Sports

Posted in: Sports
Ron Pexa: What About That Call? August 7, 2008
By Ron Pexa
Aug 7, 2008 - 3:27:57 PM

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Many of you have seen the Aquafina commercial airing during televised baseball games in which Cubs manager Lou Piniella runs out on the field to apparently argue a call at third base but in actuality compliments the umpire for a great call while angrily shouting his praises inches from the umpire’s face. This bit of Madison Avenue creativity is likely based on a real incident involving the Pirates Hall of Fame manager Danny Murtaugh and Hall of Fame umpire Jocko Conlon at old Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Conlon had made an apparently correct call at second when Murtaugh rushed from the dugout and began complimenting the dumbfounded Conlon for his fairness and integrity, all the while gesturing wildly, waving his arms and kicking dirt towards Conlan. The raucous bat day crowd went predictably crazy, throwing bats and items of trash on the field, resulting in Colon ejecting Murtaugh for what he termed in his written report to the  National League as “being over complimentary to an umpire”.

Baseball, at all levels of play, is the only sport which allows a coach or manager to interrupt play by stepping on the field to dispute calls made by an official (umpire). Officials in all other major sports have very little tolerance for coaches that are making critical comments about calls on the field of play or court, while actually “trespassing” over the sideline marker on to the field of play. The Official Rules of Baseball would at first seem to agree with the other sports intolerance of on field criticism of calls by umpires.  Rule 9.02(a) clearly states in part that “ Any umpires call which involves judgment......is final” and that “No player, manager, coach or substitute shall object to any such judgment decisions.”  Rule 9.02(b) does however make allowances for appealing a decision that may have been made in conflict with the rules, allowing in reality for every disputed play to have the potential for an umpire-manager(coach) confrontation.

These disputes, though apparently banned by rule, are part of the fabric and tradition of the game of baseball. Umpires will generally listen to what a coach has to say, but rare is the argument that results in a call being changed. Umpires will generally allow a coach or manager to blow off steam if the tirade doesn’t become personal or overly vulgar. There are grounds for automatic ejection regardless of what is said, the most notable are leaving the dugout to argue balls and strikes and making contact with an umpire.  Unlike football, which has 15 yard unsporting conduct penalties and basketball’s technical fouls, ejection from the game is the only remedy in baseball(exception: at the high school level, confinement to the dugout for minor infractions) for unsporting conduct by a player or coach. The ultimate desire for any umpire is to keep the participants in the game and to keep the game moving, but oftentimes an ejection just can’t be avoided.  Umpiring schools teach that an umpire should approach criticism in four progressive stages, 1)Ignore, 2)Acknowledge, 3)Warn and 4)Eject.
Mike Port, Major League Baseball’s vice president of umpiring, probably best described why arguing calls is, regardless of the rules, such a revered tradition in the game of baseball, “ Baseball is a simple game full of complex rules. That can lead to differing interpretations. Within that framework, arguments are inevitable.

Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox, according to the Society for American Baseball Research, is the all-time  Major League leader in ejections with 141. Numbers alone can’t compare however with former Yankees Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel. Casey, ever the showman, pulled such stunts such as after being ejected from a game on the road, tipped his hat to the jeering home crowd and having a sparrow fly out from under it. He met his theatrical match however while arguing a call by umpire Beans Reardon. In mock amazement, Casey fell to the ground following Reardon’s explanation of the call, as though he had fainted. After a few moments on the ground, Casey opened one eye only to see Reardon on the ground beside him. “I knew right then I was licked” commiserated Stengel.
This weeks question comes from online reader Terry W. “By Rule, how many ways are there for a player to get on base without getting a hit (single double, triple or home run)?”

By my count I can think of seven. 1) Base on balls. 2) Error (catchers interference/obstruction by rule is charged as an error). 3) Hit by pitch. 4) Pinch Run. 5) Fielders choice. 6) Third strike not caught. 7) Batters fair batted ball hits a runner (runner is out, batter is credited with a single). Think of any more?

Send your questions to ref@eiherald.com or write to P.O. Box 336, Victor, IA, 52347.



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