Re: Pitcher Loses Perfect Game: Selig Won't Overturn

**RYou** · 06-04-2010, 04:29 PM

Okay, so it was McPhail that made the announcement.

Now we all know that in any organization, such decision reversals are not made with the approval of the superior. So while McPhail gets the credit in the news, in fact, it was the Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, that made the decision.

**WhippetGrappler** · 06-04-2010, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Spider

George Brett's pine tar homer was a rule interpretation. Galarraga's third out was a judgement call. It would not be appropriate to overturn a judgement call, erroneous as it was, because this precedent would generate an unmanageable amount of appeals. I would favor an instant replay rule similar to that in football, but each team would get a certain number of replay appeals with no penalty if the finding is not in their favor.

I agree. 2 or 3 appeals per game.

**ODH** · 06-05-2010, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by M Richardson

... Television replay slows the game down...

there doesn't need to be anything else to slow down baseball. Lately I have found pro ball unwatchable becasue of how long the gams take. Een when I used to be a fan and go to games I often thought that seven innings would be a better length for games.

**quinn14** · 06-05-2010, 03:35 PM

Not to beat this to death, but last night's Reds game was a perfect example of what should have happened. I tried to find a video link but couldn't. Anyway, a Nationals runner was sliding into third and Scott Rolen was putting on the tag. Dude's foot slid off the base with the tag still on. Third base umpire called him safe and said Rolen pushed it off base. The rest of the umpiring crew convined and over ruled the third base ump and called the runner out. They even threw the Nationals' player out of the game for arguing. Here's the only thing I could find on it.

Willie Harris followed with a fly ball to center. Bernadina scored easily. But Stubbs’ throw hit the mound and bounded behind the plate. Pitcher Enerio Del Rosario fielded it and threw to third. Desmond was safe.

After consulting, the umps ruled Desmond overslid the bag. Desmond was ejected for arguing the call. Both runs were unearned.

Maybe the umps could have done the same thing in this game.

**M Richardson** · 06-06-2010, 12:57 AM

On any call (other than balls and strikes) an umpire MAY ask for what another umpire saw. He can then change HIS call, based on someone seeing something that he didn't (usually because the assisting umpire had a different angle). The other umpires do not overrule him.
Where this often happens, and usually looks as if the plate umpire is being overruled, is on checked swings. The umpire can, on his own, ask for help. Or the catcher can ask the umpire to check with the appropriate base umpire. (The plate umpire doesn't have to give this to the catcher, but there really isn't any reason not to.) The base umpire usually makes an out or safe gesture to indicate swing or not. Since the home plate umpire has asked for the assistance of someone who (supposedly) had a better view, he takes the call as given. But in actuality, it is HIS call - not the base umpires.
In Galarraga's case, it is pretty unlikely that any other umpire would have a better view of the "bang-bang" play at the bag. Slow-motion instant-replay, maybe - but then we are back to really slowing down an already too-long event.

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