Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Kapler’s wicked pumped.

It’s doubtful we’ll be Gumped.

But are we gonna be umped?

(Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)

Anyway, the umpiring crew for Sox/Angels ALCS will be headed by crew chief Gary Darling. Joining him? Tim Tschida, Dan Iassogna, Brian Runge, Ted Barrett and CB Bucknor, who’s making his postseason debut.

Read the SI players poll from last year. Worst ump? “CB Bucknor.....21%”
(Darling also squeaks onto the worst list, with two percent of the vote.)

Iassogna’s already on one AL manager’s shit list this season, Rotoworld reminds us:

Wakefield wasn't aided by perhaps the worst umpiring performance we've seen this year, courtesy of Dan Iassogna. It wasn't that he was biased. It's just that he'd randomly call pitches 6-12 inches above the belt strikes and ignore those at the knees. Further enraged by two incidents — a HBP against Wakefield when Mark Ellis obviously leaned into a knuckleball and a check-swing third strike against David Ortiz that Iassogna called on his own, even though the replay showed that Ortiz didn't go — Red Sox manager Terry Francona finally had enough in the eighth, getting himself tossed when a curveball that wouldn't have been in Richie Sexson's zone was called a strike against 5-foot-7 Dustin Pedroia.

And Tim Tschida? For his own safety, I hope he’s improved his depth perception in the eight years since this travesty.

As Kapler writes, “This is the time to get fired up about every little detail. In a short series, anything can happen.”

How about anything except poorly called pitches, blown HR calls, missed checked swings, and phantom tags?

Thanks in advance!

10/3/2007 12:23:55 PM by Mike Miliard | Comments [0] |