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Monday, May 19, 2008

N.Y. Daily News: Umpire admits he fouled up Carlos Delgado home run call

More emotional than “Then Came Heaven”...More soul-searching power than “Then Came Bronson”...it’s “Then Came a Derek Jeter Protest!”

In the end, the home run that wasn’t did not play an important role in the outcome of the Mets’ 11-2 rout of the Yankees.

But the blown call on a Carlos Delgado fourth-inning shot that bounced off the left field foul pole was still reverberating in the umpires’ clubhouse afterward, with home plate ump Bob Davidson giving a frank assessment of what turned out to be his incorrect ruling.

“I——ed it up. I’m the one who thought it was a——foul ball. I saw it on the replay. I’m the one who——ed it up so you can put that in your paper,” Davidson told reporters. “Bolts and nuts, I——ed up. You’ve just got to move on. No one feels worse about it than I do.”

With the Mets ahead 3-0 in the fourth, Delgado came to the plate with runners on and first and third. He sliced Chien-Ming Wang’s first pitch down the left-field line, the ball sailing toward the corner. It smacked the pole just below the yellow paint line where the paint changes to black. Mike Reilly, the third base umpire and crew chief, initially signaled home run as Delgado trotted around the bases.

Then came a Derek Jeter protest. The four umpires conferred on the field as Delgado was being congratulated at the plate by Moises Alou and Ryan Church.

Repoz Posted: May 19, 2008 at 11:02 AM | 31 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: mets, special topics, yankees

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1. Sparkles Peterson Posted: May 19, 2008 at 11:23 AM (#2785942)

Bob Davidson has fouled up an awful lot of calls. He's the reason people thought the WBC was fixed, because of two bad calls to the US's benefit, he robbed McGwire of a HR in '98, and he badly blew a play at the plate calling Yadier Molina out a few weeks back.

2. Dan Szymborski

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:05 PM (#2785944)

Derek Jeter, you ain't no Christy Mathewson.

3. IronChef Chris Wok Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:20 PM (#2785945)

He's the reason people thought the WBC was fixed, because of two bad calls to the US's benefit

I don't remembmer the second one, but Nishioka "apprently leaving the bag early" was the biggest joke ever.

4. Neil Kinnock...Lord Palmerston! (Orinoco) Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:33 PM (#2785949)

I recall the second one was exactly the same as Sunday night. Ball hit foulpole in the US-Mexico game ruled foul. I don't remember it was Davidson.

So if Delgado finishes his career with 499 homers, (unlikely at his current pace, I know) does he stay out of the hall because of this?

5. Bob Dernier Cri

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:47 PM (#2785956)

I was struck after the call by the way that certain words got stuck in Jon Miller's head. He kept referring to the baseball hitting "the top of the wall," when it obviously struck the pole; the lack of yellow paint on that part of the pole made it impossible for him to see it as a pole. Then both he and Joe Morgan kept freaking out about the way that the pole didn't sit right behind the foul stripe on the wall, although it actually does (the apparent discrepancy is due to the fact that the wall is angled; seen from home plate, the pole is aligned with the stripe, even though there's room for a seat between the stripe and the pole). Interesting how even upon repeated replays veteran announcers are confused; you can see how umpires getting to see something in a brief instant might be confused.

No excuse, though, for overruling the base umpire who got the closest look at the thing.

6. Sheer Tim Foli

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:54 PM (#2785962)

He kept referring to the baseball hitting "the top of the wall," when it obviously struck the pole; the lack of yellow paint on that part of the pole made it impossible for him to see it as a pole.

One of the angles did make it look like it bounced off the top of the wall and then ricocheted off the foul poll. Jon kept mentioning this and Joe kept ignoring him.

Then both he and Joe Morgan kept freaking out about the way that the pole didn't sit right behind the foul stripe on the wall, although it actually does

That was like one of those annoying conversations you are forced to listen to when trapped on an elevator or subway car. Anyone with any sense would have said "must be the funny camera angle" instead of assuming they had discovered a flaw in Yankee stadium that has eluded everyone else.

7. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:54 PM (#2785963)

Okay, go back and change the score to 13 to 2. We don't want this to traumatize anyone.

8. Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: May 19, 2008 at 12:59 PM (#2785966)

"Bolts and nuts"?

9. Joe Bivens, Idiot Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:04 PM (#2785970)

So if Delgado finishes his career with 499 homers, (unlikely at his current pace, I know) does he stay out of the hall because of this?

<Blank stare>

10. Smiling Joe Hesketh Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:06 PM (#2785972)

That was an awful sequence by the umps. Having the home plate ump incorrectly overrule the 3rd base ump's call was egregious. They could not have fukked that up any worse. I was pretty disgusted watching that go down.

11. Chris Needham Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:08 PM (#2785975)

The same thing happened a few years ago in a Nats/Braves game at RFK. At RFK, the pole wasn't snug to the wall, and someone (Brian Jordan?) hit the black part on the outside of the pole. Initially called a HR, Frank Robinson came out and argued, getting the call overturned. I don't remember, but it's probably safe to assume that Bobby Cox was ejected soon thereafter!

12. Freeballin' (Tales of Met Power) Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:09 PM (#2785977)

I'm not sure he "overruled" him exactly. It looked like the 3B ump really was not sure - he hesitated before signaling fair. At least 2 of the other umps then agreed that it was foul, and then they all agreed to change the call. It was bizarre.

13. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:14 PM (#2785981)

That foul poll at Yankee Stadium seems to attract trouble. There was a game--I think aganist the Expos--where someone on the Yankees hit a HR that went just into the fair side of the poll and over the LF wall. But the umpires blew the call because at the time the screen which comes off the foul poll didn't extend all the way to the bottom of the poll. (So as not to block the view of fans sitting there, I assume.)

Anyway, after much hullbaloo and ejections the game went on and the Yankees lost, so naturally the very next day they had the screen extended all the way down.

14. The Essex Snead Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:16 PM (#2785982)

Okay, go back and change the score to 13 to 2. We don't want this to traumatize anyone.

Oh, bitter Yankee fan, how we (AKA the rest of baseball) feel your pain.

15. spike Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:16 PM (#2785983)

For those of us who prefer NL ball, Balkin' Bob for many years has been hardly considered a paragon of sound judgement and humbleness.

16. CFiJ Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:21 PM (#2785991)

It was Davidson who ###### up the Mexico home run in the WBC. He obviously has foul pole issues. He's lucky he wasn't umpiring Game 6 of the 75 World Series. He might not have made it out of Fenway alive.

Personally, I don't buy this "What's done is done, let's move on," crap. What Davidson should be saying is "It happened. I'm going to think about why it happened and make efforts so that it doesn't happen again."

And before anyone mentions it, baseball does not need football-style instant replay.

...

It needs the same instant replay system as in sumo wrestling...

17. bunyon Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:37 PM (#2786011)

Not familiar with that system, CfiJ.

I wouldn't be opposed to a replay on foul pole HRs. It seems it will either be a foul ball or a HR. Either way, there is no continuation of the play.

Of course, if they built more sane walls and poles, this problem would mostly go away (not that it is a huge problem).

18. What Zupcic? Posted: May 19, 2008 at 01:40 PM (#2786013)

19. Rich Posted: May 19, 2008 at 03:22 PM (#2786117)

I would hope that this is a problem that the new Stadium will alleviate.

20. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: May 19, 2008 at 03:31 PM (#2786136)

I would hope that this is a problem that the new Stadium will alleviate.

Terrible umpiring? I think that's beyond the help of even the best ballparks.

21. Rich Posted: May 19, 2008 at 03:40 PM (#2786150)

Terrible umpiring? I think that's beyond the help of even the best ballparks.

Heh, OK, not everything, but perhaps the foul pole and the foul line that is painted on the OF fence will be more congruent.

22. Chip Posted: May 19, 2008 at 03:45 PM (#2786163)

I would hope that this is a problem that the new Stadium will alleviate.

Since they claim to be matching the dimensions exactly, does this mean they'll also be bringing the ###### up foul pole over?

23. Justin 'The Cespedobear' T Posted: May 19, 2008 at 03:47 PM (#2786167)

The most annoying part of the whole thing was how they decided to overturn the original call. They gathered in a little circle and all said what they thought it was. The first base umpire (Marquez) looked so sure it was foul (you could see him, without hesitation, mouthing 'foul!'). How would he have ANY idea? He had an awful angle.

With the gap between the wall and the foul pole, from his angle it probably looked considerably foul to the point that even if he were smart enough to account for his bad angle, he might still think it wasn't close.

The 3B ump was the biggest culprit. He should have had the best angle, and yet from his mannerisms during the huddle he was clearly just begging for someone else to tell him the call. Maybe if he had an opinion of his own it would have kept the other umpires from so merrily chiming in with their incorrect calls. As soon as Davidson walked up to the rest and gave his decisive foul opinion, you could see the 3B ump sigh in relief over not having to make up his own mind.

24. Roy Hobbs of WIFFLE Ball Posted: May 19, 2008 at 05:27 PM (#2786301)

But ... but ... Derek Jeter said it was foul!

25. Cowboy Popup Posted: May 19, 2008 at 05:35 PM (#2786313)

But ... but ... Derek Jeter said it was foul!

I'm adding those runs to his defensive numbers at the end of the season. So he'll only be...-22 or something.

26. Chris Dial Posted: May 19, 2008 at 05:38 PM (#2786318)

The first base umpire (Marquez) looked so sure it was foul (you could see him, without hesitation, mouthing 'foul!'). How would he have ANY idea? He had an awful angle.

I like that Davidson took the blame. I think it was the 3:1 vote that they went with, but Davidson said it was all his fault. It's good crew-chiefing.

27. Justin 'The Cespedobear' T Posted: May 19, 2008 at 06:21 PM (#2786370)

It was when Davidson showed up on the scene and gave his verdict that the whole thing immediately dispersed. Even if the others had the same opinion, his is the one that made the difference, and he did have the second best view of it. I think he is second the line of blame, and I wouldn't give him full credit for taking one on the chin. He deserves it.

28. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 19, 2008 at 11:54 PM (#2786726)

Damn - posted in wrong thread.

yeah the umps ###### it

29. Flynn Posted: May 20, 2008 at 12:02 AM (#2786740)

Bob Davidson has fouled up an awful lot of calls.

As spike said, don't forget the invisible balks he calls not infrequently..

I like that *someone* takes the balk rule seriously but I've seen several Balkin Bob calls where I had no idea what he was looking for.

30. Srul Itza Posted: May 20, 2008 at 12:53 AM (#2786852)

Anyone with any sense would have said "must be the funny camera angle" instead of assuming they had discovered a flaw in Yankee stadium that has eluded everyone else.

They did eventually correct themselves, when they showed the camera angle from home plate, along the foul line, to the foul pole.

31. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: May 20, 2008 at 01:04 AM (#2786872)

Anyone with any sense would have said "must be the funny camera angle" instead of assuming they had discovered a flaw in Yankee stadium that has eluded everyone else.

Well, it is a flaw in Yankee stadium that I can't say I was really aware of.

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Monday, May 19, 2008

N.Y. Daily News: Umpire admits he fouled up Carlos Delgado home run call

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