Umpiring in Astros series (and Prince Fielder confrontation)

[sgtcluels]

Am I the only one thinks that the appeal process is horribly broken and if Prince gets suspended he should man up and serve right away? Does anyone know of an appeal that actually worked instead of allowing the player to pick when they serve?

[whizkid]

It's my understanding that batters can argue balls and strikes. It happens all the time, you just can't say the magic words or go too far as with any argument. It's managers/coaches/players in the dugout or elsewhere on the field for whom ejection is automatic because they have no view of the strike zone. Rule 9.02 a) says you can't argue with any judgement call which we know happens all the time. The comment addresses who can't argue balls and strikes specifically without being immediately ejected.

 

 

Rule 9.02

(a) Any umpire's decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach or substitute shall object to any such judgment decisions.

Rule 9.02(a) Comment: Players leaving their position in the field or on base, or managers or coaches leaving the bench or coaches box, to argue on BALLS AND STRIKES will not be permitted. They should be warned if they start for the plate to protest the call. If they continue, they will be ejected from the game.

[naivin]

Am I the only one thinks that the appeal process is horribly broken and if Prince gets suspended he should man up and serve right away? Does anyone know of an appeal that actually worked instead of allowing the player to pick when they serve?

 

The appeals process is terrible, but that does not mean that Prince should "do the right thing" and not work the system the way everyone else does. Should a suspension come down, he/they should do whatever is best for the team. If that just means he takes a day or two off, so be it. If they can appeal and strategically drop that appeal, that's fine too. It is not Prince Fielder or the Milwaukee Brewers job to send a message to the rest of baseball about the appeals process.

[sgtcluels]

True naivin, but weren't we also the same ones complaining about the appeals process and D Lee and the Cubs? We can't say it's inappropriate in one case and do the same! When could the appeals process be addressed? When the players association contract expires?

[wally106]

i thought the ump had no right throwing prince out at the time he did. If he threw him out at all, it should have been when he was arguing. Prince was tossed when he already started walking back to the dugout. Did anyone else make out the words the prince was saying? I thought that I saw him say: "you spit in my face you MFer!"

[naivin]

I'm still complaining about the appeals process, but I would not complain about DLee or any other player taking full advantage of it, just as Prince should.

[Paul77]

Did anyone else make out the words the prince was saying? I thought that I saw him say: "you spit in my face you MFer!"

 

I thought it looked like he said "Thats two times you f'ed me, two **** times."

[JohnBriggs12]

"I thought the umpiring was bad--but not necessarily favoring one team"

 

 

That is normally true at least to some extent but two calls this weekend were exceptionally horrible and they favored the Astros. The called third strike to Hart on Saturday night was laughable it was so bad. Even the ESPN highlight guys mentioned it. Then yesterday Wally Bell was horrible. No surprise because Bell is among the worst ball/strike umps in the game (Doug Eddings is the other). He was giving Woody Williams a foot off the plate the whole game. But the pitch that cost the Brewers was what should have been a called third strike on Jason Lane that caught the inside corner easily. Bell is proof that it doesn't take any special skill to be a major league umpire. He's so lazy that he kneels on the ground for every pitch.

 

As for Prince, under no circumstances should an umpire ask a player "What did you say?" That is baiting a player by definition. If he thinks what he heard the first time deserves an ejection, fine, eject him. If he didn't hear it, let it go.

[Crew2323]

As a basketball official, it is drilled into us that we are not to be confrontational. We listen to what the player/coach says, and we keep our mouth shut. We are told to never talk back to players or coaches. Unfortunately, baseball umpires are either not taught that, or they refuse to abide by it. Clearly these umpires bait players into arguments. What player, who is visibly upset, is going to just walk away from an umpire who is walking toward him saying "What did you say?" It is clear that he is picking a fight. I'd grinds me to see basketball officials who are now beginning to take on the attitude of baseball umpires. Nothing EVER good comes from an official in any sport talking back to the players. The official clearly makes himself appear to be thin-skinned, and the player is usually T'd up or tossed.

 

20fry, Fielder did say "you made sweet love to me twice." as he was standing in the box. Then, after Bell baited Fielder into an ejection, Fielder said "Don't spit in my face mother lover!" That's what he was screaming in his face. In any event, the fact remains that Fielder, while walking toward the dugout, was baitied into further argument by an umpire who clearly became defensive after being questioned. Instead of letting it go, viewing the situation as a player just venting frustration, he instigated Fielder's ejection.

[Brian the Automator]

Am I the only one thinks that the appeal process is horribly broken and if Prince gets suspended he should man up and serve right away? Does anyone know of an appeal that actually worked instead of allowing the player to pick when they serve?

Depending on the length of the suspension (if it occurs), it's not uncommon for it to get knocked down a game or two. Generally, suspensions don't get completely erased.

 

[dadofandrew]

He'd be hurting the team greatly by not delaying it as long as possible, or at least until 9/1. At some point, he may well be able to take it during meaningless games in late September.

[fondybrewfan]

SOme guy on the JS Online forum says he has inside info from ESPN1510 that Prince was given a 3 game suspension. I might be wrong on the radio station #. Take it for what it is worth.