White Sox benefit again from another blown call by home plate umpire

Gotwood wrote,

quote:

I agree with you ...its a huge story but there's enough room in it for the umps!

The best games are where the umps are not visible or part of the story, not where they determine an outcome. Granted the game was not over, and the Soxs may have prevailed anyway, but there are "checks and balances" within the system that are not being considered.

The strike zone could be lazered so that there is a beep in the umps ear if it's a strike and a buzz if it's a ball. No one would ever know. An no one could ever complain. And, it could be tracked to whether the ump was following procedure.

Replay fits baseball to a T. The only legitimate argument against it is how long it takes. Well, unless you've got about 4 or 5 selected pitchers in the league, you have all the time you need plus some between pitches.

You can't put a limit on the time between pitches so you might as well use it for something constructive.

bbscout...

locally this morning they interviewed an ump who lives in St. Louis. I believe his name was Culpa. Here's his statement......"part of the beauty of baseball is the umpires failure".

He said it as if he was proud that umps make mistakes. He was proud that baseball is the only game that the manager can come running out onto the field to argue.

Sorry dimwit. You aren't who I pay to see.

I can guarantee you in 20 years or less, people will look back and say....."are you kidding me, they had this technology and didn't even use it." What else they'll laugh at is how ridiculous the reason was......"it's part of the game".

rz1:

I was just messin' with you a bit with the comment about there being room in the story for the umps. They unquestionly do influence the outcome of any contest...both rightly and wrongly.

Their decisions produce by far more right results than wrong results but the key is getting them in a position where their decisions that produce wrong decisions do not create such an abundance of controversy.

With the use of increasingly sophisticated technology by the media this is a problem for the umps much like denisr400 so correctly stated in an earlier post on this thread.

This problem must be addressed sensibly and measures taken in such a way that the essence of baseball is not tarnished or diminished. I'm not sure there is any easy fix for this one.

I could not agree with you more on your idea that the probable fix should come from within the umpire's realm and NOT utilizing instant replay.

Putting yourself in the shoes of a White Sox fan would allow you and others to see these umpiring gaffes in a much different light. There are mistakes being made against the White Sox also but they are not the focus now.

For now we White Sox fans are savoring the moment regardless of the umps. Its a nice feeling.

Linear:

Could not disagree with you any more strongly. Umpires and their decisions...right or wrong... are indeed 'part of the game'.

This controversy is shaping up to be 'progressive' or allowing technological changes vs. 'conservative' or holding onto traditions.

People can come down on either side of the issue but they must realize that allowing the changes MAY result in a game that we may or may not recognize. Holding to tradition will absolutely produce some imperfect results but the game,warts and all, will remain recognizable.

Choices,choices,choices!

gotwood and soxnole ...

I am sure that even tho some of us are National League fans and are cheering for the Astros, we do respect the talent on the CWS team and obviously believe that they deserve to be there. And we don't even know if the terrible umpiring in this year's post-season has actually had an impact on the results of the games ... it isn't always a given that with the right call, "our team" would have won the game. It is just so so frustrating to watch "professional officials" making such poor calls in such a big limelight.

JMEHO

FutureBack.Mom is the voice of sensability and reason.

You don't win 9 of 10 VS the Red Sox, Angels and Astros because of the umpires 3 bad calls.

Let's see - so far - the "tech" changes to the game have brought us:

Astroturf
Aluminum bats
Commercials behind home plate
Steroids
Full body armor for hitters
Interviews with managers during the game

I am sure I am missing a few other gems.

Perhaps we should just leave the game alone - let the players play - let the umps ump - and sit back and have a beer and a stogie.

(And if you are a moose - some fresh berries too.)

Gotwood,
I knew there was some ribbing involved but I wish that that the Sox fans approach would be...

"I wish the umps would get their shet together so there would be no doubt, or excuses, who the best team was."

The Angels played the sportsmanship card and I think gained the respect of the baseball world. The Sox have had a great year and should be credited for it, but, there seems to be a label developing across the country on the demeanor of the White Sox and their South Side fans.

I honestly can see where that "in your face" reaction comes from when a large % of Chicago population is rooting for the Astros. That might put me on the defensive also.

The joke in WI is. Why are there so many rental trucks with Illinois plates entering WI?

Because if the Sox's win the series Cub fans are concerned about their lives and possesions.

I hope I live long enough to see a White Sox/Cub series.

Let me add one other thing:

It might help if the Astro's didn't have a relief pitcher that throws nice juicy meatballs with the bases loaded.

The ump didnt do that.

Now that we have sox (not soxs) basher rz1 identified, were heading straight to his house to wreak total havoc. We will bring a Detroit style halloween party to his Wisconsin cub stronghold.....(lol)

If sour grapes made good wine, rz1 could make champaign!

rZ1 be careful. If Soxnole is a true Sox fan, he aint' kidding.

quote:

I am sure I am missing a few other gems.

Diamond Cam is one I can think of. Wifey calls it Worm Cam

Sox(s)nole,

You'd be surprised to see what windy city mlb hat I wear. I just have a different look at this than the Chicago Southside/Gary IN fan base .

A far as bringing the "boys" to Madison to wreak havoc, can you wait until next week. Madison has 150,000+ wannabes already coming to town for Halloween.

However, when you do come I have a list of liberal functions for the boys to visit. I'll drive.


Holden,
I'm from Madison, where in the 60's we could not enter High School unless you had been tear gassed at least twice, bring 'em on.

quote:

I am sure I am missing a few other gems.

What about Foxtrac (or whatever it was called). Either I am going blind (which could be) or almost half the time the pitch I watched wasn't near where they said it was.

BTW, I am against instant replay. I realize the umps are human. Just wish their mistakes weren't in such crucial situations. Would Dye have ended up walking, getting a hit, make the third out? We'll never know.

quote:

We will bring a Detroit style halloween party to his Wisconsin cub stronghold.....(lol)

Soxnole

Deep cleansing breaths. Long walk after work tonight. You have a 2-0 lead. It don't get any better.

I know you get Oswalt tomorrow. I still think it will be alright.

Sure the call was blown. But it is MUCH easier to see that one on slo-mo than to be behind the plate, in a mask, with the ball coming in at 92 mph.

Most unfortunately, the Astros did more damage to themselves than the umps did.

Misplayed ball at the wall by F7. F5 ole's one he should have been in front of. F4 has a pop fly tip off his glove (which F9 should have called for & taken). Stranding too many runners yet again. Sigh.

I hope they can still do it, but they really needed to pick up one in Chi town.

IMHO;

Being a Chicago White Sox fan has never been popular or fashionable. The Sox have never pretended to have a following. It is extremely rare to meet a Sox fan outside of his/her natural habitat; Northwest Indiana, the Southside and Westside of Chicago, and peppered pockets of the Chicago metro area (due to generations that have migrated). It is not surprising to find that this national website is any different.

The question is one of respect. The Sox seldom get the respect deserved even when they win the AL Pennant and take the first two games in the 2005 World Series. If this was any other team, the umpiring would not be of such controversy. Talked about maybe but not scrutinized to the extent of being credited with determining the out come of a game. The baseball establishment has never forgiven the CWS for 1919 and the Cubbies fans have hated us since 1906 when we took 4 out of 6, from the overwhelming favored Cubs, to win the World Series after the Cubs went 116 – 36 in the regular season (wonder if the umps had anything to do with that). That being said, it does not surprise me that the world outside of the nation of White Sox fans are struggling with the success of Ozzie ball and look to distract and even tarnish the 2005 CWS accomplishments.

Rz1, Regarding instant replay; it would ruin the game of baseball. KISS – keep it simple! The umps are part of the game period, like it or not, gotwood4sale and itsinthegame I’m with you, well said.

“When I am right, no one remembers. When I’m wrong, no one forgets.” ~ Doug Harvey

Wow. Talk about either an inferiority complex or paranoia!

The White Sox have a great team and have had a great year. I'm just hoping the Astros have a better year.

Based on piaa ump's post, which shouldn't surprise anyone, I propose that MLB add a significant (albiet minority) percentage of field manager's input (25-33%?) to these umpire evalutation formulas.

At the very least this would withold post season rewards for the strutting, bigger-than-the-game, hyper-confrontational types.

And obviously such decisions should never be the sole responsibility of any one person.

Smokey,

I feel your pain, but when it comes to lack of respect - your White Sox will never even come close to my Metsies.

As for the Chicago thing - I couldnt care less about either of them - but the way I see it:

The White Sox are looking pretty good - and the Cubs players are home eating Dunkin Donuts and sipping down their mocha lattes.

That is truly IMO - the bottom line.