You know you've messed up when you get Markakis angry like that, which you're right it hardly ever happened during his career. As quiet as he was, if you blew a call on him he went hell mode on you.
Where should it be, then? Not saying I disagree with you, since MASN's strike zone definitely wasn't very accurate 5 years ago. Certainly it's better now, though.
SuperTre2215 No, dude. There has always existed the assumption that the one SUREFIRE way for a participant in a baseball game, at ANY level of competition.....is for that player, when batting, to directly question the Home Plate Umpire's judgment regarding "balls" and "strikes".....even when the batter in question(Markakis) is absolutely correct....and the Home Plate Umpire in question(Nelson) is absolutely wrong. I remember watching this very game in a restaurant, and saying to the TV, "Don't do it, Nick, don't do it. You know better than this."
Players REALLY shouldn't argue balls-and-strikes, but in this at-bat, Markakis had a reason to take exception. On 1-1, pitch wasn't CLOSE being a strike, and the next intentional bad calls were arbitrary AND capricious retaliation by the umpire to being challenged. Baltimore misses you, Nick. You are a class act.
I am not a Baltimore orioles fan but they were screwed. the ball was way outside and low. The umpire was wrong for ejecting the batter he did nothing wrong.
Judgment calls are NEVER open for discussion. This includes but is not limited to balls and strikes regardless of whether it was really a strike or not. With this in mind the ejection was completely validated.
Austin Schauer You really have no evidence the umpire had a favorability to one team or the other. You simply can't question it. Even if you are right and technology proves that the ball was to low to be a strike, judgment calls are not open for debate. An umpire typically gives a warning after the first comment, tells the player to knock off the bad mouthing and after that if you decide to get in 1 or 2 more words then you can't expect to stay in the game. Everybody (especially the pros) know this. The batter probably thought getting thrown out was worth it to get his point across.
JoeBrenn He was completely within his realm of power to throw out the batter. The main focus that is taught in umpire school when it comes to a strike zone is consistency. Other than that I really have no clue what you are talking about when saying he was unprofessional.
I mean the whole point of baseball is to throw pitches the batter can't hit. But also, where these sinkers cross the plate and where they land in the glove are very different.
That is the most pathetic tv strike zone ever. All 3 of those were strikes, and since the bottom of the tv zone is at the batters thighs, it's making the umpire look bad by making correct calls. Whoever is in charge of MASN production during that time should've been fired
dude, you have to understand, this is what umpires do when a batter is mouthing off about not liking your strike calls...When a pitch is in the same spot or even a bit more outside, they will call it to stick it to you, letting you know that arguing with them will do you no good...this is how it works...the batter brought this onto himself for arguing strikes, if you don't like his strikes you will have to deal with it because arguing will do you worse, as why he got called out on strike 3
I get its a bad call but if the ump calls it twice in a row, you can expect the pitcher to throw it again and he will call it. Look for it outside, bust it and dont complain if its consistent all game.
+mrbobo606 first of all its called a game not a match and no. The only way is to protest a game and that is only when the manager believes that the umpire got a call wrong and strikeouts dont apply. I didnt explain it very well u will prob want to look up a protest for a better understanding.
I play and hate when umps hold grudges if I pitch a strike and the ump calls it a ball and he can see that I thought it was a strike when I'm up to bat the call me out on those and just stares at me like F off beyoch
Yes, they all looked like balls, but to be fair to the ump, at least he was consistent. I can understand Markakis getting annoyed, but he really should've tried to foul off that last pitch, because he'd have known that it was most likely to be called a strike.
I would agree if it wasn't so early in the game, as the game goes on, batters get the feel of the strike zone them ump is calling, but not this early in the game and not that far out of the strike zone
it would be interesting to try that for a season and see how it goes - possibly in the minor leagues first, but you are still going to need a person to make safe/out calls at the plate
yeah he got tossed in the 9th later in that same game because Jeff Nelson (the ump who heaved Markakis) got mouthy with Matt Wieters and Buck came out to his catcher's defense, saying "get off his a$$! Don't talk to him!"
Hah, agreed. I just think with our current technology, having a home plate umpire makes no sense. Even tennis uses computers to make in or out calls. There's no reason we can't implement this for balls and strikes.
a perfect case of. "if you don't like my first strike zone, keep bitchin and you sure as F won't like the next one".....hint to batter---say you piece keeping it short and go on. the more you chirp, the angrier every body gets, and the batter loses every time.
When umps act like this then the player should be aloud to fight them. When you undermine an athlete and their hard work so easily knowing full well that no one can touch them then of course the power goes to their heads. Unless of course the player can kick the umps A$$, then the umpire might think twice before making that retaliation call so quickly.
Yeah, let's allow fights between umps and players to happen....it'd happen about every game...so, they could just change the name of the game to basebrawl.....While I agree the ump should not ever let their power go to their heads...This would not fix anything, except getting a lot of people hurt....
Kind of stupid - he saw three of the same pitches. He knew they were being called strikes. An umpires zone doesn’t have to be exact as long as it is consistent. Ignorant announcers as well. Also for everyone saying the umpire “aBuSeD hIs PoWeR:” he gave him a LONG time to say his peace, and he walked away instead of arguing with him. Markakis should’ve walked away too
it was a strike! the blue strike zone on screen isnt even the correct strike zone! its from the bottom of the knees not the top. and the top of the strike zone is to the midpoint between the shoulders and the belt. not the belt itself! wow! learn some baseball announcers!
Yep. I was thinking preseason as well. Any call at a base or home plate can be reviewed by replay. What frustrates fans, is that we have the ability to see the play in slow motion from many angles. I sympathize with umpires, because they aren't privy to that information and look like donkeys when they screw up. A replay system, if refined properly, would enhance baseball IMO.
