Was one of the calls in the Yankees/Angels game nullification?

[cjclong]

In the 4th inning last night Nick Swisher was on 2nd base. There was a pick off throw and he dived back to the base. On the replay it appeared he was tagged out by a foot. The umpire called him safe. Unless there was something we just couldn't see on the replay he was out. Later in the inning Swisher moved to 3rd. A fly ball was hit to center to Hunter. Swisher tagged up and beat the throw to the plate. The Angels appealed he left too early from third and the umpire at 3rd McCelland, called him out. The replay appeared to show clearly that Swisher had his foot on the base when Hunter caught the ball and did not leave too early. The replay also showed McCelland looking toward the outfield when the ball was caught and he did not appear to be looking at Swisher's foot. I had to wonder, since what appeared to be a blown call on the Swisher pick off was shown at the Stadium if the umpire, either consciously or subconsciouly was evening the out call that was not made on Swisher by calling him out on the appeal play. Any ideas?

[justbaseball]

yeap, that's for missing the call at second, but the tag of two players by the catcher at third , unless i'm missing something that was really a missed call. What's wrong with the umpiring in these game?

[earlywynnfan]

yeap, that's for missing the call at second, but the tag of two players by the catcher at third , unless i'm missing something that was really a missed call. What's wrong with the umpiring in these game?

Did you notice how Mclelland was in a terrible position to make the call on the double-tagout? He was blocked by the 3B, yet he never even moved! Someone at the head office needs to see that film.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmaill.com

[BULBUS]

Mclellend already saw the replay after the game and admitted his mistake. He said he thought Cano was on the bag. I'm just glad with a terrible call like that, Cano didn't score. No one likes bad calls changing the outcome of a game, even though it does happen. The umpires have been pretty bad in this series with bad calls going both ways.

[brianborsch]

Now I know that no one would ever do this in today's game, but it just struck me as: Why not? Cano clearly knew that he was tagged before touching the bag. Where is sportsmanship? Cano could have stepped in and said he was tagged out as well, or he could have just headed back to the dugout on his own. Instead he just stayed on the bag and "acted" like nothing happened. Since when was acting a part of the game?

A friend of mine was talking about deception for officiators in sports and how it is a welcome practice in sports. Why is that? For Basketball, 3 point shooters practice a drill where the shoot a 3 and after landing from the jumpshot, they fall and slide backwards on their butts. So many times refs have called fouls off of this practice when there was no contact or foul.

In Cano's case it was clear and he knew it. In the case of Swisher's run back to third, it was a faster play so from his position I would expect him to let the umps make that call (which they made incorrectly as well).

I know I know....if Cano did admit fault or gave in, his coach would have ripped him a new one. But why is dishonesty acceptable?

Any thoughts?

[CampWest]

Thats tricky. These types statements (be they your own or reporters/announcers) make the assumption that McClelland should have been looking at Swisher's foot in order to make the proper call. BUT, If he's looking at Swisher's foot, how can he determine when the catch is made? Do you look at the runner and when they leave look up to see if the catch has been made or do you look at the fielder until the catch is made then look at the runner? Personally, I think the third base ump should go from fielder to runner. I think he was looking in the right place. Ideally he should try to line-up in a fashion that he can see both the fielder and the runner (perhaps in the peripheral). Based on the photos and video I saw, McClelland looked properly positioned, he could determine when catch was made and Swisher appears to be in his line of sight.

Make up calls do happen. Its definitely possible. But bad calls also happen, so thats possible and maybe more likely in this case.

But for a little fun...
This was in the fourth inning and the bad call, assuming McClelland was not correcting the call at second, preceded the bad call in the fifth on the double tag out. Was ruling Cano safe in the double tag a possible make-up call for McClellands own bad call on the sac fly tag? Just something to think about...

The replay also showed McCelland looking toward the outfield when the ball was caught and he did not appear to be looking at Swisher's foot. I had to wonder, since what appeared to be a blown call on the Swisher pick off was shown at the Stadium if the umpire, either consciously or subconsciouly was evening the out call that was not made on Swisher by calling him out on the appeal play. Any ideas?

[David]

I've never gotten over the fact that umpires think it's acceptable for each umpire to have his own strike zone, whether or not it conforms to the written rules.

[BULBUS]

Since when was acting a part of the game?

A long time ago. Batters sometime fake being hit by a baseball, when it actually hit the knob of their bat. Cano wasnt the first to stay on base, there have been countless times when a runner has been called safe, knows he was out, and stayed on base. I guess though, its not as bad as it is in other sports like football where a kicker will fall down when he wasnt even touched, or a qb will fake being hit after a throw. Or a receiver will fake being interfered with and so on. And like you said about basketball, players are constantly faking being fouled as the chuck up the basketball. There are plenty of actors in hockey and soccer too. I guess its just part of the game, but I think its another form of cheating.

[CampWest]

As long as we're purporting possible phantom calls and umpire agendas...

Maybe the umpires were trying to keep the score close to keep TV ratings higher in the later innings of what was turning into a blow-out?

[cjclong]

I understand the argument about sportsmanship and whether a player who is called safe but was actually out should tell the umpire. The problem with this is it would likely become a one sided affair. If Cano had told the umpire he was out would Angel players later tell the umpire if they were called safe incorrectly. I rather doubt it. If a batter is called out for strike 3 on a pitch that is clearly outside the strike zone should the catcher tell the umpire. Players don't tell because they know that the other teams players won't and so all the bad calls would go against them. Bobby Richardson who played for the Yankees in the 1960's was a person of strong Christian beliefs who didn't smoke, drink or curse. He was once asked as a Christian what he would do if an umpire incorrectly called him safe or an oppsoing player out. Richardson said it was his position that it is up to the umpires to make the calls and he would not volunteer. He said if an umpire ever asked him he would not lie and would tell the truth, but of course they never do. I do think there is a difference betwen not volunteering and faking a play. This rasies a number of interesting questions about sportsmanship.