2013 MLB Regular Season running thread

I know I'm not breaking any news here, but Good Lord is CB Bucknor a horrible umpire.

 

Those who know me, know I will back umpires because it's what I do (at the amateur level) and it's a big part of my professional life as well.

Tony (and others): I know it's not common for you to watch umpires, but there is a very specific reason for the umpires to do what they did. When the third-base umpire goes out (to rule on a catch/trap or fair/foul decision), the umpires move positions to strive to have an umpire ahead of any play at future bases. The plate umpire moves up to third and the first-base umpire moves home. That leaves the second-base umpire to cover plays at first and second. It's very very common.

Joyce didn't "blow" the call. That word sucks and implies malice or intent. On the replay, slowed down, it does appear he missed the call. And if replay gets approved for next year (not a lock, despite what you are hearing), it *might* have been overturned.

Joyce was in position for the play and it was very close.

As for Gonzalez getting ejected, it's a no-brainer. I can't tell you exactly what he said, but he chose to insult the hustle, effort or character of one umpire to another. And Andy Fletcher did absolutely the right thing in ejecting him.

Moddy, you point out something that really gets on my nerves as well. Had that pitch been shown to be a strike in PitchTrax, every announcer and SportsCenter commentator would have been all over Bucknor for missing the pitch. But no one is willing to support him for getting it right, according to the same system.

Listen to the commentators, they dance around what their computer showed. "Judge for yourself" type comments. If they are going to use that system to rip on umpires, they need to support the umpires when the system shows what it did there.

That was tough as hell pitch to call in a key situation. According to the system, he got it right. Not sure how you fault him for that. Can't use the technology to support bashing umpires when it says they get it wrong and then bash the umpires again when the system shows they get it right.

Of course, that could mean you are saying the system is inaccurate (which it is, by the way, but that's a discussion for another day)

 

Matt, you really need to get over yourself. You are an umpire not god. Your blind support of any ejections from thin skinned umpires is ridiculous. You don't know what he said but he should absolutely have been ejected? This is professional sports, it should take a hell of a lot to be ejected. People are paying to watch these players not over officious power tripping douchebags umpring these games.

 

So a personal attack on Jim Joyce's integrity or hustle should be tolerated? Not a chance.

 

You already have stated you don't know what was said. Depending on what was said yes it should be. It's an emotional game where people are prone to emotional outbursts. Insecure, power tripping umpires should recognize this.

 

Let's look at some of the Braves' postgame quotes, from the AJC:

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/uggla-j-upton-hrs-lift-braves-past-nats-magic-numb/nZ2TY/

So Fredi *thought* it was a strike. Sorry, it wasn't. PitchTrax and CB said so.

Sounds like Wood knows now it wasn't a strike...

 

You believe a player after the game, when asked about the umpire, tells you honestly what he thinks?

Now that's a laugh.

 

I do know what Gonzalez said that he said... that all he wanted the umpire to do was hustle. I'm sure he said it just like that, with no personal attack or malice or profanity or accusations of cheating ... Because I'm sure that Gonzalez is a saint and because I'm sure Andy Fletcher was looking to show off and have an ejection in that situation. Fucking umpires, always their fault. They should take the abuse and let players do whatever they want.

His "emotional outburst" in an "emotional game" obviously crossed the line. Players know the line and they know the consequences.

 

Great. I didn't realize we had a baseball umpiring fanboy here, too.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with saying an umpire blew the call when he got it wrong. That's what the word means in that context. Not that there was malicious intent, but that he clearly got it wrong.

 

You're the ump that stares the players down, that follows them to the dugout, who holds petty little grudges. You show em Matt, you show em who's in charge.

The best thing about technology in baseball is it show us what a colossal fuck up some of these guys are.

 

I will RUN your ass!