Lindsay

As the 2012 MLB postseason approaches, umpires prepare for a lengthy offseason—or for a postseason assignment and the bonuses that come with it: $15,000 for the Division Series, tie-breakers and Wild... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

HP Umpire Marvin Hudson ejected Blue Jays Manager John Farrell for arguing an interference call in the bottom of the 10th inning of the Twins-Blue Jays game. With one out and one on, Blue Jays batter... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

With one out and the bases loaded in the top of the 1st inning of Saturday's Nationals-Cardinals contest, Washington's Michael Morse hit a first pitch sinker from Kyle Lohse to deep right field and... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Writers sometimes like to "trick" their audience by crafting words in a certain way to suit a certain agenda. "quietly let go by MLB, not for their performance but for off-the-field personal issues" could just as easily refer to circumstances unrelated to baseball or umpiring (e.g., for Hunter, Harry's passing after Hunter's own alleged/unconfirmed injury) as to a Donaghy-type scheme that this specific author would like to have the reader deduce. MLB Umpires who have not had a plate job since the beginning of September include: Mike DiMuro (last plate: 8/12, NYY@TOR; high-profile missed call, Ejection 078: Mike DiMuro (2)) Ed Rapuno (Crew Chief; last plate: 5/30, PHI@NYM; officially out since 6/1 due to injury) Brian Runge (last plate: 8/30, CHI@BAL; vacation?) Tim Tschida (Crew Chief; last plate: 8/25, SD@AZ; vacation?) Hunter Wendelstedt (last plate: 6/8, TOR@ATL; rumored/unconfirmed injury [broken ankle]) Dreckman and Hirschbeck have been sidelined the entire 2012 season due to injury/illness.

Rumor Mill Madden: Three umpires "quietly let go" by MLB, chief to be brought back at MiLB level.Writers sometimes find creative ways to twist words to suit a motif. Read on for an... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Referee Dan Capron's crew (Big Ten Conference) ejected Illinois Fighting Illini safety Earnest Thomas III for helmet-to-helmet contact during a Penn State touchdown in the second quarter of the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Homer Bailey captured the 7th no-hitter of the 2012 MLB season on Friday, as called by home plate umpire Ed Hickox, tying the all-time record for no-nos in one season, which was set in 1990 and tied... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

The official who made that call, not to mention the call itself, was particularly scapegoated as all that was wrong with replacement officials. Still, of course, there is a lack of conclusive evidence to really confirm or refute it. The perception is that the two officials involved in the play made two separate calls, which is technically correct in mechanics—back judge motioning "timeout" while side judge gestured "touchdown," yet as far as the claims that there was a call of "interception," that is wrong. An interception would have resulted in a touchback and we don't see that call made at any time. Rather, BJ is signalling to the clock operator to stop the game clock (unaware that time has expired), though he is making no judgment on the play itself, meaning SJ's call of "touchdown" is the only possession consequence call being made. As far as the rules go, Defense can't have an interception here until he completes the three elements required of a catch (8-1-3): (1) secure control, (2) legal touch of ground, (3) maintain control ... throughout the process of contacting the ground (e.g., until natural momentum ceases; 8-1-3-1). By that virtue, we still don't have a catch as per SJ, W43's control was terminated or sole control never established during his process of contacting the ground while B81 had control at that instantaneous point of play. A simultaneous catch, on the other hand, specifies if a pass is caught simultaneously, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the offense. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control (8-1-3). The simultaneous catch rule addresses the issue of the control element required of a catch. Yet, per the definition above regarding a catch, W43 did not satisfy critereon 3 (maintain control) nor the going-to-ground provision due to B81 attempting to seize control of the football during the going-to-ground process and, in the official's mind, causing W43's control to end. If W43's control ended, he does not benefit from first control as in the scenario below: Case play A.R. 8.29 specifies the scenario wherein a pass is controlled in the air by the defense, only to be jointly controlled by the offense prior to landing; this is not simultaneous possession. The question regarding this play is when W43 gained control and if this control ever ended. SJ is on record as stating the play was simultaneous possession; if so, W43 did not gain control prior to B81 gaining joint control. *We know W43 was not deemed to have complete control, which means W43 never possessed the football as in Rule 3-2-7. *By rule regarding end zone play, B81's possession creates an immediate dead ball/touchdown situation, while W43's possession would not alone cause the ball to become dead.

Through Thursday, MLB has experienced five consecutive days with no ejections, the most recent occuring on Saturday, September 22 with Ejection 175: Ed Hickox (2), Robin Ventura's dismissal for... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

The NFL and the National Football Referees Association reached a deal Wednesday to end the summer-long lockout during which professional officials were replaced by those from the sub-Division I... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Down a score, NFL's Seattle Seahawks defeated the Green Bay Packers 14-12 thanks to a successful Hail Mary play at the end of regulation during Monday Night Football... or was it?The New York... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Too many moving parts for where U1 is set up, basically straightlined on that tag attempt and too close to see upper body & foot on base at the same time; was gambling on feet and missed out on the other part of the play.

HP Umpire Chris Segal ejected Israel catcher Charles Cutler for arguing a ball call in the top of the 10th inning of the Spain-Israel game. With none out and none on, Spain batter Engel Beltre took... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

HP Umpire Will Little ejected Germany Manager Gregory Frady for arguing a balk call in the top of the 8th inning of the Canada-Germany game. With one out and one on, Canada batter Jimmy Van Ostrand... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

1B Umpire Ed Hickox ejected White Sox Manager Robin Ventura for arguing a balk call in the bottom of the 4th inning of the White Sox-Angels game. With none out and two on, Angels batter Mike Trout... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

1B Umpire Tim Timmons ejected Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle for arguing an out (reversed) call in the top of the 2nd inning of the Pirates-Astros game. With one out and none on, Pirates batter Michael... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Hawk criticizing a player during a recent Joe West time play. First time for everything: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24853259&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_24853259&v=3

Padres at D-Backs....

With the MiLB season in the books, umpires and baseball turns to WBC, the World Baseball Classic.WBC Umpire Sean Barber (USA, IL).With baseball out of the Summer Olympic Games, the WBC is the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

Good to know Hawk's an equal opportunity pontificator.

Kershaw is known for placing hands together over his head before coming set down low, so it couldn't be that. The line about "This is got for us because ... he gets in Kershaw's head a little bit" was somewhat prophetic. If memory serves correctly, Kershaw gave up a home run on the next pitch or just a few after this call.

Ah, the old millimeter play. I have the innermost edge of the baseball, about 1.5 inches off the ground, over the outermost point of the foul line, but then again, our best angle for this play provides an obstructed view. If this play resulted in ejection, I'd have a QOC of "correct."

HP Umpire Bob Davidson ejected Mets left fielder Jordany Valdespin for arguing a strike three call in the bottom of the 9th inning of the Phillies-Mets game. With none out and none on, Valdespin took... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

A baserunner's interference call brought both managers out onto the field in San Francisco Tuesday night, creating the rare double-argument wherein both teams disputed the same play and call.With... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article

HP Umpire Jordan Baker ejected Mariners left fielder Michael Saunders for arguing a strike call in the bottom of the 10th inning of the Orioles-Mariners game. With two out and two on, Saunders took a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] View the full article