Tuesday, May 28, 2013

No! Hawk: Of Harrelson, Hernandez and the Snap-Back Cap

The infamous Hawk Harrelson and fabled umpire Angel Hernandez, combined with an Alex Rios double-play ball and a little snap-back hat magic, provided comic relief in Chicago this week—unless, of course, you are a
Conspiracy theory: Snap-back has mind of its own.
fan of the White Sox. In that case, you'd have to wait an inning.

As UEFL'er Jeff listed amongst a bevy of blown calls (coincidentally posted as a reply to the Dan Bellino 2-3 Ejections thread in which Bellino was credited with a correct call), Sox batter Rios chopped a grounder to short with the bases loaded and one out in the 10th inning of a tied 3-3 ballgame, the flip to second for out #1 before a return throw to first arrived just as Rios stepped on first base. Replays indicate Marlins first baseman Nick Green caught the throw scarcely after Rios' foot contacted the bag, the call appeared to have been in error.

Hawk's call, however, was entirely irrecusable (transcript below):
Uh-oh... Can't get him—Oh No! No! No!...No!...He is safe and another blown call by Hernandez.
It's better in video form (Video: Hawk can't believe ump's call on double play)
And for those Sox, it's all okay. The Laundry defeated the Fish in the 11th, walking off 4-3.