch to Thome. Maybe Thome hits a 2R-HR to win it. Maybe he flies out and the game goes to the 11th. Either way, the horribly bad call affected the outcome of the game and the ump is not going to be held accountable for his bad judgment. No apology after the fact will ever make up for the blown call in this game or any game. The results of the game or the standings will not be changed. Hopefully we don’t have to deal with this for the rest of the season, at least as far as the Rays go anyway.

by rayweaver on Aug 25, 2008 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

that was not the point of this post

I conceded the fact that the 9th inning was to blame for the loss, and no i didn’t go into great length, but again that was not the point of the post.

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 25, 2008 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

also understand that this type of play will NEVER be subject to instant replay...

just like judgment plays/penalties are not subject to instant replay in football, or any other sport.

by davidsmarch on Aug 25, 2008 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

riggans sucks defensively, expect on pitches

100% SB against him, cant catch the play that zobrist had to end the game

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 25, 2008 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Turns out Eddings has done something like this already this year

7/11/2008 – Boston vs Baltimore. Lugo hits a ground ball to the right side of the infield. The 2B makes the play, throws to first

Eddings calls Lugo out

by Jason Collette on Aug 25, 2008 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

Too funny

Do they umpires just not have an adequate eyecare plan?

by rayweaver on Aug 25, 2008 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

damn that looks too close of a call for me

how in the hell did he miss that one!

Longo=ROY. Friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Gabe Gross= clutch.

by RaysOfHope on Aug 25, 2008 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Eddings may be the worst umpire in the league based purely on that play.

Aren’t they trained to watch the bag and listen for the glove?

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 25, 2008 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I was going to mention the fact that they listen for the distinct sounds

of the ball hitting the glove and the foot hitting the bag to determine the call on bang-bang plays, but this was more like a “bang……………………………..bang” play. No excuse for that call except that he was coked up and couldn’t focus on his job. Do they drug test the umps?

by rayweaver on Aug 25, 2008 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions