Edwin Jackson victim of worst call made in June

[Senser81]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-most-wrong-called-ball-of-june/

I have never understood the disparity in the ball/strike call, and I have never understood MLBs hesitency to do anything about it.

The ball/strike should be one of the easiest calls in baseball...you only have to look at one thing (the pitch), and you know where the play is going to take place every time. Its also arguably the most important call in the game...there loads of data showing the differing success rates of batters depending on a 2-1 vs. 1-2 count, etc.

[FirstTimer]

Holy shit.

[Slateman]

Look where the ump is set up. I've never understood why umps set up so far to one side of the plate. I understand a little lean or offset as it can be hard to see a pitch directly behind/over a catcher. But you should only need to be a little off to the side and only when the catcher is set up directly behind the plate

[NAHSTE]

Umps should stand behind the mound like little league

Also the catcher didn't do him any favors, this is an awful receiving job.

[Slateman]

Umps should stand behind the mound like little league

Also the catcher didn't do him any favors, this is an awful receiving job.

I have no idea what little league you played, but the ump had gear and was behind the plate. Only time I saw an ump call balls and strike from behind the mound was when the idiot forgot his gear.

[NAHSTE]

I have no idea what little league you played, but the ump had gear and was behind the plate. Only time I saw an ump call balls and strike from behind the mound was when the idiot forgot his gear.

We had two umpire crews with an ump behind the plate, but every once in a while one of the umpires couldn't make it so the lone umpire would stand behind the pitcher. The strike zone was almost always better in these games.

[SuperKevin]

We always had an ump behind the plate growing up. Heck there were times that he was the only umpire and he made every call on the field

[MVPete]

I feel like I see this all the time, catcher sets up on one of the corners, ball goes directly over the plate and the ump calls it a ball because the reception didn't appear to be good to the umpire behind him. Same thing occurred here but you have the added twist of the catcher pretending he's Ivan Rodriguez with the fake throw to first that never scares anyone, and just pisses off the equipment manager who has to clean the jerseys after the game.

[Primetime]

I played several games with an umpire behind the pitchers mound. It was mostly in the 7-10 year old range.

[Senser81]

I feel like I see this all the time, catcher sets up on one of the corners, ball goes directly over the plate and the ump calls it a ball because the reception didn't appear to be good to the umpire behind him. Same thing occurred here but you have the added twist of the catcher pretending he's Ivan Rodriguez with the fake throw to first that never scares anyone, and just pisses off the equipment manager who has to clean the jerseys after the game.

I watch the college women's softball postseason every year. I think I've seen two stolen bases in 5 years of watching these games. Yet if there is a runner on first or third, after every pitch the catcher will do the Ivan Rodriguez "fake throw to first/third". I've never understood this.

[Slateman]

We always had an ump behind the plate growing up. Heck there were times that he was the only umpire and he made every call on the field

Same. And when I umped LL, there were times I was the only ump on the field and still stayed behind the plate.

I feel like I see this all the time, catcher sets up on one of the corners, ball goes directly over the plate and the ump calls it a ball because the reception didn't appear to be good to the umpire behind him. Same thing occurred here but you have the added twist of the catcher pretending he's Ivan Rodriguez with the fake throw to first that never scares anyone, and just pisses off the equipment manager who has to clean the jerseys after the game.

We do, but this was the most obvious strike I can remember seeing that on.

[Glenbino]

Bring on the robots

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[Slateman]

Bring on the robots

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No, no robots. But the home plate umpire should be able to review his calls in between innings. Pair the centerfield camera with a camera mounted on the ump's mask and let him look at stuff. Give him some idea of where he's sitting in the zone.

Combine that with some sort of instant replay system for umps in the field and I think there would be a worthwhile improvement in umpiring.

But Bud Selig is comish, so we'll just have a CBA that punishes teams who try to spend money on the draft and make the All Star game count for something.