Umpires are human, too
I'm sure there are some Orioles fans who feel Chris Waters got squeezed by the home plate umpire in the first couple of innings tonight, and maybe he did, but I've never thrown in with the conspiracy theorists who think the good teams get all the calls.
It's frustrating to watch as a series of close pitches goes against your guy, but it shouldn't come as a complete surprise. I know that's hard to believe, but the guy behind the plate -- whoever it is on any given night -- is human just like you.
He wants to call every pitch right, but the borderline strikes often go to the pitchers who have built a certain level of credibility over the course of the game. When you throw 30-plus pitches in the first inning, as Chris Waters did tonight, you're probably not going to get the benefit of the doubt.
Sad but true.
The hitters also play a role in all this. No self-respecting umpire will admit it, but the veteran hitters who are known to have outstanding batting eyes are likely to get some close calls because -- basically -- they've achieved an additional level of credibility with their own knowledge of the strike zone. In other words, if it's close and one of those guys doesn't swing at it, it probably wasn't a strike.
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Comments
Since MLB is already going to get instant replay cameras installed in all the ballparks, it only makes sense to put electronic sensors around the plate and eliminate umpires altogether. That way there will be no conspiracies with called balls and strikes. Diebold, Inc. would be the perfect company for these sensors. MLB would never be the same.
Posted by: NCBirdfan | August 20, 2008 8:56 PM
I agree iwth NCBirdfan. Arguments about balls and strikes are tedious. Let's see players play baseball, not deal with capricious umpires and ambiguous strike zones.
The people who like the current system may be the same people who prefer listening to a game on a 1930s vacuum tube radio complete with traditional static and the odd screech.
These people may also be the same ones who like a traditional doctor who has a big X-ray machine in his office instead of one of those newfangeled CT scans.
Posted by: George | August 20, 2008 9:53 PM
Really liking your schmuckish blog, Pete. You write about some interesting things. I agree on this point for sure.
Posted by: Phil | August 20, 2008 11:12 PM
Speaking of being human. Did you see the ball girl last night? She picked up a fair ball hit down the third base line which caused an automatic double. It worked out in the end because Nick Markakas threw the guy out from right. I hope the organization gives her the benefit of the doubt and realizes that it was just an honest mistake because the fans sure didn't.
Posted by: Kevin from Baltimore | August 21, 2008 10:42 AM