Whoa, just found out PeteAbe’s going to Boston…

MJ wrote:

ken wrote:
Friend said that Greene’s check swing was definitely a strike.
Of course it was a strike. Anyone that saw the replay knows it was a strike and even Green himself knew it, which is why he scrunched up his face. But it was a hard call for the 1st base umpire to make because those calls are always judgement calls anyway.
ken wrote:
Also said that it’s tough for umpires to make that call in Fenway!
That’s the standard NBA excuse. Venues/fans should NEVER dictate calls to umps/refs. Baseball should closely review all calls made at so-called tough parks like Fenway to make sure that fans aren’t unduly influencing the balance of the game.

That should never happen BUT it does at Fenway AND Yankee Stadium both. I can’t believe that the umps are so scared of the most intense crowds in baseball,it’s very strange indeed. A right call should be the right call BUT unless Selig and Co put pressure on the umps, what’s gonna change?

@ Corey, unless of course the umps are involved in some NBA type of betting scheme there might be an analogy there!:)

MJ wrote:

That’s the standard NBA excuse.

that and, the fact that the ref had a bet goin

ken wrote:

Friend said that Greene’s check swing was definitely a strike.

Of course it was a strike. Anyone that saw the replay knows it was a strike and even Green himself knew it, which is why he scrunched up his face. But it was a hard call for the 1st base umpire to make because those calls are always judgement calls anyway.

ken wrote:

Also said that it’s tough for umpires to make that call in Fenway!

That’s the standard NBA excuse. Venues/fans should NEVER dictate calls to umps/refs. Baseball should closely review all calls made at so-called tough parks like Fenway to make sure that fans aren’t unduly influencing the balance of the game.

YankCrank wrote:

MJ wrote:
I want Juan Rivera’s head on a plate for jogging to a reasonably catchable ball last night. If I’m Brian Fuentes, I wonder why Rivera cares so little…
I was wondering the same thing. Why doesn’t he at least get dirty and try to catch it, what’s the worst that can happen? You nice little red uniform gets dirty?
Did anybody watch the entire 9th inning? Nick Green struck out twice to end the game and neither strike was called correctly. If we’re putting heads on a platter, we may want to include the umpiring crew.
The Angels actually won the game twice, and still lost.

Crank whatta bout that call in the middle of the game where Boston scored 5 runs? The Angels player clearly touched 2 before booted the ball. It was an out WHILE the runner was called safe. And people used to question That i thought Boston got calls,unh? The Nick Green call was sickening, Ken. If that was at Angel Stadium then the Aangels win, but when the game is at Fenway…well the umps act differently.

ken wrote:

Friend said that Greene’s check swing was definitely a strike. Also said that it’s tough for umpires to make that call in Fenway!

I think, as MJ said, it’s extremely difficult to make those check swing calls. They can essentially go either way, and in this instance it went in the Sox favor.

One trait I do like with some umps is if a close call goes one way (like Green’s check swing), they tend to take the next close call and give it to the other side. It has to be very frustrating for the Angels and their fans to have been shafted on two very close calls. I understand none of this happens if Fuentes doesn’t load the bases after two quick outs, but at this point the Angels have to be scratching their heads on what they have to do to beat this Red Sox team.

Even when the Angels beat the Red Sox, twice in one game, they still lose. That has to suck.

I’m listening to Kevin Kennedy on XM’s MLB channel and there’s lots of talk of the BOS game last night. Kennedy said he texted a friend who is a NESN producer and big Sox fan. Friend said that Greene’s check swing was definitely a strike. Also said that it’s tough for umpires to make that call in Fenway!

ken wrote:

(And Oliver sucked in the 8th. Angels won’t win anything with the bullpen they showed last night.)

The Angels could magically call up a clone of 24-year-old Frankie Rodriguez, as well as a clone of Albert Pujols and still not win anything this year. Not when they open against the Red Sox…the bend-over job the Angels do to the Red Sox is almost up there with the Orioles consistent effort to bend over to the Red Sox.

clintfsu813 wrote:

LAA..Losing As Always. Pathetic.

Except against us!

@ MJ:
Everything you said about the BOS/LAA game is what i was going to post (great minds think alike!). There were two horrible calls on the Nick Greene at bat that went against LAA. Either one would have ended the game with a win for LA. Nevertheless, when the closer loads the bases with one out then bad things happen. It shouldn’t get to that. (And Oliver sucked in the 8th. Angels won’t win anything with the bullpen they showed last night.)

Not signing K-Rod may very well cost them a WS this year. I’m sure that Scoscia knows that and it has to be killing him.

BTW, did you see the look on Greene’s face after the check swing? He clearly thought it was strike 3, game over.

And yes, Rivera has to dive for that ball. Maybe Manny’s lazy karma is living in left field.

As for ‘figuring out mechanics’ and ‘finding a hitch’ I’ll believe it when I see results. Just win baby.