This Umpire Crew Is Horrible!
This being the last game of the series, having attended yesterday's loss, I can now say with confidence, that this crew is easily the worst I have seen all year and perhaps within the last decade.
There is no complaining about the calls actually losing the game for either team, they have simply been the most inconsistent crew I can remember seeing. The only consistent factor in their game calling has been their HORRID strike zone. From called strikes at the ankles, to benders called strikes above the letters, these umpires look like they have never called a major league game before this series.
To top off their utter BS strike zone and inconsistent calls, they are the most liberal umps with this Phillie team meeting on the GD mound after every single pitch. What the hell happened to the new rules that were supposed to speed up this game? If I am the ump, I head out to the mound the second the catcher does and tell them to get moving. Despite the first two wins...this series has absolutely sucked to watch. These umps need to be canned IMO.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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39 comments
Comments
It's one series
And yes they haven’t been so good. It’s OK. They also made a poor call against Phillies on Friday which conceivably gave us the win.
by ak123 on Aug 31, 2008 4:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
As I said in my post
the calls have been bad for both teams. I am not complaining that it has lost the games for the Cubs, that call at first WAS one of the horrible calls. The frustration comes because the hitters are off balance and don’t know what to swing at and what not to. I know it is one series and they didn’t even lose it…it is just angering to watch such shitty umpiring.
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Aug 31, 2008 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They've been consistently horrible, for BOTH teams.
Devin Hester, you are ridiculous! -Jeff Joniak
by ARAM FOR MVP on Aug 31, 2008 5:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I know this
that is why I said it. My complaint for the third time, isn’t that the Cubs got screwed, it is that we have to watch such horrible unpires for a four game series. That is what sucked. Both teams got bad calls against them but just enduring this as fans was a pain in the ass.
Not to mention the Phillies and their 20-30 mound visits. There should be rules against this crap. That was unnecessary.
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Aug 31, 2008 6:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I watched the White Sox / Red Sox game today, too, and
the crew was easily the worst I’ve ever seen. Not only was the strike zone enormous, but there was an AB for Ortiz early in the game where he CLEARLY checked his swing (Hawk & DJ even agreed!) but it was ruled a swinging strike. I’m sure you’ll see it on SportsCenter.
The umpires establishing their own personal strike zone has got to be addressed by MLB and the umpires association, even if that means not giving veteran pitchers that extra 2 inches on the outside. The umps can waiver up and down in the zone all they want (well, within reason), since those pitches can usually still be at least fouled off, but taking away called balls on the outside or inside of the plate is a different story.
CRAFTY BEAVER!!!
http://lostinthevines.blogspot.com/
by lostinthevines on Aug 31, 2008 5:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
These umps
weren’t even consistently bad. They were absolute crap IMO.
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Aug 31, 2008 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
FUNNY
I just got back from swimming in Lake Michigan and I was riding my bike listening to the radio and the guys on 1000am said that the umpire crews on both sides of town this weekend are th worst in baseball.
Spot on Kinky.
PS—-you gonna do another shirt run? I kid I kid.
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip
by Hammer on Aug 31, 2008 6:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You missed the post for the new shirts I'm doing?
Chad and I sent it out a while ago!
:)
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Aug 31, 2008 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
hmmm
been wanting to comment on this for awhile. I watch many many games. These umps are getting worse and worse. Not so sure they dont want some sorta pay increase and this is their way of taking out their frustrations.
Something has to be done about the product as a whole. Now I will agree players do their fair share of mouthing and that too needs to stop. I’m seeing countless amounts of F-bombs dropped by players in the batter box. Maybe this is a reason for umpires doing what their doing but I dont know.
Baseball is supposed to be entertaining and fun. Its evolving into a on-screen circus more and more. Prima donna players who have to adjust their batting gloves,scratch themselves,drop explecitives towards the umps etc. Umps who are making themselves more and more apart of the actual game instead of being in the background making sure the game is kept on an even keel.
from the mouth of Uecker:
"Am I the only one who’s glad it’s only a 4-game series? If was a 9-game series, I think the Cubs would win them all."
by cubsluver22 on Aug 31, 2008 7:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed on both points though
were I a player in these games (on either team), I think I would have quite a bit of jawing to do. It was inexcusable IMO. I’ll be done now though. It just pissed me off when I realized it wasn’t just one of the umps but all of them in this series.
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Aug 31, 2008 7:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it wasnt..
just this game or the series. baseball as a whole from what Ive seen from my own eyes needs to clean both the umps and the batters up. the horrible calls,the cursing,etc and the 2 minute scratch themselves,re adjust batting glove,,shake belt out,tap cleats, whisper under their breathe towards the ump etc. needs to stop.
from the mouth of Uecker:
"Am I the only one who’s glad it’s only a 4-game series? If was a 9-game series, I think the Cubs would win them all."
by cubsluver22 on Sep 1, 2008 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Sep 1, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
did anybody see the call in
the cards-astros game? the “caught” ball which clearly bounced?
could be worse, i suppose.
by nathew on Aug 31, 2008 7:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed on all counts.
The umpiring was horrid all weekend, from ball/strike calls to the missed calls at 1B. Key was the missed call on the alleged “tag” of Lilly — he was safe. If that call is made right, the bases are loaded with one out and Soriano up. It might have changed the whole complexion of the game.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Aug 31, 2008 8:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
For what it's worth,
Ryan Howard beat Samardzija to first base on Friday, but he was called out. Obviously, I’m not complaining about that call, but it’s just another example of how inconsistent the calls were this series.
CUBS WIN! CUE THE ORCHESTRA!
by Keith on Aug 31, 2008 8:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually
from what I understand, 1B ump called Lilly out of the base path. I think this (if it was the case) was one of the few calls I felt “okay, I guess that is his call”. I saw he wasn’t tagged. Pretty much everything else was brutal. For what BM says below, yeah, the Welkes need to find a new profession if this is how they do their jobs.
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Aug 31, 2008 9:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's a pretty narrow base path...
if Lilly is called out for running out of it. Watching the reply I just don’t see it. But this post is absolutely right. I was thinking after the series ended that I hope we don’t see this umpire crew again, especially not in the playoffs. Worst all around crew this season by far. Thanks for letting us vent.
by rynomite23 on Sep 1, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Of course...I needed it too!
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Sep 1, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You better believe it...
My first game at Wrigley in four years and it turned on a missed call, I was really disappointed to see that the crew chief(1st base ump)overturned the call. That’s why as the game moved along, and I made my way down to the field I let them have it!
ernie81
by ernie81 on Sep 1, 2008 4:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not one to complain about the umps, but man was this crew BAD
They were equal opportunity bad for both the Phillies and the Cubs. The Welke brothers were absolutely brutal.
by MDBNIU on Aug 31, 2008 9:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
+1
This crew was certainly bad, that’s for sure. FWIW, here is a poll of players from 2006 on the worst umpires in baseball.
CB Bucknor…..21%
Bruce Froemming…..15%
Angel Hernandez…..12%
Joe West…..6%
Doug Eddings…..5%
Joe Brinkman…..4%
Chuck Meriwether…..3%
Larry Young…..3%
Greg Gibson,…..2%
Gary Darling…..2%
"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun
by Bump Bailey on Aug 31, 2008 9:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
How p.o.s. Bruce Froemming maintained employment for so many years is one of life's great mysteries
by MDBNIU on Aug 31, 2008 9:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he played ball through JV
he as all the credentials in the world.
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip
by Hammer on Aug 31, 2008 10:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
these are all
….popular NAME umpires. Dont know what I mean by that, but IMO, when the fans know youre\ name youre not doing a great job.
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip
by Hammer on Aug 31, 2008 9:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
CB is the worst of the lot
His strike zone is terrible
"Aw, how could he (Jorge Orta) lose the ball in the sun, he's from Mexico." -- Harry Carey
by TheRiot Police on Sep 1, 2008 12:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not surprising
I don’t keep track of many umpires, but I definitely know those top 3 and agree completely.
I wish we got Tim McClelland more.
by dr stabbingworth on Sep 1, 2008 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This weekend
the umping was bad all over baseball. I saw horrible calls in the Angels/Rangers series, the Dodgers/Dbacks, and most egregiously, the Cubs/Phillies. It’s like they decided that since they didn’t like the replay rule being instituted, they wanted to cause trouble.
by helen on Aug 31, 2008 11:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You might be onto something there...
The umpires have forever thought they are bigger than the game. Every several years their collective egos needed to be slapped back to reality. We may be approaching one of those times for a reality check. This is where leadership from Bud the Dud Selig would be nice. Start holding these umpires accountable. The OBJECTIVE data IS available to review umpire performance. The Cubs and the Phillies had every reason to be pissed about this weekend’s umpiring.
by MDBNIU on Sep 1, 2008 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Anyone catch Baseball Tonight?
I would be surprised if they didn’t do a feature on bad umping this weekend.
by ak123 on Sep 1, 2008 12:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If Reagan Was Commish
He’d do to the umps what he did to the air traffic controllers and kick all the garbage to the curb.
"Sometimes I feel like as a Cubs fan if I’m not worrying about something, I’m not doing it right." - HalfBlindCubbieGirl
by CaliCub on Sep 1, 2008 12:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Balls and Strikes Complaints
I hate the pitcher’s strike in a 3-0 count.
I hate the hitters ball in a 0-2 count.
I hate the “hitter move my arms cause I want it to look inside but it is a strike” ball.
I hate the Bobby Cox Effect. Bitch and Moan and get your pitchers two more inches on the corners.
I hate the Catcher did not move his glove but was two feet out of the zone strike call.
If it is a ball call it, if it is strike call it. If they really want to speed the game up, call the pitches correctly. I will call this Lean Umpiring. Prolonged ABs because of situtional ball and strike calls only add to the length of the game.
I also hate the HBP stuff. If you are standing on top of the plate, ala Utley and Victorino, and your appandage is in the Strike zone….that is your fault not the pitchers.
"Aw, how could he (Jorge Orta) lose the ball in the sun, he's from Mexico." -- Harry Carey
by TheRiot Police on Sep 1, 2008 12:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I also forgot to include
The it is a strike to a lefty but a ball to righty or vice versa call…
"Aw, how could he (Jorge Orta) lose the ball in the sun, he's from Mexico." -- Harry Carey
by TheRiot Police on Sep 1, 2008 12:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Framing Pitches Drives Me Nuts
Bob Boone used to piss me off doing that all the time and getting a lot of balls called as strikes.
"Sometimes I feel like as a Cubs fan if I’m not worrying about something, I’m not doing it right." - HalfBlindCubbieGirl
by CaliCub on Sep 1, 2008 11:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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