Better watch this quickly before MLB yanks it -- it clearly shows Mark Carlson making first contact...

Better watch this quickly before MLB yanks it -- it clearly shows Mark Carlson making first contact with Z's arm, and then Z seemlngly saying, "You touched ME first, I am ejecting YOU!"

almost 3 years ago Al Yellon 31 comments 0 recs |

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that's not

the best angle, but i thought he took a step towards him, too. lou did as well—he said he thought the ump walked towards Z. we’ll see what mlb thinks.

by spain2323 on May 27, 2009 5:49 PM CDT reply actions

You might be on to something here Al

There’s a few things about this play that bother me

1. There’s no way the ump saw Morgan’s left hand while Z’s leg was clearly blocking it. They had to use a reverse angle on TV to show that he might have been safe

2. Soto probably should have done a better job blocking the pitch. It wasn’t that horrible of a pitch.

3. Why was Morgan so far down the line to begin with? Zambrano should have tried to pick him off

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on May 27, 2009 5:50 PM CDT reply actions

I did think the umpire had a pretty good angle.

The replay on the Cubs website shows that.

Soto wasn’t real fast about getting to the ball, either — it didn’t get that far away. A little faster and we’re not talking about this at all.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 27, 2009 5:52 PM CDT up reply actions

Before anyone jumps on Al.

I don’t think he’s saying it’s Soto’s fault for Z going nuts…right?

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on May 27, 2009 6:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Right.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 27, 2009 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Z had a legitimate...

…reason to be upset. He said what he had to say at the moment, and looked to be walking away when Carlson bumped him — the poor ejection is what set him off.

by LeSaboteur on May 27, 2009 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions

AHEM.

If you search for some Firefox add-ons that help you “retain” videos from YouTube, you may be able to do so for your own personal enjoyment. The words “fast”, “video”, and “download” come to mind. That is all.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on May 27, 2009 5:53 PM CDT reply actions

another great add-on

is this one

it is a free stat tracker like tool used for yahoo fantasy baseball.

Gotta love Firefox.

Enjoy.

by Glacier on May 27, 2009 9:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Save this.,..

before MLB makes all of the copies disappear.

by TheHawkRules on May 27, 2009 6:03 PM CDT reply actions

Is MLB...

….going to prohibit ESPN from re-broadcasting it? So far I’ve seen it twice. I forget which show it was (old white guy, young black guy were the analysts), but one of the hosts (the white guy) seems to think that Z will, and deserves, to be suspended.

I still say he was out. It didn’t quite look like Morgan’s hand reached the plate before Z laid the tag.

I’d like to know what Quade was thinking sending Soto home considering he’s not the swiftest of cats. I initially thought he was out, but on the replay on WGN you can see Geo’s arm swinging through to the plate well before Jaramilla’s arm comes down.

by LeSaboteur on May 27, 2009 6:22 PM CDT reply actions

that was an amazing run by Soto.

"I don’t really play baseball, I feel it." -- Milton Bradley

by drewishdrewid on May 27, 2009 8:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh, I agree. Absolutely.

I don’t think I would’ve sent him, but I suspect that Quade saw…um, whatever his name was slip, and decided right then to chance it.

by LeSaboteur on May 27, 2009 8:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Also...

if you go the the game recap on ESPN their video recap has a clear shot of the ump and Z.

by CubFan81 on May 27, 2009 6:27 PM CDT reply actions

That video recap confirms ...

… that Carlson made first contact.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 27, 2009 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions

It definitely does.

If I’m not mistaken, he actually leans forward to half-heartedly put his shoulder into Z.

by LeSaboteur on May 27, 2009 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions

You almost wish

Lou would take a stand if Z gets suspended and really point out how absurdly out of hand the suspensions have gotten. Of course that never happens and the management has to grovel every time to try and minimize the suspension but it is truly disgraceful. I think, though it shouldn’t matter one iota, that the fact the runner was safe does not help Z’s case. At least if he was out there might be some subconscious trigger that his outburst was more ‘justified.’

I don’t see how anyone that actually takes the time to look at the tape can justify the suspension. An umpire basically walks into the player, instigates contact, and oh, whoops, you’re ejected.

by BeltwayCubsFan on May 27, 2009 7:33 PM CDT reply actions

I agree completely.

Someone has to stand up and say that the umpires are out of control. Maybe it’ll be Lou — what does he have to lose?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 27, 2009 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Does MLB own ALL replays of ballgames or something?

"I always tell the truth -- Even when I lie"

by calicubfan on May 27, 2009 8:06 PM CDT reply actions

yes

there’s a thing that plays during every game that says that MLB retains the copyright to the broadcast and all rebroadcasts of the game.

"I don’t really play baseball, I feel it." -- Milton Bradley

by drewishdrewid on May 27, 2009 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions

They continue to be the last of all 4 major sports to understand how modern media works, yes.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on May 27, 2009 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions

mlb pisses me off.

it really does. how damn stupid are they? it blows me away how dumb and clueless they are. it infuriates me

by Glacier on May 27, 2009 9:25 PM CDT up reply actions

With Soriano's error (reason why Morgan was on 3rd)...

Z was ready to snap. Someone probably should have went out after THAT play to talk to him… Soto, Lou, Rothschild, ANYONE…Maybe the outcome would have been different. Carlson clearly initiates the contact but Z probably shouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place. I am sure he is going to get 10 days for the contact and the ball throw.

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." - Alvin Dark

by Fishbone2 on May 28, 2009 8:10 AM CDT reply actions

You can clearly see

Zambrano telling the ump “you touched me”. Unfortunately for Z, though, while it still looks like the ump touched Z first, Z extended his arm away from his body a bit, so it’ll depend on how the league views that little action, I think.

"Respect" ~ Ryne Sandberg

by gwood on May 28, 2009 8:43 AM CDT reply actions

This is actually the best angle of the incident...

…I’ve seen yet. And I agree – the ump walked into Z and Z just nudged him back a little. If MLB wants to fine Carlos for arguing, fine, whatever. But a suspension would be ridiculous. The ump instigated – or was at least equally complicit in the contact – and the contact was really negligible to begin with.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 28, 2009 9:51 AM CDT reply actions

Which is why...

… the rule mandating suspension for ANY contact is ridiculous. Each situation should be judged on its own merits.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 28, 2009 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Totally agree.

I’d also add that, because of the volume of the crowd noise, two people arguing are going to have to get up close to each other. Thereby, it’s almost inevitable that some contact is going to occur. If umps don’t want to be touched, they need to turn and walk away when a player starts to argue – should the player then follow and initiate contact, said player will be more clearly at fault.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 28, 2009 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions

What do you think would happen if a player...

…decks an umpire? Decks him hard that it knocks him on his keyster. Do you think they would get suspended, say, 50 games? The season? For life?

by Cubs and Hawks fan on May 28, 2009 3:06 PM CDT reply actions

Off the top of my head...

…I’d say 50 or more games if the player pushed the umpire down. Probably a lifetime ban if the player actually punched the ump in the face. Just a wild guess.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 28, 2009 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Didn't Delmon Young throw a bat at an ump in the minors?

I think he got 50 games for that… though it IS MiLB, not MLB rulings.

Jackie likes the smell of cut grass, he used to play ball on Saturdays, Playin in the sun...

by PacificCub on May 28, 2009 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions

BTW

There is never any excuse EVER to physically assault an umpire over a call. The only time I’ve ever seen any case where I thought an umpire deserved to be literally shoved to the ground was when Winters said what he said to Bradley. Milton showed more restraint than I could have ever shown; I’m not a fighter by any means, but I would have pounded him through the dirt and into the drainage system.

Jackie likes the smell of cut grass, he used to play ball on Saturdays, Playin in the sun...

by PacificCub on May 28, 2009 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions