2012 Umpire Performance/Venting Thread

[sweet_lou_14]

People are upset about the called strike three to A-Rod? Guess what, it was a perfect strike. Don't let the cross-up or Wieters' body position fool you, just look at where the ball is and where the plate is. That's what the ump did and it was the right call.

[NelsonMuntz]

People are upset about the called strike three to A-Rod? Guess what, it was a perfect strike. Don't let the cross-up or Wieters' body position fool you, just look at where the ball is and where the plate is. That's what the ump did and it was the right call.

Is this sarcasm? The ball was nowhere near the plate. Even Jim Palmer called it a terrible call.

[sweet_lou_14]

Is this sarcasm? The ball was nowhere near the plate. Even Jim Palmer called it a terrible call.

Not being sarcastic at all. I couldn't find video to show you what I'm talking about, but I saw the game in real time (as well as all the replays) and the ball was above the knee and squarely over the plate. Wieters was practically in the opposing batter's box and, due to the cross-up, had to reach awkwardly back into the strike zone to catch the ball.

[NoodleRay]

The catcher actually fell to his side reaching for it, then the pitch broke back toward the plate that's why he caught it crazy like. He backhanded the ball and pulled it back over the plate, that fooled the umpire. One thing about Alex he's not a crybaby at the plate, but he was really surprised with that call.

Lou it may have been a little closer then it looked, but it was no strike.

[False1]

Not being sarcastic at all. I couldn't find video to show you what I'm talking about, but I saw the game in real time (as well as all the replays) and the ball was above the knee and squarely over the plate. Wieters was practically in the opposing batter's box and, due to the cross-up, had to reach awkwardly back into the strike zone to catch the ball.

Lou - FWIW Brooks has it as being off the plate. Certainly not the craziest strike call ever, as it's being labeled here, but was probably a bad call nonetheless.

[snapple]

With this graphs, is that from behind the catcher or pitcher?

[sweet_lou_14]

With this graphs, is that from behind the catcher or pitcher?

Behind the catcher.

[sweet_lou_14]

Lou - FWIW Brooks has it as being off the plate. Certainly not the craziest strike call ever, as it's being labeled here, but was probably a bad call nonetheless.

Thanks for this.

Because these graphs are plotted where the ball crosses a particular plane -- not sure where that plane is: front of the plate, back of the plate, catcher's mitt? -- they don't always tell the whole story and they don't account for how a particular umpire might see the pitch as it crosses the plate.

Without the benefit of another look, my recollection is that the pitch had some left-to-right lateral movement, was outside as it crossed the front edge of the plate, and ended up well over the plate (outer half) at the instant it was caught. While I'm on the record complaining about pitchers benefiting from strike calls because of where it hits the mitt as opposed to where it crosses the plate -- Tim Wakefield was a very frequent beneficiary -- I think this was a defensible strike call by the ump.

Bottom line, I'd have wanted that call if the uniforms were reversed.

[NelsonMuntz]

It came close to braking behind the plate but It never actually crossed the plate. They showed it from several angles on the Orioles broadcast. Regardless, you never see an umpire give the pitcher that call when the catcher has to reach that far for the ball.

[89FoxBody]

Absolutely horrible call to Swisher. Electronic strike zone please. That was utterly pathetic.

[NelsonMuntz]

SMH @ strike 3 to Swisher. Zero accountability.

[89FoxBody]

Great job tonight, blue.

[89FoxBody]

And Nunez was definitely safe.

What a screwjob.

[DJ27]

And Nunez was definitely safe.

What a screwjob.

Cost us the winning run. Wow!

[CyYoung4Vazquez]

And Nunez was definitely safe.

What a screwjob.

He was standing two feet away. How could he possibly miss that. Terrible.

[DJ27]

Cost us the winning run. Wow!

Ok never mind....... JUSTICE!

[Yankees13]

Been following on gameday most of the night. The HP ump has blown at least 1 call an at-bat, if not 2. Without getting into the Nunez call...

[89FoxBody]

Leave it to Laz Diaz to squeeze Rivera.

[DJ27]

Been following on gameday most of the night. The HP ump has blown at least 1 call an at-bat, if not 2. Without getting into the Nunez call...

We win with him not giving us anywhere close to the same strike zone tonight (not even Mo). Good "W"!

[DJ27]

Leave it to Laz Diaz to squeeze Rivera.

Unreal, but I love how Mo handles it. THE BEST!!

[unfamous loser]

looking at the plots on Brooks Baseball, the strike zone was pretty equally crappy tonight.

the Nunez call at first was wrong too, but on the whole, there was just umpire incompetancy -- not biased incompetancy.

[DJ27]

looking at the plots on Brooks Baseball, the strike zone was pretty equally crappy tonight.

the Nunez call at first was wrong too, but on the whole, there was just umpire incompetancy -- not biased incompetancy.

That outside corner to lefties really seemed to be biased.

[AuroraBomberalis]

Laz Diaz was awful. Completely awful.

And I don't even necessarily mean in an anti-Yankee way (although that's how it seemed to me), I just mean completely inconsistent.

The worst of it was already stated: the strike 3 to Swish and Mo being squeezed on at least 2 or 3 pitches that caught the FULL plate and were called balls.

And yes, Nunez was blatantly safe at 1st, and the umpire was RIGHT on top of it and still missed it.

Again, I'm not even really complaining about an anti-Yankee bias, which may or may not exist. I'm upset about the complete lack of ability and consistency overall.

[Yankees13]

looking at the plots on Brooks Baseball, the strike zone was pretty equally crappy tonight.

the Nunez call at first was wrong too, but on the whole, there was just umpire incompetancy -- not biased incompetancy.

Yeah, when I said he was blowing a call an AB, I meant for both sides. Although the squeezing of Rivera was hideous, albeit irrelevant.

[ajra21]

Laz Diaz was awful. Completely awful.

And I don't even necessarily mean in an anti-Yankee way (although that's how it seemed to me), I just mean completely inconsistent.

The worst of it was already stated: the strike 3 to Swish and Mo being squeezed on at least 2 or 3 pitches that caught the FULL plate and were called balls.

And yes, Nunez was blatantly safe at 1st, and the umpire was RIGHT on top of it and still missed it.

Again, I'm not even really complaining about an anti-Yankee bias, which may or may not exist. I'm upset about the complete lack of ability and consistency overall.

I don't think there is a Yankee bias but it does worry me at how poor some of these calls have been.