It’s the playoffs, and everyone needs to step it up, including the umpires. Subjectivity is part of the game, but this year’s postseason has been riddled by an obscene amount of unforgivably bad calls. The proper teams advanced to the League Championship Series, so any prior mistakes are now all but forgotten. However, recent blunders are scarring a tight competition between the Yankees and Angels, thereby affecting their chances at facing the Phillies in the World Series. As a result, MLB will have their veteran umpires call the games.
Longtime crew chiefs Joe West, Dana DeMuth and Gerry Davis, along with Brian Gorman, Jeff Nelson and Mike Everitt will handle the games, three people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press this week.
In each of the last two years, there were three new umps working the World Series.
CB Bucknor was in line to work the World Series for the first time this year. But he missed two calls in Game 1 of the division series between the Red Sox and Angels, damaging his chance to get picked, one of the three people said.
Umpiring mistakes caused anxious moments for MLB in the first two rounds: Phil Cuzzi’s foul call on a drive by Joe Mauer that was fair by a foot, Jerry Meals’ error on a ball that bounced off Chase Utley’s leg, Dale Scott’s miss on a pickoff and Tim McClelland’s call on a tag play, among others.
Scott missed again Thursday night in Game 5 of the AL championship series, ruling New York’s Johnny Damon out after he clearly beat Angels first baseman Kendry Morales’ toss to pitcher John Lackey.
This year, instant replay on home run calls didn’t cause too much of a stir during competition. It was rarely used, and when umpires actually had to review a play, they were very efficient. Still, I don’t think one postseason is enough to enact a full-on video surveillance of the game. Unlike other sports, baseball games can go on for ages, given the extra innings. Sometimes, even the most loyal sports fan just needs to go home.
While I appreciate the angles Fox gives viewers during a game, it’s almost bittersweet. While an umpire’s subjectivity still reigns supreme, Fox supplies damning evidence. Imagine if one call a cost a team the World Series, and the video proved the umpire was incorrect. That umpire would have to live with that for the rest of his life. I know, I know — then the game would be completely fair.
Still, baseball is the one American sport that hasn’t advance with the technology of the times. The game was designed for error and I appreciate the utter humanism involved. I’m sure instant replay will gradually envelope the game, but I hope this doesn’t happen in a single instant.
As for this postseason’s umpires, they’ve been terrible. Bring in the old guys.
