Just when MLB umpiring can’t get any worse, tonight’s one game NL Wildcard playoff thriller was ruined by bad calls….Twice! The first time, the umpiring crew incorrectly ruled a homerun for the Rockies a double. Replays showed the ball taking a big, long bounce off a railing in the left center field bleachers. Then in the bottom of the 13th with the winning run on third in the form of Matt Holliday, a fly ball to right was caught by Brian Giles who delivered a one-hop throw to the plate. Padres catcher Michael Barrett missed the ball, but was successful in blocking the plate. After no call from the homeplate plate umpire Tim McLelland, Barrett picked up the ball and tagged a bleeding Holliday. Only then, after a delay, did McClelland make the safe call, ending the game sending the Rockies to the post season and the Padres into shock. Replays showed that Holliday never touched the plate and should have been called out. Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman gave up two doubles and a triple in blowing the save after the Padres took a 8-6 in the top of the 13th on a two-run homerun by Scott Hairston. But the story will be the call at the plate. While is was a difficult call to make, it was wrong, and with the ultimate at stake: a trip to the post season. There is no doubt that this single event will lead to many, many discussions on how to implement some sort of instant replay into baseball. Too many blown calls have tainted the games for fans, and this one play will sit near the top as the one that people will remember.
I disagree that the replays showed that he missed the plate. It is not clear at all, but it looks like he got the edge of home plate as he pushed the catcher’s leg with his left hand. The umpire certainly had a better angle than any of the camera angles that were offerred. Also the safe call was made BEFORE the catcher tagged the runner – were you even watching the game? You must be a Padres fan. Colorado earned it by having four out of four batters (not counting the intentional walk) put the ball in play against one of the great closers of all time. It isn’t tainted at all – Colorado deserved it.
Why, I wonder, were Tim Kirtian (sp), Orel Hershiser, Steve Phillips and just about every single ESPN analyst speculating about the need for some kind of replay in baseball? And if you are so sure he got a sliver of the plate, than why did the ump wait SO LONG to deliver the call? Could it be because he had 2-3 seconds to ponder the consequences of calling him out in front of 65,000 screaming fans?
In response to replayguy, that umpire made slow calls all game. He was making sure that the catcher did not still have the ball, and he was replaying the events in his mind, as umpires are taught to do. I think his hand got a piece of the plate as he slid and pushed the catcher’s leg away, but I concede that there is no replay that confirms it. There is also no replay that shows that he clearly missed home plate. Instant replay would not have settled this – the umpire’s angle was better than any of the available camera angles. Umpires are taught to delay the call to be certain. The most embarrassing turn of events for an umpire is to call someone out, and then have someone point to the ball on the ground. I don’t think the delay meant that he thought the runner missed the plate.
I don’t think Holiday touched the plate – but the bigger issue is that “replay” now has more and significant evidence that the time has come. Add some rules that address the comment that it adds too much time to the game. But plays like this one should not end up declaring a game and pennant winner in a situation as close and important as this one.