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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

AP: Astros change yellow line in outfield

The Houston Astros removed a yellow board on an outfield wall on Tuesday that contributed to a botched home run call the night before.

Geovany Soto got an inside-the-park three-run homer in the fourth inning despite replays showing that it should have been an automatic home run. The ball bounced just to the right of the yellow line on the wall in left-center field.

“There was a yellow board that was facing us and it was kind of flopping in the breeze,” baseball executive Bob Watson said. “So we took the board out and we had them paint a yellow line on the inside wall facing the third base stands.”
...
“It’s just so there’s no confusion,” Watson said. “There’s no need that type of confusion at a big league ballpark.”
...
Asked if the new line was more forgiving, Watson explained.

“Not forgiving, but umpire-friendly,” he said. “He can make the call on the move. The guy that’s going to make that call is the guy at third base and he’s the one that’s on the move out there.”

NTNgod Posted: May 20, 2008 at 08:17 PM | 23 comment(s)
Related News: General, Houston

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1. too fat and ugly to play third Posted: May 20, 2008 at 08:27 PM (#2788451)

“There’s no need that type of confusion at a big league ballpark.”

Then why did they build the Astros field the way they did?

2. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: May 20, 2008 at 08:43 PM (#2788504)

Why'd they build most of the parks they've built since 1993?

3. Miss Remember Posted: May 20, 2008 at 08:49 PM (#2788514)

Only thing missing from the juice box is a ferris wheel in center field.

4. battlekow Posted: May 20, 2008 at 08:52 PM (#2788524)

Richie Sexson is still waiting for his triple off the flagpole to be rule a home run.

5. John DiFool2 Posted: May 20, 2008 at 09:32 PM (#2788663)

Hmm shouldn't it be the 2B umpire who makes that call?

6. mrams Posted: May 20, 2008 at 10:37 PM (#2788909)

is that still the longest triple in ML history? That was a bomb.

7. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: May 20, 2008 at 10:42 PM (#2788933)

The home run line in that part is farqin ridiculous.

8. Crispix Attacks Posted: May 20, 2008 at 10:45 PM (#2788943)

So the issue here is that they can't tell which side of a line the ball hit? I think tennis may have taken steps toward figuring out a solution to this conundrum.

9. Eric J Posted: May 20, 2008 at 10:49 PM (#2788956)

That would require instant replay, which would slow the game down. Much more than the current umpire conferences do.

10. Crispix Attacks Posted: May 20, 2008 at 10:51 PM (#2788964)

No, I mean there could be a sensor on the "home run" side of the line, if it's so darn important that there be a wall which is home run territory despite also being a wall. Or the wall could be painted such that you could look at it with binoculars and actually see the mark left by the ball. That wouldn't take any more time than an umpire conference.

11. Eric J Posted: May 20, 2008 at 10:55 PM (#2788978)

Ahh, the perils of trying to be sarcastic on the Internet...

I like the paint idea. That kind of thing could probably be used a lot more than it is now.

12. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: May 20, 2008 at 11:26 PM (#2789090)

The Houston Astros removed a yellow board on an outfield wall on Tuesday that contributed to a botched home run call the night before.

Geovany Soto got an inside-the-park three-run homer in the fourth inning despite replays showing that it should have been an automatic home run.

In the history of botched calls, this one's got to be pretty far down the significance list.

13. theboyqueen Posted: May 20, 2008 at 11:26 PM (#2789091)

Instead of all these idiotic lines why don't they just say any ball that goes over the fence is an automatic home run and any ball that does not is in play? I'm sorry, but if a stadium is designed such that home runs (of all things) are not obvious then the stadium is not fit for baseball.

14. csi: bedford falls Posted: May 20, 2008 at 11:43 PM (#2789116)

all hail the queen. beat me to it. yeah, if you can't make a homerun obvious in a park. Heque, even Wrigley has the basket, guess they knew what they were doing in 1914...

15. Justin T Posted: May 21, 2008 at 12:09 AM (#2789159)

Great, move the line to the other side of the vertical corner of that wall. But, any ump on the field should be able to just see the way the ball bounces, to center or to left, and know whether it's a home run. This isn't difficult.

16. Al Kaline Trio Posted: May 21, 2008 at 02:23 AM (#2789228)

Even at 10 years old playing home run derby in my driveway we had obvious rules.

17. Eamus Catuli Posted: May 21, 2008 at 03:16 AM (#2789236)

all hail the queen. beat me to it. yeah, if you can't make a homerun obvious in a park. Heque, even Wrigley has the basket, guess they knew what they were doing in 1914...

The basket at Wrigley came about 60 years after it was built, I think for a combination of keeping fans from throwing things on the field and clearing up confusion about home runs.

18. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: May 21, 2008 at 08:36 AM (#2789269)

I definitely want to hear from Sam H. on this.

Even at 10 years old playing home run derby in my driveway we had obvious rules.

And who ever heard of a bunch of 10-year-olds getting into an argument over rules?

19. Stevis Posted: May 21, 2008 at 09:02 AM (#2789279)

Hmm shouldn't it be the 2B umpire who makes that call?

Runners on base, U2 is inside the diamond and has no outfield responsibilities.

20. Hysterical & Useless Posted: May 21, 2008 at 02:33 PM (#2789600)

"Runners on base, U2 is inside the diamond and has no outfield responsibilities."

...because Bono's in Darfur...

21. Dewey, Local Boy and Hero Posted: May 21, 2008 at 02:39 PM (#2789606)

I remember Jason Lane picked up a homer in that area in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series. Replays showed that it hit the area that should have been in play, but the umpires called it a homer.

22. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: May 21, 2008 at 02:46 PM (#2789611)

I remember Jason Lane picked up a homer in that area in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series. Replays showed that it hit the area that should have been in play, but the umpires called it a homer.

Sox couldn't catch a break that year. 8-)

23. Charles S., enjoys the sparking period Posted: May 21, 2008 at 02:49 PM (#2789615)

In the history of botched calls, this one's got to be pretty far down the significance list.

The oddest part was that Cecil Cooper came out to argue the call. Why? Did he not want the Astros to be stuck with the humiliation of giving up an inside-the-parker to a catcher?

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

AP: Astros change yellow line in outfield

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