woohoo, go white sox!

[Warrior Poet]

No doubt the umpires screwed the call, the fact that the plate umpire called him out right after the strike call, but then reversed himself when the batter ran is not a good thing. He should have kept to the "out" call, brought in the 3rd base umpire right away to ask him if he thought the ball was in the dirt or a clean catch.

Can anyone clear up what he (the ump) said later about "that was my signal for a strike with a swing"?

So, he gave the somatic signal for a strike, but not an out? Is that where the confusion was? Also, I heard on the radio this morning (I didn't catch any post-game discussion) that Piersynski didn't hear any call, and that was his impetus to run. Did the ump say anything about a verbal call?

Thanks,

Warrior Poet

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

From SI.com :

The ball was gloved by Paul -- replays appeared to show he caught it cleanly just before it would have hit the dirt. And behind him, Eddings clearly raised his right arm and closed his fist, signaling strike three.

"When he rings him up with a fist, he's out," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said.

Being a catcher -- Scioscia was one, too -- Pierzynski knew to play it all the way through, just in case. He twirled around and hustled to first.

"I thought for sure the ball hit the ground. I watched the replay 50 times and I still don't know. The third strike is in the dirt, you run," Pierzynski said. "I didn't hear him say out, Josh didn't tag me."

In fact, Eddings was silent.

"I did not say, 'No catch,"' said Eddings, a major league umpire since 1999 who is working his third postseason assignment. "I'm watching Josh Paul, seeing what he's going to do."

After the game, Eddings watched several replays and stood by his call.

"We saw it on a couple different angles, the ball changes directions," Eddings said. "I had questions. I didn't have him catching the ball."

Positive the inning was over, Paul rolled the ball out to the mound with the Angels already coming off the field, so Pierzynski was easily safe.

"Customarily, if the ball is in the dirt, say if we block a ball for strike three, they usually say, 'No catch, no catch, no catch.' And I didn't hear any of that," Paul said. "That's why I was headed back to the dugout."

I saw the replaya and the ump clearly put his arm out in the strike signal, then pulled it in and did a pumped fist, which is usually the "out" call.

 

[MacMathan]

Just one more reason to standardize the Umpire calls. With most umps that second motion means he out, thus end of inning.

I am hoping it will not matter at the end of the series. I hate to have that sort of thing hanging over a championship series.

I never saw them interview the Angels catcher about it, they talked to everyone else but I wanted to see if he heard the Ump say "Out". Did anyone else see or hear one?

 

[The Shaman]

I saw the replaya and the ump clearly put his arm out in the strike signal, then pulled it in and did a pumped fist, which is usually the "out" call.

And it was the same signal he used throughout the game - that's why the infield didn't yell at Josh Paul and point to first.

Eddings is just covering his ass - he called the batter out, then second-guessed and reversed himself when AJ took off for first, and now refuses to back-down from a blown call. This clown should be suspended.

 

[BOZ]

umpires are not known for eating humble pie.

 

[The Shaman]

umpires are not known for eating humble pie.

Tru dat.

Last year's ALCS crew did such an outstanding job, though, at getting together on close calls to review and reverse if necessary - better still, the replays showed they got it right each time.

This crew seemed more intent on digging in its heels, and then ducking the blame.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Tru dat.

Last year's ALCS crew did such an outstanding job, though, at getting together on close calls to review and reverse if necessary - better still, the replays showed they got it right each time.

This crew seemed more intent on digging in its heels, and then ducking the blame.

Last year's crew, if I recall correctly, was a pretty seasoned team. They were willing to work together to make the right call.

Eddings is a third year ump. He's probably afraid to look wishy-washy for fear of people constantly challenging his calls. Of course the rest of the crew will back him up since they want to appear unified as an umpire team.

 

[BOZ]

woohoo! it's great to see the white sox finally playing like they did against the red sox in games 3 & 4, the way they did not do in games 1 & 2! if they keep playing like this, they will not only win tonight's game, but tomorrow's as well!

 

[Crothian]

and that's what they need to do to face Houston!!!

 

[BOZ]

a-yup. no easy opponents from here on out - even the angels will get them if they aren't on top of things. maybe even tonight - there are still a scant few innings left.