10/12 Angels @ White Sox ALCS Game 2

[Bosox21]

First let me say the ump was using the fist for strikes and outs. I just saw a clip of AJ droping a 3rd strike and the ump didnt make the fist til AJ taged Molina out.

So you're saying on every strike out, when 1st base is open, the catcher should put the tag on the player?

Well since the ump never said your out, and Paul didnt turn around to look at an out gesture, one would think the person would use whats called a brain to tag the batter.

He didn't think he caught it, he knew it.

Hey thats great, so what did that get him? If he tags AJ te ining is over. i dont care about the ump blowing the call right now. If Paul does his job the inning is over.

[Providence A's]

On anything close like that (I still can't tell after all the times I've seen it...first I think it didn't touch the dirt as he caught and then I do...back and forth)...again, anything close like that you tag the runner just to be sure even if you think you caught it...it's called being safe. You don't do that every time...just when it's really close. I've seen plenty of times where it looked like the catcher caught it and he tagged him anyway.

[love_that_reefer]

But he caught the damn ball. Why tag him when he caught the ball? He did nothing and I mean nothing wrong. The ump called him out and there is no getting around it. It doesn't matter if he didn't verbally say it. He only verbally said something if if WAS on the ground or foul tipped. A.J. even said that. He choked and that's it, not Paul. Every MLB catcher will tell you Paul did nothing wrong. Pierzynski keeps referring to a play that happened in San Fran but if you see that play, its one that A.J. clearly dropped the ball and not picked. Catchers from Molina to Todd Zeile say Paul did nothing wrong and I agree 100%. The only one who did something wrong was the home playe umpire and his fellow umpires from saving him this embarrassment.

[Bosox21]

Your right he did nothing wrong, nevermind if he just taged him the inning was over and the run never scores, but your right. If you use your teamates running off the field as the basis if the inning is over or not your a bad catcher. You should Listen for the ump to say your out, not anything else.

[Providence A's]

it was close enough to the ground where he should have tagged him to be safe.

[love_that_reefer]

You can now add Mike MacFarlane to that list. The ump said nothing! Earlier in the game he was saying "no catch". Why would he tag if he heard nothing? If it was a no catch, the ump would have said it. Paul was in the right and the ump was in the wrong. It is so easy to say after the fact but no catcher in their right mind would do that which is apparent to all the catchers interviewed. Oh did I mention the ump punched him out?

[Bosox21]

I didnt realize Mike MacFarlane was catching or was AB for that call, wait he wasnt. AJ who was there said the ump said nothing, Paul hasnt come out and said the ump didnt say anything.

It is so easy to say after the fact

Kinda like what your doing with the umps call.

Oh did I mention the ump punched him out?

Hey thats great, but Paul wasnt turned around looking at the ump so he couldnt know that could he.

[HuskerFan2002]

Here's my take on last night's game:

From what I understand based on what I have read and analysis I have heard and from watching it on TV, it appears to me that it wasn't as bad of a call as some are making it out to be. I was not watching it last night, but I had heard that the umpire supposedly clearly called him out. That apparently was not the case-I guess according to what they said on ESPN, based on what this umpire had been doing the rest of the game, the signal he made that some interpreted as an "out" call was actually a "strike" call. I think the umpire should have been more clear with his calls, but the catcher should have thrown the ball to first just to be sure he was out. So I don't see it as the "worst call in baseball" like some were saying last night.

As far as whether the catcher actually caught the ball cleanly or not, it's hard to tell-but even if he did get it wrong, it's hard to fault an umpire for missing a call like that because he doesn't have the benefit of watching it in slow motion.

[Hmark6]

First let me say the ump was using the fist for strikes and outs. I just saw a clip of AJ droping a 3rd strike and the ump didnt make the fist til AJ taged Molina out.

But don't you realize that the fact that we're still talking and debating about this means that the call was ambiguous at best and flat out wrong at worst? The umpire should be definite and decisive in his call right or wrong.

[Bosox21]

Im not saying his call was right, it wasnt. Im sayin Paul should have tagged AJ, like he supposed to when a play is that close.

[Hmark6]

Im not saying his call was right, it wasnt. Im sayin Paul should have tagged AJ, like he supposed to when a play is that close.

I think you're letting the ump off the hook. (see )

[love_that_reefer]

I didnt realize Mike MacFarlane was catching or was AB for that call, wait he wasnt. AJ who was there said the ump said nothing, Paul hasnt come out and said the ump didnt say anything.



Kinda like what your doing with the umps call.



Hey thats great, but Paul wasnt turned around looking at the ump so he couldnt know that could he.

None of that matters. You can say Paul could have done this and that. You CANNOT blame Paul for anything except doing his job. I can easily look at the umps call after the fact and say what I want because he called him out. WoW, you're right MacFarlane wasn't at bat and guess what? No one said he was. What Mike did say is that Pual did the same thing every other catcher would have done. That's the point. There is no and I repeat no way you can get around that. Paul didn't have to do anything because he caught the ball. if the ump stuck with his initial call, we wouldn't be having this conversation. IT IS ALL ON THE UMPIRE!!!! You can say A.J. didn't hear anything but so what? A.J. said that earlier the umpire was saying "no catch" and the fact that he didn't say anything makes Paul's case. You are trying to place blame where there should be none. The ump ****ed up clear as day and every umpire in the league knows that and every catcher knows that as well.

[Bosox21]

If Paul did his job as you clam he did the inning would have been over anyway. When it's close you tag the batter you dont throw the ball down and run to the dugout.When the ump doesnt say your out, then maybe you shold use that thing in your head called a brain and tag the batter, just to make sure. In any close play you tag the batter, it doesnt matter if you know you caught the ball, you make sure the ump knows the batter is out.

Hmark6, your the same person who is saying Aj is at fault. What did he do wrong? He figured what the hell the ump didnt call me out so I might try it, it worked it was a headsup play on his part.

[Hmark6]

Hmark6, your the same person who is saying Aj is at fault. What did he do wrong? He figured what the hell the ump didnt call me out so I might try it, it worked it was a headsup play on his part.

I never said AJ was wrong. There is no "right" and "wrong" in this case, only those responsible for what happened. You misunderstood me. I think AJ deserves much acclaim for pulling a fast one on both Eddings and the Angels. I congratulate him. He won a ballgame for his team.

I think you misunderstood me when I said he was responsible for what happened. I believe he may have influenced Eddings decision to ring him up by running to first. He may have cause Eddings to second guess himself. That's why I specificlly ordered my list.

[Bosox21]

I think you misunderstood me when I said he was responsible for what happened. I believe he may have influenced Eddings decision to ring him up by running to first. He may have cause Eddings to second guess himself. That's why I specificlly ordered my list.

You listed everyone who we can all gree screwed up in some form during this game and AJ was foruth. If you meant something else, then your right I did misunderstand, but put AJ in another list dont include him with the other who were responsible for the mishap. I so sick of talking about this, I just want to look at game 3 tonight.