Comments on: Angels protest of Friday night’s game denied

By: danfrommv

danfrommv — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 07:07:00 +0000

Missed call after missed call after missed call. They need to GREATLY EXPAND reply in MLB. They need to automate balls and strikes calls. Umpires are useless

By: crackersnap

crackersnap — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 23:41:56 +0000

He was protesting that what the umps saw, and agreed to, caused Iannetta to throw wide. The umps did agree that, in their judgement, Konerko was running inside the base line and could have been called for interference. The reason they decided that it was not interference was because Iannetta’s throw was wide. Scioscia was claiming that the reason it was wide was BECAUSE of the interference. And, if you watch Iannetta you will see a slight hesitation, so he has a point.

But, yeah, Iannetta’s mistake was not drilling Konerko in the back. Konerko knew exactly what he was doing. (Does anybody recall the May 2011 game between the Angels and White Sox where Pierzynski and Konerko had primed the umps to call Bourjos for interference on a much less egregious route? There is some history here.)

Iannetta was not ever going to be rewarded for being a nice guy and trying to work around Konerko. And it’s ludicrous to hope that the umps – or, more unbelievably, the Front Office – was going to help the Angels’ cause there. Take matters into your own hands and force the issue. You have to make things overwhelmingly obvious for these guys and even then it’s a crapshoot (Napoli tagging out Posada and Cano right in front of Tim McClelland in the 2009 ALCS, anyone??)

By: notsofast10

notsofast10 — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:21:52 +0000

Absolutely! Scioscia protested a judgement call , he should no better than that! Protests will only be upheld if the umpires botch a rule!

By: blackandbluedivision

blackandbluedivision — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:14:20 +0000

I find this post to be offensive and from here on out I am commenting under protest!

Maaaan, get the **** out of here.

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:58:42 +0000

They aren’t automatically out, but hitting the runner in the back with a ball while he’s clearly running inside in order to obstruct a throw does tend to call the attention of the umps, and generally results in the runner being out due to said obstruction. So I think it’s a good tactic. If the umps are going to game the system (as they do with strike/non-strike calls, not touching 2nd base on a double play, etc), the teams should respond in kind.

By: icanspeel

icanspeel — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:45:22 +0000

Next time they should just throw the ball straight and if the runner is in the way.. they are out if they are on the grass and get hit. Not ideal, but it is the rule.

By: hisgirlgotburrelled

hisgirlgotburrelled — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:35:35 +0000

I’m not really sure what he’s protesting, really. Protests are for when an umpire incorrectly applies rules, not for missed calls. Then again, in the George Brett pine tar game the rule was applied correctly, just not “in the spirit” of the rule.

Google says last time one was upheld was 1986. Last year I thought the Phillies had a real chance to break the streak of denied protests in a game where the umps used instant replay on a ball that was not a HR and ended up calling the batter out on fan interference.

By: mybrunoblog

mybrunoblog — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:04:48 +0000

Protesting a MLB game is like trying to stop the ocean with your fists.
An exercise in futility.

By: crisisjunky

crisisjunky — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:00:58 +0000

MLB Tonight had a deal on this the other night, Ripken rightly suggesting to simply eliminate the wite line, and set te base exactly the 15 inches from the foul line.
Either way, I personally would just like to see the explosion.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Bud would declare the game a tie, make it for “real” the next time, and move one of the teams to the National League.

By: darthicarus

darthicarus — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:33:49 +0000

Just once I would like Joe Torre (MLB) to approve the protest just to see Bud Selig’s head explode trying to figure out what to do next.