Fired Up: MLB Playoffs

Rockies/Padres one game playoff to determine the National League Wildcard winner. The game goes to extra innings, and then home plate umpire Tim McClelland screws up the game-winning call.



First, the delay itself was the call. An ump delaying that call at the plate means the play isn't over, it means the runner hasn't touched the plate safely, and the fielder hasn't tagged out the runner. The no-call is itself a call. Four seconds. That's how long it took to make that call. What the hell was going through his mind during those four seconds? "Hoffman is undoubtedly going to blow this game, because there's no way he's getting pulled, and the Rockies are smashing the ball, and we're in extras already, and I'm not working the playoffs, we might as well get out of here now...ok, Safe."

COME ON!

Check the footage! Every close play at the plate! Every one! The umps practically jump up and down screaming "SAFE!" or "OUT!!" and when they don't, it's because the play isn't over!

This isn't about debating instant replay for home runs vs. ground rule doubles (which we've seen the umps get right after conferences, ahem, Bellhorn), it's about a BAD CALL, a WRONG CALL.

This isn't about ump's not being able to see a ball land fair or foul thirty yards away from them at a bad angle along the outfield warning track, this is about a play-at-the-plate, HE WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF THE PLAY.

Maybe he was trying to fix the game, sure, but even if we assume he wanted to see the Rockies get to the playoffs he botched that too! If you're going to give them that call, then give them that call and let Kruk and the boys debate it later or wax philosophical about instant replay, but to let your instincts as an umpire kick in, delay the call and THEN think "Oh, right, I like Colorado...Safe!" is downright awful.

It's bad officiating or it's poorly executed cheating. Either way this guy sucks at his job.

Instant replay absolutely cannot replace real-time human umpiring. Can't do it. If you eliminate the opportunity for human error and judgment calls you also eliminate one of the greatest laments of all fandom: "The refs hosed us."

In the history of bad calls, which are the most memorable? Playoff mistakes, championship botches - and in every case, how does the fan base of the losing team react? Hatred, in the short term, for the refs, and, in the long term, hope, resilency. The bad call is justification to keep on believing. "We would have had it...if it weren't for that F-ing call."

They can't take that away from us. It would be un-American.