Angels defeated by White Sox
This is probably the dumbest thing I have ever witnessed in Major League Baseball or, for that matter, in any game of baseball. Last night, the Angels had a lead of 1-0 all the way into the eighth inning when, in the ninth, the White Sox tied it up 1-1. Bottom of the ninth inning, Angles take the field. One out, two out....and then third out! They were headed to extra innings, or so they though.
The last pitch thrown is when Pierzynski swings and misses the low fast ball from the Angels pitcher, Kelvim Escobar. The home plate umpire undoubtedly calls the strike and the out with two, solid, articulate arm gestures when Pierzynski takes off towards first base. Meanwhile, the Angels catcher tosses the ball towards the mound and starts his jog towards the dug out. Apparently the ball hit the dirt and that is considered a "drop third strike." However, in all my years of watching and playing, I thought that if it was that close the home plate umpire had to call the drop strike. He can call the strike, but not the out.
Am I wrong?
The umpires and head coach of the Angels, Mike Scioscia, talked it over and without being able to sway them back to the home plate umpires original decision of an out, Pierzynski gets to stay safe at first base.
Long story short, a home run for the White Sox and they win the game.
Boo White Sox. I want the Angels to win this series.
(sorry, there are probably a ton of errors...I've got to get to class and I dont feel like re-reading this.)
P.s. The story can be found here at CNN.com. There are a ton of things I probably left out, but this was written to take up time before my test.
posted by SamanthaG @ 9:33 AM
6 Comments
6 Comments:
I place the blame firmly on the Angels catcher Josh Paul. Yes, the umpire made what looks like an out call, but Josh Paul was not facing the umpire and never could have seen it. The catcher must wait to hear the out call, or turn around and ask the umpire. Paul did neither of these, and instead ran to the dugout.
Whether the ball was dropped, or not caught before bouncing (either of which would require tagging the runner out or throwing to first for the force out) doesn't really matter. There are always going to be missed calls, it doesn't matter if the ball bounced or not, it matters whether the ump called the batter out. He didn't, and the astute Pierzynski ran to first.
The only argument I think you can make is that the other Angels players in the field saw the umpire do the out fist pump and started going to their dugout, and that this led Paul to believe the batter was out. However, Paul was already halfway to the dugout by the time the ump made the fist pump, and is even already in the process of tossing the ball to the mound.
It's pretty clear to me that Paul effed up, whether he caught the ball cleanly or not.
I guess thats true. It is the catchers responciblity to make sure that the batter is out.
Though, I thought that there were two arm gestures signaling the batter was out?
Regardless, I'm still upset!
These posts are so boring compared to the sordid, anonymous, cyber-affair. We want more action on that!
The first arm motion indicated strike 3, not technically an out.
Agreed. Though, if you watch the clips of the umpire- he called the out with the second hand guesture.
Oh well! Hopefully the Angels will win tonight!!!
The first arm motion indicated that the batter did not make contact, the second one indicated strike. At least that's what he did the rest of the game...
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