Umpires

[LGBJ29]

Clearly the story of this one. Inconsistent all game, what is going on? Im not into conspiracy theories but it seemed awfully one-sided tonight. Is this karma for Bautista complaining so much early on?

[LGBJ29]

BTW im not saying the umpires were the sole reason we lost, and Im not taking any blame of poor execution from guys like Lincoln. But if one is evaluating the umpires on their performance tonight, and frankly all series, theyve been terrible

[Dude]

Probably fell on the wrong side of incompetence, although can't rule out bias either.

[Stangstag]

Makes it really hard to win when the Umps are against us the whole game.

[GD]

Ugh, CPU umpires would be really f***ing great, you idiot, Selig

[TheHurl]

wow, the umpires in the Astros game just let the Astros change their pitcher without him facing a batter...this is probably the worst thing an ump has done this week in a week of f*** ups.

[GD]

wow, the umpires in the Astros game just let the Astros change their pitcher without him facing a batter...this is probably the worst thing an ump has done this week in a week of f*** ups.

 

What the f***? How stupid are these guys getting?

[Pete_7]

wow, the umpires in the Astros game just let the Astros change their pitcher without him facing a batter...this is probably the worst thing an ump has done this week in a week of f*** ups.

 

...

[Abomination]

Probably fell on the wrong side of incompetence, although can't rule out bias either.

 

After seeing all the other recent idiocy lately, I don't think it's bias. It just feels like it for us because everything else has been going wrong lately. The upside to all of this is that perhaps it will finally get Selig to take action

[Arkadium]

Half the fun in a baseball game is the umpire. Think about how boring it would be without epic punchouts and HIYAAA strike calls?

 

Going to video review is already ruining the game, baseball is slow enough without more interruptions

 

I'll take boring over umpires, bad strike/ball calls makes my blood boil.

[jays_fever]

I'll take boring over umpires, bad strike/ball calls makes my blood boil.

 

[Arkadium]

Why don't we just have computers throw the pitches, get robots to turn double plays, and the manager can just be in the dugout pressing buttons?

 

Automatic checkouts at the grocery store make my blood boil, it's wrong to take a job away from a human being

 

No.

[TheHurl]

Automatic checkouts at the grocery store make my blood boil, it's wrong to take a job away from a human being

 

if they take away my self checkouts I will hunt you down. Anything that cuts human interaction is good.

[willhs14]

if they take away my self checkouts I will hunt you down. Anything that cuts human interaction is good.

 

LOL +1 i love self checkouts

[KSaw]

wow, the umpires in the Astros game just let the Astros change their pitcher without him facing a batter...this is probably the worst thing an ump has done this week in a week of f*** ups.

 

More to this one. Culbreth and the crew know the rules and it was argued immediately. Umpires will always get together on a rule issue and make sure that they don't lose a protest. Actually in the minors umpires are fired immediately if they lose a protest. Well, one exception-- Pam Postema blew a rule in AAA, even after the other members of her crew told her that she was wrong but she was the high profile female and kept her job.

 

Anyway, although the umpires would not comment post game and the league has told them not to on protests, this was an issue of the pitcher warning up becoming injured during his warm up. Ok, that's the simple answer. The rub is that umpires are told, "You are not doctors, even if a supposed injury is suspicious or seems like a convenient advantage, trust that the player is injured because they are highly paid athletes with careers on the line."

 

Sounds like the umpires were suckered/ forced into buying the injury excuse. I'll find out tomorrow for sure if I can.

Edited May 10, 2013 by KSaw
Spelling

[KSaw]

wow, the umpires in the Astros game just let the Astros change their pitcher without him facing a batter...this is probably the worst thing an ump has done this week in a week of f*** ups.

 

The calling the Pirates game due to rain without waiting 45 minutes was a bigger issue. Sure it was common sense and the rain wasnt stopping but just wait the required time by MLB rules guys.

[KevinGregg]

Actually in the minors umpires are fired immediately if they lose a protest.

 

Why? That seems harsh. What exactly does losing a protest consist of?

[GD]

if they take away my self checkouts I will hunt you down. Anything that cuts human interaction is good.

 

LOL, a fellow introvert?

[KSaw]

Why? That seems harsh. What exactly does losing a protest consist of?

 

Blowing a rule call and then having the game protested due to the incorrect ruling and having the game replayed or partially replayed or the result changed because the rules were messed up. It's inexcusable. Umpires need to know the rules. If they are really unsure, the can refer to a rule book in the umpire's room to get the rule right.

 

Example- 4th inning, no score, runners on 1st and 3rd, with no outs. Ground ball to short. He flips to 2nd to start an easy double play. The runner from 1st interferes with the throw to 1st. The umpire calls a double play due to the interference. This would be correct. The umpire allows the runner to score from 3rd because he would have scored anyway. This would be incorrect. The fielding team argues but the umpires stuck to their call and the fielding team protests the game.

 

Fast forward-- the fielding team loses the game. The league upholds the protest and the game has to be replayed from the point of the blown rule, with 2 outs and a runner on 3rd.

 

The umpire or umpires who blew the rule get fired because its inexcusable.

[Dylan]

wow just saw the call from angels game last night... lol embarassing

[GD]

and the game has to be replayed from the point of the blown rule, with 2 outs and a runner on 3rd.

 

Does this happen often?

[KSaw]

Does this happen often?

 

In pro baseball? Maybe once every 5 years. In the Majors, every decade and a half or so. It's really rare. No reason to blow a ruling.

 

1986 last protest upheld in MLB

Edited May 10, 2013 by KSaw
Added info.

[GD]

In pro baseball? Maybe once every 5 years. In the Majors, every decade and a half or so. It's really rare. No reason to blow a ruling.

 

1986 last protest upheld in MLB

 

Didn't the Blue Jays launch an official protest last year sometime? I think it was versus the Rays. Don't remember.

[KSaw]

I don't recall. Just want to say that I just read the updated story on the Angels game. No mention of an injury. And the Astros manager's understanding of the rules is hilarious. I just find it hard to believe that he talked Cubby into that with his bizarro logic. It all makes no sense. Too easy of a rule to get wrong.

[jb22]

Anyway, although the umpires would not comment post game and the league has told them not to on protests, this was an issue of the pitcher warning up becoming injured during his warm up. Ok, that's the simple answer.

 

Why post this like fact when it's clearly not what happened if you watched the game? Reminds me of the time you tried to tell everyone Rudy Gay actually tried to change his jersey with the league to "Thundercock", but then everyone outed you for pulling that from a gag site article.

 

oh ya here - http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ml-bluejays&tid=88673

Edited May 10, 2013 by jb22
added link to kirksaw talking out of his ass as usual

[Arkadium]

if they take away my self checkouts I will hunt you down. Anything that cuts human interaction is good.

 

Haahaa. Next is Hal 9000 in your living room!

[TheHurl]

Why? That seems harsh. What exactly does losing a protest consist of?

 

potentially replaying part of the game. Changing the result. I think there have only been 5 protested games upheld in history. The above mentioned rain delay, the pine tar incident and Jeff Leonard's odd at bat are three that I remember. The Leonard one they had to replay the 9th inning the next day

[KSaw]

Why post this like fact when it's clearly not what happened if you watched the game? Reminds me of the time you tried to tell everyone Rudy Gay actually tried to change his jersey with the league to "Thundercock", but then everyone outed you for pulling that from a gag site article.

 

oh ya here - http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ml-bluejays&tid=88673

 

You're being silly. I gave the only reason a pitcher could not face 1 hitter. Excuse me if I didn't for a second think a MLB umpire crew could blow such a simple rule. I posted further down in the thread as a follow up.

 

And btw, I never said Rudy Gay tried to change his name and you know that. I referenced an ill advised publicity stunt fundraiser he did with his favorite strip club. Quit beating a dead horse.

[jb22]

You're being silly. I gave the only reason a pitcher could not face 1 hitter. Excuse me if I didn't for a second think a MLB umpire crew could blow such a simple rule. I posted further down in the thread as a follow up.

 

And btw, I never said Rudy Gay tried to change his name and you know that. I referenced an ill advised publicity stunt fundraiser he did with his favorite strip club. Quit beating a dead horse.

 

It's not a dead horse when you continue to make s*** up on the daily

[TheHurl]

Resumed Protested Games

 

Most protests of games are not upheld. There are many reasons for this, with the most frequent two being:

 

1. The protest had an incorrect basis, such as a disagreement with an umpire's judgment, which cannot be protested.

 

2. The team lodging the protest won the game, so it was never formally filed.

 

There have been some games when the protest has been upheld, even when the umpires correctly enforced the rules. Perhaps the most famous case is the George Brett pine tar bat homer on 7/24/83. In that case, the umpires were following the existing rules to the letter when Brett's homer was negated and he was called out. However, AL President Lee MacPhail ruled that the penalty was not within the "spirit of the rules" and reversed the call. Brett was awarded the home run and the game was resumed from that point (with some interesting substitutions by Yankee manager Billy Martin).

 

When a protest is upheld, the game is supposed to be played from the point of the protested play as corrected. However, there have also been times when the protest has been upheld, but the game has not been resumed. One infamous example was the Cardinals at Dodgers game on 7/20/47 where both teams batted in the ninth, but neither made three outs! There is a brief description after the list of resumed protested games.

 

Jim Smith has provided a number of protested games that were picked up from the point of protest at a later date, and we have received others from helpful visitors to our web site. The list likely is not complete. Please let us know if you can add to it. The more recent ones have links to their boxscores and play-by-play descriptions.

 

Latest additions and changes:

(on 6/2/2010): 8/30/1913 Giants at Phillies restored due to research showing game was resumed

(on 12/28/2008): 6/5/1943, 6/12/1943, details for some other games

(on 3/25/2008): 8/30/1913 Giants at Phillies removed; protest was upheld, but game was never resumed

(on 2/14/2007): 8/21/1979

(on 10/16/2005): 8/1/1971

(on 10/11/2005): 5/15/1975

(on 12/17/2005): 8/17/1947

 

NL NY at Phi 30 Aug 1913 (game finished 2 Oct in New York) Details

NL Phi at NY 5 Jul 1920 (2nd) (game finished 4 Sep) Details

NL Cin at Pit 28 May 1921 (game finished 30 Jun) Details

NL StL at Chi 2 Jul 1934 (game finished 31 Jul) Details

NL Phi at StL 5 Jun 1943 (game finished 29 Jul) Details

NL Phi at NY 13 Jun 1943 (game finished 6 Aug) Details

NL Bro at Phi 17 Aug 1947 (2nd) (game finished 25 Sep) Details

NL Bro at Pit 25 Aug 1948 (game finished 21 Sep)

NL Cin at Mil 22 Sep 1954 (game finished 24 Sep)

NL StL at Phi 1 Aug 1971 (game finished 7 Sep)

NL Atl at Mon 15 May 1975 (game finished 20 Jul)

NL Hou at NY 21 Aug 1979 (game finished 22 Aug)

AL KC at NY 24 Jul 1983 (game finished 18 Aug)

NL StL at Pit 16 Jun 1986 (game finished 18 Jun)

July 20, 1947, St. Louis at Brooklyn: In the top of the ninth with the Cards ahead 2-0, Ron Northey hits a high fly deep to the wall in right center. The Dodgers CF Pete Reiser leaps but can't catch it, and after a couple of seconds the ball drops back on the field where RF Dixie Walker fields it, relays it to 2B Eddie Stanky, whose throw nails Northey at home. The first base umpire (there was a three man crew in those days) immediately ruled the ball in play, but the other base umpire signaled to Northey that it was a homer, so Northey slowed up. He was ruled out at the plate, and the Cards protested the game saying Northey had been deceived by the umpire and would have scored if he had not slowed down.

 

In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers scored three runs to win the game before the protest by a 3-2 score. NL President Ford Frick, who later became Commissioner, upheld the protest and awarded Northey a home run. However, he did not order the game resumed in the top of the ninth with the Cards ahead 3-0, which would have been the normal procedure called for by the rules. He allowed the Dodgers' runs to stand and ruled the game a 3-3 tie. (We can only speculate on what he would have decided if the Dodgers had hit a homer in the bottom of the ninth and scored four runs.) All the records counted except for the pitchers' win and loss. The game was replayed in its entirety as part of a doubleheader on August 18 that the Dodgers won.

 

Retrosheet's Dave Smith wrote an article about this game, which has more details, in the Society for American Baseball Research publication The Baseball Research Journal, Number 33, (2004).