Selig made the right call

[NoVaJack]

More than any other sport, baseball is a game of overcoming your failures. We learned more about this kid, Galarraga, from his "mistakes happen" charity and the ump, with his obviously tortured remorse, than any line in a dusty record book.

[Nidaros]

Re: Selig made the right call

More than any other sport, baseball is a game of overcoming your failures. We learned more about this kid, Galarraga, from his "mistakes happen" charity and the ump, with his obviously tortured remorse, than any line in a dusty record book.

rep pts where given. I forgot to include my handle. I agree, we have some class guys playing MLB who come and go and play the game. Not all of them, not all have a Scandanavian twang to their speaking manner like Ryan Sandberg.

[bigticket1]

Re: Selig made the right call

More than any other sport, baseball is a game of overcoming your failures. We learned more about this kid, Galarraga, from his "mistakes happen" charity and the ump, with his obviously tortured remorse, than any line in a dusty record book.

That being said,it's time for Selig and the owners to jump out of the Dark Ages and get some type of instant replay system adopted.

[jackmd]

Re: Selig made the right call

More than any other sport, baseball is a game of overcoming your failures. We learned more about this kid, Galarraga, from his "mistakes happen" charity and the ump, with his obviously tortured remorse, than any line in a dusty record book.

I'm still trying to decide for sure but for now I'm inclined to agree. The call should not be reversed.

[CatchEmAll]

Re: Selig made the right call

rep pts where given. I forgot to include my handle. I agree, we have some class guys playing MLB who come and go and play the game. Not all of them, not all have a Scandanavian twang to their speaking manner like Ryan Sandberg.

Ryne Sandberg. Sorry, old time Cubs fan here. Had to point that out

I'm in the camp that mistakes happen and Selig made the right call as well. If that call was made in any other game there wouldn't be any press like what has been given. The fact that it was the 27th out in a perfect game magnifies the issues.

[jackmd]

Re: Selig made the right call

Ryne Sandberg. Sorry, old time Cubs fan here. Had to point that out

I'm in the camp that mistakes happen and Selig made the right call as well. If that call was made in any other game there wouldn't be any press like what has been given. The fact that it was the 27th out in a perfect game magnifies the issues.

Exactly. Let's say the call is made in the 3rd inning and the guy retires everyone else and only faces 28. Are we still discussing it the same way? I don't think so. Just can't make the exception here.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Selig made the right call

That being said,it's time for Selig and the owners to jump out of the Dark Ages and get some type of instant replay system adopted.

I disagree. The more you technocrize them, the less intereesting they get. Games are too long the way it is. Dealing with bad calls is part of baseball lore.

[JamesJacks]

Re: Selig made the right call

I disagree. The more you technocrize them, the less intereesting they get. Games are too long the way it is. Dealing with bad calls is part of baseball lore.

I am with NoVaJack on this one.

By allowing video to be a part of the game now will lead MLB to keep adding to it as the years go on. What's next, having video or a computer call balls and strikes?

Umpires behind the plate influence EVERY game more than one call at first base in one game ever will. So those roughly 230 calls an umpire makes behind the plate during a game do effect the outcome of the game, just like one call at first base. I like the human element of the game.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Selig made the right call

I don't know, everyone said that stopping the game to check the replay on homeruns would make the game so much longer and it hasn't. The replays are done pretty quickly and take no more time than many hitters waste re-re-re-re-strapping lord knows how many gloves and pads each time they are at the plate. Can they implement a system that dramatically changes the game? Sure, but would they? I don't think so.

But, Selig was correct in not changing the call because those are the rules the game was played under. Both sides went into it knowing the limited scope of replay, so it should stand.

Heard a lot of comments about how we wouldn't even know about this if it happened earlier in the game. I don't think it would have gotten near as much publicity if the last batter had gotten a base hit. What impressed me was how he kept his composure and got the 28th out right after he had just been robbed of a perfect game.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Selig made the right call

I am with NoVaJack on this one.

By allowing video to be a part of the game now will lead MLB to keep adding to it as the years go on. What's next, having video or a computer call balls and strikes?

Umpires behind the plate influence EVERY game more than one call at first base in one game ever will. So those roughly 230 calls an umpire makes behind the plate during a game do effect the outcome of the game, just like one call at first base. I like the human element of the game.

What he said.. Rep for the 230 decisions line. Darned good point.

[Kemo]

Re: Selig made the right call

So on the day of the perfect game debacle, I was umpiring a game in Sioux City, Iowa and I messed up a call in which, on a hit and run, I called a "caught" foul tip a foul ball, therefore, due to my error, I had to send the runner back to first base. I knew I screwed up as soon as I called it, but the rules state no one can advance on a dead ball (even if it was a mistake), so I had to bite the bullet and tell the coach that I screwed up and that's the reason his runner had to go back to first. The coach was obviously not stoked about my error, but there was no way it bothered him more than it did me, because like many umpires, I take pride in calling the game correctly.

Later that night Jim Joyce made the now "infamous" call at first and I couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. My call earlier in the day forced a runner to go back to first in a lopsided game (and the batter walked within the next couple of pitches, so theoretically my error was undone) and still felt bad about missing that call at the end of the game, so I can't imagine how Jim Joyce must have felt.

I have much respect for both Gallaraga and Jim Joyce after watching how both men handled the situation.

[bigticket1]

Re: Selig made the right call

I disagree. The more you technocrize them, the less intereesting they get. Games are too long the way it is. Dealing with bad calls is part of baseball lore.

So you're also probably against using replays in college basketball such as in the case when the Jack women beat the Gophers a few years ago ? Or in football to determine if a receiver came down in-bounds on a game winning touchdown pass ?

[SturgisJeff]

Re: Selig made the right call

They use replay in the NHL, that's the National Hockey League for you guys who refuse to recognize the great sport of hockey. A guy sits in a video room in the NHL main office in Toronto and watches an assigned game. After every goal, unless it is an obvious goal, they stop the game and he watches replays if there is a question about it. Even with the replays 8 out of 10 times he gets the call wrong, (especially when the Red Wings are involved) and it slows the game down. About five to ten minutes per call. When they should do a review they cant because of the way the rules were written.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Selig made the right call

So on the day of the perfect game debacle, I was umpiring a game in Sioux City, Iowa and I messed up a call in which, on a hit and run, I called a "caught" foul tip a foul ball, therefore, due to my error, I had to send the runner back to first base. I knew I screwed up as soon as I called it, but the rules state no one can advance on a dead ball (even if it was a mistake), so I had to bite the bullet and tell the coach that I screwed up and that's the reason his runner had to go back to first. The coach was obviously not stoked about my error, but there was no way it bothered him more than it did me, because like many umpires, I take pride in calling the game correctly.

Later that night Jim Joyce made the now "infamous" call at first and I couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. My call earlier in the day forced a runner to go back to first in a lopsided game (and the batter walked within the next couple of pitches, so theoretically my error was undone) and still felt bad about missing that call at the end of the game, so I can't imagine how Jim Joyce must have felt.

I have much respect for both Gallaraga and Jim Joyce after watching how both men handled the situation.

Rep points for being an ump.
Thankless job. Here in No. Va., they're begging for them You can pretty much name your tune for Legion and travel baseball and high school football.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Selig made the right call

So you're also probably against using replays in college basketball such as in the case when the Jack women beat the Gophers a few years ago ? Or in football to determine if a receiver came down in-bounds on a game winning touchdown pass ?

Yes. Baseball is sacrosanct, as far as I am concerned. I opposed the homerun replays; still do. How players (and umps) deal with error and failure is a central context and an essential part of the history of the game. Some of the classic moments of baseball (Brett pine tar, fan interference in the Cubs' playoff, etc.) involved judgment calls by umps that will be debated for the annals. Makes the game more complex and interesting.

I also think pro football replays have made the game almost totally unwatchable, especially in person. Would much rather see a spirited high school game with flawed refs than watch the back end of a pro zebra for minutes on end.

And actually, your invocation of the Jacks-Minnesota game undermines your argument: As I recall, the replay didn't really end the controversy, did it? Different crowds looked at the same image and came to different conclusions. Seems to me some U of M fans became more convinced they were hosed AFTER seeing the replay, or am I mis-remembring that? So instant replay is not panacea.

What if the human running the camera misses the shot? What happens then? All replay calls would not then be "equal."

The logical extension of more technology is to take umps out altogether. Put sensors in ball and glove and base and extend a laser frame around the batter's box to automatically call balls and strikes.
To make it a truly "pristine" game we should have robots pitch, hit and catch.

Precision is overrated.