World Series umpires were at least consistent

Right up until the next-to-last pitch, Major League Baseball's umpiring crew for the World Series was consistent.

Consistently bad.

On baseball's biggest stage, bad calls followed bad calls, from a strike zone that was all over the map to a tag that was made but not seen between third and home, to the phantom swing that was registered on Tampa Bay Rays pinch-hitter Eric Hinske on the pitch before his Series-ending strikeout.

Take nothing away from the Philadelphia Phillies, who proved they were the superior team, but with technology that now shows us every umpiring mistake in slow, slower and slowest motion and from seemingly every conceivable angle, baseball needs to make certain that the men it trusts with the game's marquee event are up to the task. This crew was not.

Umpires are only human, of course, and mistakes will be made from time to time. But if I were calling the shots for MLB's umpires, one thing I'd make sure registered is that a good call is not based on style or how fast it's made. Getting the call right is all that matters.

Take that called strike to Hinske, for example. It was the very definition of a check swing. He did not go around. Yet the home plate umpire quickly rang up a strike, as if it wasn't even close. And the problem with that is, the batter, unlike a catcher who can take his appeal for a strike to a baseline umpire with a better angle, a batter who has been called for a swing by the plate umpire has no recourse. A baseline umpire isn't allowed to overturn a strike called by the plate umpire.

Once called a strike, the pitch is a strike. Just like once a call is blown, it's a bad call.

-- Mike Hiserman

Photo: Tampa Bay Rays Eric Hinske stands at home plate after making the last out as the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans erupt in victory in Game 5 of the World Series. Credit: Gary W. Green / Orlando Sentinel

Comments

[Todd Schroeder]

Mike I couldn't agree more, from the start that strike zone was just unimaginable. I am not a real fan of either team but enjoyed the match-up a lot. I think the umpires were bad for both sides but I think when you weigh the timing of and cost of particular calls, they decimated the Rays. I also don't want to take anything away from the Phillies who are our World Champs. I just would have enjoyed watching this series play out under good officiating, I think it had the potential to be one of the best and has turned out to be one of my least favorite series of all times and I'm 42 so I've seen a couple. I think we should never see any of this umpire crew EVER again. They should not be allowed to step foot on a field in any official capacity.

[Jason]

Some valid points here, but why mention in the 3rd paragraph the missed call on the tag between 3rd and home that allowed the Phillies to score ONE run? That was a non-factor in the Phil's 10-2 victory in Game 4.

FAR worse was the missed call on the tag at 1st in Game 3 (replays clearly showed the runner was out) which resulted in the Rays scoring TWO runs that inning, turning an easy 4-2 win for the Phillies into a tied game that they nearly lost thanks to the umpire's error.

Yes, the umpiring in this series was atrocious, but let's not cherry pick examples to make it sound like all the bad calls went against the Rays.

[Matt]

Agreed! 0-2 vs 1-1 is equivalent to talking away Hinske's at-bat because of a bad call by the umpire. I'm not even a Tampa Bay fan, just a fan of baseball. I'm ready for an electronic strike zone. And put an umpire in the video booth.

[andrew]

I completely agree. Not taking anything from the Phillies who I thought were a good clutch team and Pedro Felix should have been MVP IMHO because he killed the rays with solid hitting. The home ump was atrocious and it is almost as if he had something against the Rays. If Hinske went around on that check swing then why ump didn't call the same on Utley who absolutely swung around on check swing? again, I think Phillies were better team but it would be nice to see some credible or competent umps especially behind the plate. In these tight games, ump's calls on balls and strikes make big impact on the game.

[Thomas]

I agree with the above comments. The bad calls (mostly strike calls) hurt the Rays more than the Phillies as the majority of bad calls led to Philly runs. In game 3, pitches were being called strikes for the Phillies and the same pitches were not being called strikes for the Rays. In game 5, Kazmir was not getting the calls Hamels was getting. Also in game 5, two times (to the same batter) the tv strike zone showed the pitches were clearly strikes, but to no avail, they were called balls by the umpire. The mistates made in the field never cost the Phillies giving up a run but the ones made in the field did hurt the Rays because Runs were scored. To bad Evan and Carlos had to slump or this series would not have even been close, even with the bad calls by the umpires!

[andrew]

If you look at the first inning of the 5th game, Kazmir was getting mega squeezed on the strike zone by the ump and several close pitches to Victorino was called balls that led to Kazmir only option of putting it down the pipe for Victorino's easy hit that led to Phillies two early 2 run lead. That obviously changes the complexion of the game very early on. I don't know why in this day and age of electronic eyes, why a game obviously too fast for human eyes to call correctly isn't relying more on technology to get these calls right. Again, congrats to the phillies who I thought were the better team regardless. umps sucks though.

[Kevin]

I agree the upiring was bad but it was bad on both sides not just against Tampa. How about the Tampa runner called safe at first in Tampa in game 2 which eventually came around to score. And what about the Tampa batter called out on strikes and then allowed to take first with no explanation. My point is it went both ways and I agree it was bad on both sides. This is the premium event for MLB and they just have their best. This was an embarassment and disgraceful Selig needs to fix it!!

[jim]

The Rays were cheated out of nuetral umpiring and the proof is in the replays. Frankly I do not agree the Phillies are a superior team if balls and strikes are called consistently. Take jamie Moyer for example, a .500 picher, pitching a pivotal game. He consistently got unhittable pitches 2 to three inches low or outside the zone called strikes. He even tips his hat to the ump as he is leaving the game- how often have you seen that? Scott Kazmir threw four or five piches directly in the strike zone called balls and gives up a couple runs after being forced to groove piches.
Make note that three or four of the umps were from Pennsylvania and wanted the Philles to win. There should be an investigation for the integrity of the game.