This is Ed Hickox (15)'s second ejection of 2012.
Ed Hickox now has 8 points in the UEFL (4 Previous + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 8).
Crew Chief Angel Hernandez now has 1 point in the UEFL's Crew Division (0 Previous + 1 Correct = 1).
UEFL Standings Update
This is the 175th ejection of 2012.
This is the 80th Manager ejection of 2012 and Robin Ventura's fourth ejection of 2012.
This is the White Sox's 9th ejection of 2012, 2nd in the AL Central (DET 12; CWS 9; CLE, KC 8; MIN 6).
This is Robin Ventura's first ejection since August 25 (Lance Barrett; QOC = Incorrect).
This is Ed Hickox's first ejection since August 22 (Manny Acta; QOC = Correct).
Wrap: Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 9/22/12
Video: Quintana called for balk, umpire Hickox ruling Konerko was not in position to make a play (LAA)
Audio: After balk call, Hawk rues Hickox's alleged second blown call of the night (After the Jump)
Listen to voicemails and prank calls at Audioo.
23 comments :
Steve Stone is such a sucker. At first he agreed with Hickox call and then when Hawk called it "BS" he all of the sudden agreed with Hawk. Hawk is absolutely brutal. After this play he announced the rest of the inning with a notable pissed off tone where he just sounded angry at everything. When are they going to eject him from the booth permanently. He is disgraceful to all the great Announcers out there.
So the pitcher kicks his leg to the plate AND the 1st baseman wasn't moving toward the bag when the pickoff started in fact was moving toward 2nd.. and there's a question of why there's a balk. Eddie is excellent at calming these situations and explaining them. I'd argue QUintana started his leg toward home even more then the 1st baseman not covering the bag... IMO pretty blatent balk!
here's an extended video of the balk and subsequent EJ
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25008499&c_id=mlb
I'll just say it... Usually in an ejection, MLB puts up video of the ejected team's broadcast, which, here should have been CSN/Chicago. But we get the Angels' feed with FSN West instead. Hmmmm......
I agree tmac, I can't really even see how this is borderline. Konerko was playing on the infield grass nowhere close to the base and only breaks once Quintana throws over and hits him on the run. Hawk said two things that are just flat out wrong and shows his lack of rules knowldedge and blind homerism. He said "you could never pick somebody off if this is a rule." uh, yes you can Hawk it's called the fielder covers the base or plays around it before the throw. He also said "well Konerko was playing in front of the runner so that is not a balk." Where did Hawk pull that one out of. Whether Konerko was in front or behind of Iannetta has no bearing. He has to be at or around first base and he wasn't even close. Easy call from Hickox and he let Ventura argue a lot longer than he should have, but Hickox is not one to eject often. It will be criminal if we don't see Ed in the playoffs this year IMO.
I also prefer this Angel Hernandez to the rodeo clown one he usually is. He stood near Hickox to make sure it didn't get out of hand but let him and Robin talk. That is how you do it. Jim Joyce has become the new rodeo clown and I have to say I don't like it, I like this and what Gerry Davis and Dale Scott do a lot better. I think you have to let the Coach or player talk and have the Umpire explain himself and then when it gets out of hand you rodeo clown. Jim Joyce handled Ozzie and Ventura completely wrong IMO.
The inning before, Harrelson went off on Hickox not calling an Angels base runner out of the baseline during a pickle. The baserunner drifted toward the infield grass before diving to avoid a tag attempt by Beckham, who had not attempted to tag the runner before the baserunner took a dive straight down to the ground. 3 feet from his baseline, which was only established when the tag attempt was made, which was when he was halfway down to the ground already! This was the first of the two "blown" calls as Hawk describes 'em.
You know what? All this season Hawk has wanted to be an umpire because he obviously can't stop talking about them (Wegner, Lance Barrett, Hickox). I say let him be one. Like players guilty of intolerant acts, he needs sensitivity training as well. I think that Hawk Harrelson should be mandated to participate in the 5 week professional umpire school offered next January in Florida. Let him see what it takes to call balls and strikes and how you should position yourself for certain plays. This includes the barrage of rules tests that might have prevented his erroneous outburst tonight. Because obviously, he just doesn't get it.
I wish every single team highlight of a team playing the White Sox used Chicago's feed. I absolutely love to hear Hawk get all pissed off.
Can anyone understand a word Hawk is saying at around 1:30 or is it just babble?
I think that even if the balk was clearly a correct call, so much so that Ventura didn't even argue, Hawk would make the viewer believe that Hickox got it wrong.
Someone needs to give hawk a good ass beating and then after he is laying on the ground all bloody throw a rule book at his face and walk away. Also his partner steve stone needs to grow a pair and stick up to what he thinks is right.
I agree this is a balk, but I have having trouble finding the exact rule...please help...I need to settle a debate...
Good Call by a Good Umpire!
I think Steve Stone new that Hickox made a good call here but was too scared to say that to Hawk. I wonder what the commentary would be if Dan Haren (Angels starter) was called for that same balk. They would probably compliment Ed on making a great call.
While Hickox may be technically correct on this balk, I will say that I think he took the sh!tty end of the stick by making this call. I'm going to venture to say that if Hickox does NOT call a balk, I highly doubt he gets a visit from the other manager. Sometimes, we draw undue attention to ourselves by making a call that noone in the park expects. Not saying that he made the wrong call or did the wrong thing here but sometimes, you can take a pass on making the unexpected call and save yourself a little bit of grief and possibly an EJ too.
So what you're saying is, if you're going to get grief or have to toss somebody for a call then don't make it, because only other officials will know the rule anyways? If he doesn't make the call here the Angels lose a baserunner. There is zero possible justification (except being gutless) for not making a call because you might catch some grief or have to toss somebody.
@Anon 5:12
This is one of the least sensical posts I've read in a while. Everyone knew (except apparently Robin Ventura) that was a balk - the first base coach immediately points. Mike S. gets run if this does not get called.
Eric put it very well in his post above.
Also, in the Angels commentary, does the color guy have any clue what is going on? It is obvious that this was not a set play. Konerko, just prior to seeing the ball come towards him, starts to get in his "ready" fielding position; he was not preparing himself for a throw.
Eric is exactly right. If you're too scared of making somebody mad about a call, then you should probably look for another hobby.
Sadly this happens much more than it should, especially at the high school level and below. I have watched umpires in district/state playoff games no-call things (INT, etc) multiple times and it was obvious they didn't want grief for it.
-Zac
Anon at 9:09
There is no separate rule but the wording is very important when you read that the pitcher must step and throw to the base (if he's throwing to 1st, otherwise he only needs a step). His throw did not go to 1st, therefore it's a balk.
Eric/Zak,
I knew I was going to get ridiculed for posting that but the point I was trying to make was like us passing on a borderline, no stop, balk. Sometimes, its so close that we just let it go. It has nothing to do with not having the balls to make the call but rather how technical we want to get with our calls.
Whether it was a planned play or not (maybe part of Konerko's "deek" was to pretend like he's getting in a ready stance) is very difficult to judge here. The rule states ..."and the first baseman is obviously not making an attempt at retiring the runner at first base." I think most people who watch the video would say that Konerko is making a play on the runner. Afterall, the throw was "near enough and toward the base" and Konerko was moving towards his left as he was catching the pick off attempt.
I guess what I'm saying is that I think Hickox probably picked a "booger" on this play and personally, I'm not balking that move. It has nothing to do with not wanting grief or having to dump someone... but rather me considering more the intent of the rule than the black & white of the law.
Why did the EJ take so long? I thought you couldn't come out to argue balks in MLB?
@Anon 5:12/2:13,
Your point is well taken, but the fact that Alfredo Griffin was already pointing means that this wasn't a "hyper-technical" call. In fact, it was blatantly obvious to anyone who knows baseball.
You're correct, I'd bet, in suggesting that the "average" fan might not know this rule off the top of his head, but at the MLB level (and actually, at any level above high school), we have to officiate above the level of Grand-pappy. There are technical aspects to the rules, and they MUST be adjudicated, especially at the sport's highest level. This is exactly the reason we have highly trained umpires (and not boobs like Hawk Harrelson) working the games.
@Anonymous 4:25
If you watch, Hickox actually beckoned Ventura onto the field for an explanation. However, once Ventura got the explanation, he needed to return. I think Hickox's patience had a great deal to do with the delay in ejecting.
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