AlwaysImprove wrote:Did you watch any of the Texas game? Did you watch any of the WCWS last year? There has to be some outside edge to the zone. I mean we are not asking for much. Let's call the farthest out 33". Those pitches were 4"'s or more in the the other batters box. It looks goofy to anyone that knows the sport. All you are left with is a 40 year old, discredited camera angle argument?
Your problem is that it isn't an argument.
As far as IP's last year, umpires definitely created that wreck. Half choose to largely ignore the guidance to call IP's. When the umpires show up on TV, regionals/supers/wcws, then they start calling all the IP's.
Clearly teams had been playing with a lot of umpires that had not been calling them. Lesson there is to make something a point of emphasis, you had better work on calling it in a broad fashion in October, or by March at the latest. Waiting until regionals/supers/wcws and it looks goofy.
Do you ever read the information offered? The umpires did not do this on their own. They were directed to call them. The coaches run this show. And if you were paying attention, you would have noticed that none of the coaches ever argued their pitcher wasn't illegal, but that it was called. And that includes the most influential coaches in the game.
Did you notice what happened afterward? The National Coordinator was not returned to the position and her staff voluntarily resigned, some say in protest. What type of message did that send? You do what you're told or else? So, if the umpires today are calling IPs, you can pretty well bet they are IPs. Could the resaon you believe they weren't called during the season be because some umpires were afraid of being blackballed by the assignors and not being recommended for post season play? Not saying that it is, or that it woudl be right or is a fact in all situations, but it is a perception at some levels .
Now, you want to know why some umpires don't eject people at the drop of a hat? Is it because there is a tightrope these umpires have to walk? I'm not suggesting the umpires do not do the job. I think every one of them does an outstanding job. Are some things missed or wrong? It happens everywhere at all levels. Then again, most of the time they are not under a microscope and the manner in which some issues are handled are tempered to the level and situation.
