The Ump from Hell: Mike Winters, ref: the URL link below is from 012, but says it all: http://deadspin.com/5911626/better-know-an-umpire-mike-winters Bruce Froemming and John Hirschbeck were pretty horrid at times, tho' this article below is from 07, looks like Winters is emulating both Hirschbeck, Froemming, and Don Denkinger. Winters must think its his job to take up the mantle those 3 assholes left behind, he must of studied the previous 3 in the mirror, to learn how to be a pure asshole, and confuse strikes with balls, & vice versa...... This article is from 07, and shows the direction Winters was headed in along time ago, and he's not changed his course, rather he's become more of an inflammatory asshole...... http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3037237 I've never seen 1 Ump toss so many players, and especially Mgrs, when they're in the dugout. The dugout is a Mgr and Players domain......no different than the crowd around home plate.....perhaps some Mgr's need to wear a rubber mask, and sit in the seats behind Home Plate, and fire away, at the Ump, saying shit no Mgr can get away with, even borderline petty shit, that never requires an ejection......
Followed this game on Gamecast, so I was checking out how the competition was doing. Despite striking out 10 Sale and the White Sox lost to our old buddy Hughes. In that division to date the Twins have surprised while the Indians and especially the White Sox making a lot of moves have disappointed. Factor in KC and Detroit I don't think there's no really dominant team there either. AL West Surprise Team would have to be Houston. Rangers and Angels will factor in, Seattle is the big disappointment in the West and Oakland Damn lost in the Sauce.
The strike zones annoy me the most. The zone is the zone. Not the interpretation of whomever is behind the plate that night.
...Oakland has lost a ton of close games...the ole "run differential" theorem is very misleading in their case.
PS: Great to see the Yanks win BIG time......... Nova with only 3 Hits, 2 BBs, and NO Runs at all.......nice outing, for his 1st start of the Year..... Good to see their was plenty of run support, I would of liked to of seen the game from the start. Looks to me like Pirela and DD, are getting more patient at the plate, and getting hits, moreso getting on base.....and scoring...... Great to see Tex's batting average is on the rise........! I hope he keeps this up, only 2 errors thus far, with a .996 Fldg Pctg. Those 2 errors were made in the last 2 weeks....he could wind up with a Gold Glove, and I for one would love to see it, moreso the return of the player He was in 09, led the AL in Ribbies, HR's, got a GG and Silver Slugger too....
The Umps are still the worst thing about baseball. Thank goodness for replay challenges....these assholes are so bad, I wouldn't mind if mgrs had three challenges per game. And one for extra innings if they don't have any left.
...certainly not gonna "look a gift horse in the mouth"...but Nova was pitching vs the Phils. Yeah, yeah, I know, the same Phils that scored all those runs in the 1st 2 games...but I still wanna see what Nova can do vs a division rival.
...^^^ I expected the AL Central to be the one Division where parity would have the Tigers, Twinkies, Royals, and White Sox, beating up on each other, while having both of the 2 Wild Cards.....I didn't drink the Indians Kool-Aid predictions of Verducci either,........a big disappointment for AL Central fans........ Well stated Michael........!!
...that's what I don't get about some Umps and their "holier than thou" attitude sometimes. I mean, they don't seem to have a problem with the replay system overturning or upholding one of their calls, so why would the HP Ump object to getting help from the Umps at 1B and 3B on check swing calls?...makes no sense. ...and a few of the Umps really believe that fans come to the games to see them instead of the players...they don't.
Exactly the point....... Hell, at this point in time, the Strike Zone could be called by a Mannequin, equipped with a computer aided three dimensional no fail strike zone, - - eliminating umps from calling balls or strikes, tho' they'd be needed for close calls at the plate, and other minor things, yet even those are reviewed more often than not it seems, tho' I know most runs, are blatant one way or the other.....
You hit the bullseye on Umps, and their pompous attitudes..... I saw a 1 Hour Interview with Joe Torre on Larry King's new show, (on Sports Net LA, a Bums station).......I never knew Joe was in charge of the Umps in MLB...until a month or 2 ago........(I know, where the fk have I been)??? When King asked Joe, "why are there alot more ejections with instant replay"? Torre stated: "one of the problems with our review system, is we often have to rely on Umps who are in the Minor league systems, in NY at the review screens, which the MLB Umps often look down on, a younger Ump, telling them they made a bad call, and it needs over turned". Joe went on to mention how some of the more senior umps, get offended, when a rookie in the booth, looks at the calls from many different camera angles, then tells the Sr Ump; their call is errant.... A child could make alot of those calls on Replay, as alot of them are not even close, some very very close......
The thing I took out of Nova's performance was his velocity (93-95), and his curveball still having that big "1-7" break. If he stays in good counts, his stuff can beat "anyone". Control and poise are his biggest issues at this point, imo. The only thing, kinda, which will hold him back is consistently falling behind in counts.
Its gonna be a damn shame if Warren has another good outing tomorrow if he's the one sent to the pen.
They may send him to the bullpen for a short stint possibly to manage his yearly IP. Dunno, this could be an option. I hope Warren pitches a PERFECT GAME in his next start....lol Fair chance things break "right", and so far it's not asking a whole lot, the Yanks could be set up having two "younger", pretty good SP in Warren and Nova heading towards the 2nd half. Also a chance one of these call-ups (Montgomery?) can nail down the 6-8th innings along with Shreve and co. until Miller is back....and then we could have more depth for 6/7 innings (with Miller return). Montgomery so far hasn't embarrassed himself, or the team....throws 96-97 with a decent breaking ball. Could emerge as a fairly big player in the Yanks' P staff. I hope.
It would be a damn shame IMO also..... I'd have no qualms seeing CC go to the Pen, none at all. CC looks like he's actually Heavier than before, and looks like a clown in his quad XXXXL baggy assed pants, in other words: a Slob......!!! Even his face/eyes have lost their fire.... Eovaldi, tho' he's averaging approx: 5.15 IP per game, has the velocity then some, but IMO still needs a Mel Stottlemyre Coach, or even Guidry, to define Nate's Mechanics, Delivery, Pitch Selection, and Ball Placement. Only Nathan can develop the Pitchers mentality in his own head, and that much is almost unteachable, IMO one has to have the mentality to be a Pitcher, always out guessing the batter and what the batter is expecting, vs what He's gonna' throw....while composing a SP's selection of pitches far in advance, yet pitch by pitch...... ESPN's "Pitchers Edition" from about a month ago, had a good write up of just that, a Pitcher's mentality. King Felix graces the cover of the mag, and the article with Felix, does just that; shows the reader, how King Felix thinks in games, when he faces Mike Trout, who damn near owns Felix....
The only umpire I use to get a kick out of was (I believe) Emmett Ashford A little black ump back in the 60s that I recall use to do a back flip before games. (pre-Ozzie).
Wow, Rick, this is like a Flashback, I had forgot all about Ashford, (I do believe that's the man), and his back flips, unheard of for an Umpire in this Era.....nice mention of one I would of forgotten all about, without this reminder......and those were the good ol' days........
Rob did you know that he was baseballs first black umpire. A man of little statue (5'7) but a big man with the fans during his short career (1966-1970) before reaching mandatory retirement at the age of 55.
Indeed, I thought he was the 1st black umpire, as at that time, I can't recall seeing a black umpire until quit a bit latter on....... I recall the little man, more often than not, often had a smile on his face, when confronted.......as if to say, "I can't believe they pay me to be an Umpire for MLB" like a kid fulfilling his lifelong dreams, which he did just that......he reminded me a lot of Willie Mays, approach to playing the game........always with a smile, and pinching themselves to ensure this was really happening......a dream come true.....!
