Umpires

[BamaSis]

Can we get some new faces in blue? This ogar looking fella behind the plate is just pitiful. Pak was safe IMO...I was sitting behind the plate...just my opinion though. Also Zac's homer looked pretty fair to me. Looked like it curved after going out. But I woulda took either call to go the other way gladly. Pak's out at home coulda ended a big inning. I may be naive but do we have any say in our umps...not to hand pick them but to maybe discard a few? 21 has seemed to make quite a few calls that seemed shady this year. Any opinions?

 

[38 Special]

BamaSis,
Each coach can blackball one umpire per season. I think we all agree that as long as Coach Wells has an ounce of breath in him, McGill will never umpire in Tuscaloosa again.
Tony Maners (homeplate last night) is one of the veterens. He did miss the call at the plate as Pac slid in under the tag. However, Zac's ball was foul. The problem I had with the call was that he didn't overrule it until Tanner argued for a couple of minutes.
The bottom line is while Brent pitched another great game, we again didn't provide any run support. Our hitting has left the building. This is the time of year where hitting should carry pitching as pitchers are exhausted. Instead, it seems that it's the other way around 2 out of 3 games every weekend. Pitching does not win games. Pitching gives you the opportunity to win games, but SCORING wins games. Five hits and one run will rarely get it done.


RTR
38

 

[BamaSis]

Thanks 38..how long exactly do umps have to overrule a call?

 

[38 Special]

Good question BamaSis. The general rule is that close calls usually stand because umpires do not like to step on each other's toes. They view it as them against the world, which is generally a good assessment. To answer your question...teams have until the next pitch is thrown to appeal. An umpire will not overrule a call after a pitch is thrown. On a call like the homerun last night, the homeplate umpire should have overruled it immediatelly as he is the head umpire. He did overrule when asked for help and ultimatelly, the right call was made.


RTR
38

 

[Bo]

We just got another TERRIBLE call. Should be 2-0. The 'questionable' calls cost us last night. Hopefully, this 'blatantly' wrong call won't hurt us. Tank is looking sharp so far. RTR

 

[BAMATRAML]

There were two pathetic calls from the first base umpire today on cosecutive pitches. The first one came on a check swing where the bat came over the plate so far that the home plate umpire should not have needed help, yet the first base ump called a ball. On the next pitch, the batter squared and pushed the bat at the ball running towards first on a bunt attempt, yet, the firsat base ump said that it was not an attempt and called it ball two. Later in the game he clearly missed a pick-off at first. Our umpiring in the SEC is an embarassment to college baseball as is the officiating in the other sports.

 

[38 Special]

Amen BamaTraml!