As the 2013 AL and NL Championship Series get underway, we again open the umpire forum to discussion. Notes include home plate umpire performance according to pitch f/x and UEFL Rules 6-2-b-a (horizontal bound, "Kulpa Rule") and 6-2-b-b (vertical strike zone, "Miller Rule"). Plays include significant plays, if such plays occur. For future games, notes include home plate umpire probables. Call +/- also included/highlighted.
- 10/11, LAD@STL 1: HP Umpire Gerry Davis: pfx (148/156 Balls, 51/62 Strikes = 199/218 = 91.3%) +1 STL.
- 10/12, LAD@STL 2: HP Umpire Mark Carlson: pfx (81/87 Balls, 36/45 Strikes = 117/132 = <90.0%) +6 STL.
- 10/12, DET@BOS 1: HP Umpire Joe West: pfx (110/115 Balls, 46/52 Strikes = 156/167 = 93.4%) +1 BOS.
- 10/13, DET@BOS 2: HP Umpire Rob Drake: pfx (90/95 Balls, 36/42 Strikes = 126/137 = 92.0%) +2 BOS.
- 10/14, STL@LAD 3: HP Umpire Mike Everitt: pfx (80/84 Balls, 42/46 Strikes = 122/130 = 93.8%) +3 STL.
- 10/15, BOS@DET 3: HP Umpire Ron Kulpa: pfx (83/83 Balls, 40/46 Strikes = 123/129 = 95.3%) +4 BOS.
- 10/15, STL@LAD 4: HP Umpire Bruce Dreckman: pfx (102/108 B, 47/49 S = 149/157 = 94.9%) +4 STL.
- 10/16, STL@LAD 5: HP Umpire Ted Barrett: pfx (93/94 Balls, 50/53 Strikes = 143/147 = 97.3%) +1 STL.
- 10/16, BOS@DET 4: HP Umpire Alfonso Marquez: pfx (100/105 B, 46/54 S = 146/159 = 91.8%) +4 BOS.
- 10/17, BOS@DET 5: HP Umpire Dale Scott: pfx (111/113 Balls, 45/50 Strikes = 156/163 = 95.7%) +3 DET.
- 10/18, LAD@STL 6: HP Umpire Greg Gibson: pfx (100/107 B, 40/46 S = 140/153 = 91.5%) +5 STL.
Series Complete: NLCS Cardinals defeat Dodgers (4-2), net advantage St. Louis, +20 pitches (won series).
- 10/19, DET@BOS 6: HP Umpire Dan Iassogna: pfx (84/88 Balls, 48/53 Strikes = 132/141 = 93.6%) +4 BOS.
Series Complete: ALCS Red Sox defeat Tigers (4-2), net advantage Boston, +12 pitches (won series)
Plays
- LAD@STL, NLCS 1: HP Umpire Gerry Davis rules Ellis out at the plate on Beltran's throw for DP*
- LAD@STL, NLCS 1: 1B Umpire Mark Carlson in his first CS doubles up Jay on Puig's outfield DP
- LAD@STL, NLCS 1: RF Umpire Greg Gibson doesn't fall for the catch sell job, rules the trap in right
- LAD@STL, NLCS 2: 3B Umpire Ted Barrett rules Freese left timely on appeal after Jon Jay's sacrifice fly
- LAD@STL, NLCS 2: 1B Umpire Mike Everitt completes the double play on Matt Holliday's ground ball
- DET@BOS, ALCS 1: 1B Umpire Rob Drake finds Victor Martinez safe on backend of force out
- DET@BOS, ALCS 2: 1B Umpire Ron Kulpa rules no interference as fans do not reach onto field
- STL@LAD, NLCS 3: 2B Umpire Ted Barrett sees Ethier trap Molina's fly ball for a single
- STL@LAD, NLCS 3: 1B Umpire Bruce Dreckman rules Descalso beat the return throw from 2nd
- STL@LAD, NLCS 3: HP Umpire Mike Everitt calls Crawford safe ahead of Molina's tag on play at home plate
- STL@LAD, NLCS 4: 1B Umpire Ted Barrett rules Puig safe at first base ahead of Carpenter's throw
- STL@LAD, NLCS 4: 2B Umpire Greg Gibson calls Nick Punto out on pickoff to Kozma
- BOS@DET, ALCS 4: 1B Umpire Dale Scott punches out Dustin Pedroia on barehanded Miggy play
- BOS@DET, ALCS 4: 1B Umpire Dale Scott again bangs Pedroia on Miguel Cabrera groundout
- BOS@DET, ALCS 5: 1B Umpire Dan Iassogna captures the tail end of the Tigers' 4th inning double play
- BOS@DET, ALCS 5: 1B Umpire Dan Iassogna rules Iglesias out on razor thin margin sac bunt play
- BOS@DET, ALCS 5: 1B Umpire Dan Iassogna calls Pedroia safe on infield single ahead of throw
- BOS@DET, ALCS 5: 3B Umpire Rob Drake obstructs Pena's tag attempt on Middlebrooks
- LAD@STL, NLCS 6: 1B Umpire Gerry Davis calls Crawford safe on lead-off infield hit
- DET@BOS, ALCS 6: 1B Umpire Joe West calls Iglesias out at first base on second half of Pedroia's DP
*No, tag was not made. Yes, a collision occurred. As pointed out in Comments, this is an issue of a philosophical (bracing for impact; expected) vs. technical call. Pursuant to baseball & umpiring philosophy, the call of out is correct; technically, we have no tag. It is unknown whether replay in 2014 would reverse this call.
How can you say no tag was made. He ran right into the glove
ReplyDeleteIt's an incorrect call that I don't think can be called correctly. It's like the "play" is bigger than the actual tag. I don't think I want that kind of call reversed with expanded review...and I'm a Dodger fan.
ReplyDeleteThe Molina/Ellis play is the classic catcher/runner collision at home plate with no tag (the replay shows there was no tag, Ellis hit Molina's shoulder and bicep, but no touch of the ball or glove). We can quote Jaksa/Roder or Wendelstedt manuals, Evans or the other rule interpretations, but when it comes down to it, OBR has nothing about it in the actual rules - runner has to be retired via the tag - there's no way any umpire is getting interference here and F2 has the ball so no obstruction clearly. But still, it's a collision, no tag, runner falls on top of (touching) home plate and the catcher holds onto the baseball. By strict rule with no umpiring principles or baseball spirit of the game theories injected, runner is safe. But we all know the expected call is out because after a collision, F2 is not expected to make that tag, just hold onto the ball which he does.
ReplyDeleteLose/lose for an umpire. Either a technically incorrect call or a philosophically wrong one.
I have a tag on that play. That's a correct call all day, every day.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with everything you said.
ReplyDeletePlaying devil's advocate here....if replay is potentially going to reverse this play (if a manager asks for review), could replay possibly overturn the "neighborhood play", or a "ball beating runner by a mile but tag up high" and replay shows safe?? Technically upon video review they will see him as safe, and OBR can't stop them from reversing it unless they put something new in.
ReplyDeleteI would call this a tag.
ReplyDeleteIn the 10th inning of an LCS, the go-ahead runner gets called out at the plate, but doesn't flip out? Instead, he just gets up and walks towards the dugout? That tells me all I need to know.
ReplyDeleteThat's cause the runner understands the game, unlike those who think they know baseball because of the rulebook stuck up... you get the idea. I equally lament those who know baseball, but don't know the rules enough to make any sense of the more common strange occurrences of the game.
ReplyDeleteI see hand/wrist of runner contacting glove which has the ball held firmly within it. It's a tag and an out.
ReplyDeleteThis photo doesn't show that (it's a straight-lined view), and other angles from the broadcast are even clearer that Molina didn't tag Ellis. GD might have had a tag, or called the out on principal.
ReplyDeleteI think the right call was made. Maybe not the correct call as I can't definitively tell from angle whether a tag was or was not made. Just one note, that view that was posted in the comments is not a straight lined view. I think that term is was overused (and misused). I am sure I will get flamed for saying that, but whatever. Straight lined would be in the view was third base line extended and all you saw was catcher and runner and had no depth. While it doesn't necessarily show what we want to see, we definitely see depth in that picture.
ReplyDeleteCarlson and West put on a fine display of lousy pitch calling today. Bring back CB Bucknor!
ReplyDeleteOn the
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Bill Miller nailed his plate work in the NLDS.
ReplyDeleteMike Everitt had an interesting night behind the plate tonight. Either that or TBS needs to improve its K-zone thing. And I'm tired of the whole "neighborhood call" at second base. On one double play tonight, the shortstop stepped on the bag, then stepped two steps away from the bag to catch the ball and throw it back to first. That's AWFUL!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=10&day=14&year=2013&game=gid_2013_10_14_slnmlb_lanmlb_1/&prevDate=1014
ReplyDeleteThe "neighborhood call" you're referring to isn't typically given as an out. It appeared to be a combination of a wide throw and laziness that pulled him off the base.
Typically to get a neighborhood call you have to have a good throw.
Look closely at the fielder's choice by Descalso.....is it me or did the Dodgers get the neighborhood force...seems like the throw from 1B pulled the SS off the bag
ReplyDeleteYou're right, that was a shit call. I believe in giving the neighborhood play, but that wasn't it. He was way off the bag, and made no attempt to come back. Barrett kicked that one for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhy is there no way the umpire is getting interference. If you are demanding that the tag be made in this situation (per the rule books) are we sure that it's not interference to target the glove arm and knock the glove away. Remember the Alex Rodriguez play at first base in Game 6 of the 2004 WS? He was called out for targetting Arroyos glove arm and knocking the ball loose. If you are forcing umpires to call it by the book, rather by established tradition, are you sure that they couldn't go the same way on this play?
ReplyDeleteYou'd have to call it that way whether the catcher holds onto the ball or not.
ReplyDeleteHere's a video you can add to the list above. It's a "neighborhood play" call by U2 Dan Iassogna in yesterday's BOS/DET game:
ReplyDeletehttp://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=31152753
Forgive me, I didn't watch theuch of the Bos/Det game, but wasn't the plate umpire Alphonso Marquez?
ReplyDeleteSeems like thats the 2nd "neighborhood call" thats been given in the playoffs (Descalos FC in NLCS game 3)
ReplyDeleteMaybe this play will be reviewd - not holding my breath as it will probably result in an incorrect call....
ReplyDeleteNow that there will definitely be a game 6 in each LCS, anyone want to venture a guess as to how Greg Gibson & Dan Iassogna get the plate for a game 6 over the other CC on each respective crew?
ReplyDeleteWow, over 97% for the boxer!
ReplyDeleteSo the Official Scorer should have that as Rob Drake is out 5-3-2 with an assist to F3.
ReplyDeleteCouple of thoughts cross my mind...
ReplyDeleteThe first is that with three bodies coming together, it's lucky that someone didn't blow out a knee getting tangled up.
The second is that since Middlebrooks didn't score, a really bizarre play fortunately didn't affect the outcome of the game (imagine what the reaction would have been if he'd later scored, and Detroit scored to make it 5-4. People would be calling for Drake's head on a pike for blocking an "obvious" tag)
Saint Louis is up +15 in pitches judged incorrect.... Frankly this is where catching difference kicks in..... Remember back to when Jerry Layne was +8 st L. in the world series..... It's time to start giving credit to Molina as one of the best receiving catchers of this generation. He seems to get just about every borderline call.
ReplyDeletePaul Emmel will be working the world series
ReplyDelete1.) How do you know this?
ReplyDelete2.) Do you know any other names?
don't have any other names and all I can say is that I just know this. Unfortunately that doesn't really help much I know, but I know. I have normally not posted that kind of information and so really hoping this doesn't blow up in my face, but am like 99.9% sure that he'll be working.
ReplyDeleteI think it has something to do with the fact that both crew chiefs are in the outfield in Game 2. They would rather have one in the infield at all times.
ReplyDeleteDouble digit pitch advantage to one team over the other... wow. I think at that point, it has to be a combination of catching AND poor umpiring. Save for Gerry Davis & Ted Barrett (the two crew chiefs), EVERY NLCS game was at least +3 for the Cardinals, even Davis and Barretts both had +1 for St Louis.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised if we find out that the umpires either subliminally or dare I say intentionally called pitches in the Cards' favor as payback for Puig and Ramirez taking called third strikes and arguing those calls.
According to media outlets, the NLCS crew had major issues with Puig during the series. After seeing the +20 the cardinals were I can see that Puig and the Dodgers had a reason to be upset .....
ReplyDeleteWow. If that's really true that the umpires had big issues with Puig and the Dodgers, that +20 number looks really bad for MLB umpiring. It makes it look like bias, as in the umpires were out to screw Puig's Dodgers by doling out a few F-U calls over the course of the series. I know we saw Kershaw get completely screwed by not one but two called balls on pitches over the heart of home plate and in the strike zone during just one AB. Oh yeah, that two ball count ended up being a double, not to mention a subsequent ball call on a two-out, two-strike pitch at the bottom of the strike zone that extended the inning leading to some runs.
ReplyDeleteUmpiring is not to blame for the series result, especially not Game 6, but +20 is an absolutely atrocious figure, especially if the reports about the umpires having problems with the Dodgers are true. Makes it seem the series was fixed.
Numbers show that outside the crew chiefs Davis and Barrett, that NLCS umpiring crew was an absolute disaster. I'd say they let the home crowd influence calls, but every game being in St Louis's favor? Yikes.
ReplyDeleteThe 3-2 pitch to Adams was down. That wasn't a missed call at all.
ReplyDeleteMolina definitely stuck the close pitches better than Ellis. You could see Ellis yanking the 3-2 pitch to Adams up.
The umpires had problems with the Dodgers because they are managed by Don Mattingly. The players are just following his lead.
ReplyDeleteThe umpiring in the post season has been excellent. Umpires never make a call against a team because players argue a call. This the first time on this site the umpires integrity has been questioned and I don't like it.
ReplyDeletehttp://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20131018&content_id=63112940¬ebook_id=63119602&vkey=notebook_la&c_id=la
ReplyDeleteHere's the story. MLB sent notice to the. Dodgers prior to last night's game that the crew wouldn't tolerate Puig any longer. Joe Torre and Stan Kasten were in a heated discussion on the field during batting practice. Puig is a punk and I can't stand the Dodgers so this couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch, but I'd like to think the +20 on ball/strike calls was mostly Molina and not the umpires paying back the Dodgers.
Are there any video's of this stuff. I also heard something went on before the first pitch with 1 dodger and 1 cardinal player refusing to enter the dugout. I didn't watch much of the series but from what I heard if it was the regular season a lot of dodgers and red sox would of been ejected in there respective series?
ReplyDeleteIts because they want the crew chiefs to have the plate if there is a game 7.
ReplyDeleteWhy Don Mattingly? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteYou are entitled to your own opinions, But not your own facts....
ReplyDeleteDan Iassongna did not have a good game last night In Boston. Max Sherzer should have been irate with him as he got pulled after "walking" Xander Boegarts in the 7th. The 1-2 pitch was "there". He was inconsistent with the bottom of the strike zone. Very unfortunate.
ReplyDeleteTruth, what part of my statement was factually incorrect?
ReplyDeleteworld series predictions anyone?? i've got: demeuth, welke, joyce, miller, emmel, wegner as my guesses
ReplyDeleteMy adjusted prediction is:
ReplyDeleteDana Demuth (CC)
Chris Guccione
Bill Miller
Paul Emmel
John Hirschbeck
Tim Welke