Lunch Break - 4/29 - An Open Letter to the Umpires
By Scott Caruso | April 29th, 2008 | Posted in Discussion
It probably seems like an odd time to do this - during a 6-game win streak in which we’re sitting atop the AL East - but this is something that I know is still top of mind to most Rays fans. This will probably come off as whiny and bitter, but I don’t care. That’s how the umpires have made me feel.
Dear Guys Wearing the MLB Umpires Uniforms,
Who are you, and what did you do with the real umpires? You know, the guys who more often than not get the calls right? The ones who are in position to watch and see if the foot or the ball reaches the bag first? The ones who call the same stike zone for both teams? I’d really like it if those guys could back now, so if you could go ahead and give them their uniforms back, that would be great.
Before you crumple this letter up, let’s look at the facts. B.J. Upton hasn’t REALLY been thrown out on the bases eleventy billion times. It’s actually been more like eleventy billion minus 5. Unfortunately, you all seem to think he’s your own personal test case in which you can test the limits of horrible officiating. Friday night against the Red Sox is the most egregious example of all, I think, as B.J. was safe by a mile yet Rob Drake had already made the call when the ball was half-way to third base. And what about that non-balk call a few weeks ago? Or do we not make those kinds of calls on teams playing the Rays anymore? Perhaps a pair of ultra-cool Joe Maddon specs might help?
Contrary to popular belief, sirs, the Yankees and Red Sox - despite playing a different financial game - are not actually playing by different rules on the field. Just because one of those teams does something doesn’t automatically mean he’s safe (or the other team’s out). They certainly don’t need the extra outs; in fact, no team should get them undeservedly. Moreover, a strike is a strike no matter who is at the plate. The strike zone ISN’T any more different when Shawn Riggans is up there as it is when Derek Jeter’s up. Oh, and just because Kevin Youkilis whines after called strike doesn’t mean you should stop calling them. He’s just a big baby who needs to grow up a little bit. Don’t stop calling strikes just because you are afraid of confrontation. Everyone else might call you a chicken. You don’t want that, do you?
I understand that you have a very hard job to do. Not as hard as, say, someone who wrestles alligators naked while swimming in a vat of barbecue sauce, but certainly harder than my job where I write for 10 hours a day. You’ve had to go through all sorts of special training and whatnot, and I understand that it’s an imperfect science. But you know who else goes through special training? ANYONE WITH A JOB. The only difference is that we’re forced to do our jobs properly. Your gig must be nice.
Please understand that this letter is not an endorsement for instant replay to be added to baseball. I’d much prefer if the game weren’t officiated by TV screens and DVRs but real-live people. The second you add replay, though, it becomes like football where every fumble, every incomplete pass, every catch near the sideline, and every sneeze is set through the replay machine to make sure the referee didn’t screw it up. Nobody wants that (I don’t think), nor should we have to have it. I just want a little consistency.
Grazie,
Scott Caruso
April 29th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Thank You, Thank You 100 times. This needed to be said and needs to be addressed. I’m not going to get to far into it but I need to mention the worst UMPIRE of all. So bad my wife has made a sign that says NAUERT-U-STINK. He was awful last lear and took of where he left off this year. THANK YOU SCOTT
April 29th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Does anyone else have a favorite Umpire they would like to share. Sometimes we forget the names and now we can watch for them.
April 29th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
A few weeks ago I tried to send a similar response to MLB regarding their umpires.
But I did it via email and they have a limit of 500 characters per response. My choices were, send them seperately, or go back and delete all 400 of the expletives from the email.
May 4th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
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