Monday, July 13, 2009

Called Strikes On Checked Swings

What is going on with baseball umps?

They are calling strikes on checked swings. I don't mean checked swings that went around. I mean a twitch, not even close to a real strike.

Both the home plate umps, and the 1st/3rd umps, are calling strikes that are clearly balls. It must be a policy.

I am not complaining in a partisan way; the Cards seem to benefit as often as they are harmed. What I mean is, the umps are calling it both ways.

But those are not strikes. What's happening here?

I am not the only one who has noticed, I should point out. Here, and here. Oh, and here.

Another example, perhaps the clearest I have found:

Umpire Jim Wolf who called the balls and strikes in yesterdays game for the Mets pitchers, and just the strikes for the Yankees’ A.J. Burnett, should be investigated for betting on baseball. Only someone who had money on the Yankees would have given Burnett those strike calls. The first and third base coaches must have been in on the fix too, as the checked swing strikes weren’t even close.

Sure, that guy is a Mets fan, and so not really to be trusted. But....c'mon.

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