Umpire Barksdale blows call at the plate

by jbox on Aug 8, 2009 11:32 PM PDT

This umpire crew has been terrible this series. Ted Leitner on XX Sports Radio was saying that this is the worst umpiring he's ever seen.

Barksdale seemed to have a perfect view of Everth Cabrera sliding his hand across the plate, but some how called him out. Bob Scanlan on the Channel 4 Postgame thinks the only explanation is that he was watching the Mets catcher and saw Cabrera lift his hand over the catcher's shin guard and thought he missed the plate.

Bud Black was later ejected for the third time this season.

Does this make you wish that Major League Baseball would use Instant Replay? Not me. I think they should put barcodes on the players gloves, shoes and pants and then put a barcode reader on home plate. Then when the player slides across, he is rung up like your groceries at the super market. Put an apron on the umpire and a magazine rack on the third base line to complete the look.

Poll

Does MLB need to use Instant Reply on more calls?

Yes, more instant replay!

102 votes

No, let umpires make mistakes!

61 votes

163 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

I'm probably influenced by the last two nights

But it seems like it’d be easy to add “plays at the plate” to “HR calls” on the replay list. The replays are usually pretty good since there are usually multiple cameras focused on the plate, and they are pretty important calls. It almost makes too much sense.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Aug 9, 2009 1:35 AM PDT reply actions

I'll back off saying that all plays at the plate should be reviewed

And I’ll narrow it down to “Did he touch home plate plays.” Those are rare enough to keep from slowing the game down, they are important and they are a case of the umpire just not seeing something as opposed to overruling an umpire’s judgement call (which is what I think the traditionalists want to respect).

I think the biggest issue with calls today is any case (like Gwynn play the other day and the Cabrera play) where the umpire simply didn’t see what he needed to see and guessed at the call. There needs to be a second pair of eyes on those plays. In the last decade the umps got better at asking other umpires what they saw, but sometimes that is not enough.

Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.

by Wonko on Aug 9, 2009 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions

No way on the barcode scanner

Many times I have had to re-scan my Marshmallow Fluff, Peanut Butter, or MD 20/20 to get it to ring up on those “You-scan” things. The bread usually scans pretty good.
RFID would definitely be the way to go.

"And now for something completely different"

by Boilermaker19 on Aug 9, 2009 7:13 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

that scan thing never works

I always end up having to call over and wait and wait and wait for some sour-faced assistant.

Plus anything light, like Eckstein…. “please place item in the batting area. please place item in the bating area.” …and so on.

"If the Padres lose (again) and no -one is watching, does it count in the standings?" ...anonymous confucious guy

by ABY on Aug 9, 2009 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 5 recs

I hope everyone realizes just how damn funny ABY is.

by Drama on Aug 9, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

I am so reccing the light batter comment

Freakig highlarious.

Chicks Dig a Low ERA Bullpen.

by eastbaysd on Aug 9, 2009 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions

players make mistakes and the game does not provide for do-overs or replays. It is the nature of the game.

by ignodan on Aug 9, 2009 9:48 AM PDT reply actions

Booing last night was fun

Just like last year’s Chargers vs Pats game when we booed the blown interception call

"I bleed powder blue." - Antonio Gates

by matthewverygood on Aug 9, 2009 10:26 AM PDT reply actions

Wasnt it fun booing?

Every time the ump called a strike on us.
Every time the ump called a ball on the Meats.

I havent booed that much in a long time.
If we lost by 1, it was gonna get REAL ugly.
But, we added more, YaY.

They kept replaying the play on the in-the-park TV screens. More booing.
I think Eck kept saying, “I promise you! I PROMISE you! He was safe.”
Eck never argues ANYTHING unless its legit.

Chicks Dig a Low ERA Bullpen.

by eastbaysd on Aug 9, 2009 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions