It was a strike, it was closer than most are trying to make it seem but it was a strike.  He was calling a weird/small zone all day and it was a blown call.

I have been staying away from the wailing about the last pitch of today's game, but Geddy's posting of the picture (for what purpose I don't know)  reminds me that, rather than listening to everyone's various perspectives of what they saw, "let's go to the videotape":

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090703&content_id=5672946&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

To me, looking at the picture closely removes any question that this was a horrible call. Whether the Brewers would have won or not, or whether they deserved to win, are totally separate points. This was, plain and simple, a blown call that decided the game.

What really proves it to me, is that the umpire said the pitch was high. See the article that accompanies the story and the ump's hand gestures to Kendall when he questions the call. By the rulebook definition of the strike zone, this pitch WAS NOT too high.The best way to establish this is to pause the video just before the ball hits Kendall's glove.

The real clincher is that Fox said that the pitch "was a slider that never came in". In other words, he thought the pitch was inside, not high. That sounds like the hitter saying: "He fooled me with that pitch, I froze and was expecting to get rung up, but I got lucky."

quicksdraw:

radio silence:

alffan:

It was above his shoulders I think Radio... looking at the diagram.

Watch the replay. it was across the chest. That was a strike, by definition.

it was a ball that ened the game by a human umpire.

And sent thousands of sub-human fans into ecstasy

Who gives a rats rump if the ump blew the call or not! The Brewers were pathetic. They sure as hell deserved to lose even if the ump missed it. Suppan has a great day and because Braun and Fielder don't play longball we lose. I am done expecting anything out of this pathetic lineup. Hardy, Hart, Kendall. Get rid of someone or a bunch of them because with this pitching staff you cannot afford to have more than half of your starting lineup batting under 250! Yeah lets blame the ump....give me a break! When were the Brewers finally going to get one freaking clutch hit? In the 17th inning? The 21st inning?

 

brew62:

Who gives a rats rump if the ump blew the call or not! The Brewers were pathetic. They sure as hell deserved to lose even if the ump missed it. Suppan has a great day and because Braun and Fielder don't play longball we lose. I am done expecting anything out of this pathetic lineup. Hardy, Hart, Kendall. Get rid of someone or a bunch of them because with this pitching staff you cannot afford to have more than half of your starting lineup batting under 250! Yeah lets blame the ump....give me a break! When were the Brewers finally going to get one freaking clutch hit? In the 17th inning? The 21st inning?

 

 

+1

Stupid MF'ers.  That's what this team is made of.

Can't get a fccking bunt down when you need one.

Can't get the fccking pitcher out because the idiot catcher (who also can't...ummm...catch) always wants to throw them meatballs.

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.  Jason Kendall is a very close second.

When they have a big series or a division lead, their asses tighten up like a friggin' drum and they choke time after time.

I am fccking SICK of it.

brewhawk:

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

radio silence:

brewhawk:

 

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

Hmm, "pretty sure". Sounds like Cameron still has a shot at the crown.

wisblue:

I have been staying away from the wailing about the last pitch of today's game, but Geddy's posting of the picture (for what purpose I don't know)  reminds me that, rather than listening to everyone's various perspectives of what they saw, "let's go to the videotape":

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090703&content_id=5672946&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

To me, looking at the picture closely removes any question that this was a horrible call. Whether the Brewers would have won or not, or whether they deserved to win, are totally separate points. This was, plain and simple, a blown call that decided the game.

What really proves it to me, is that the umpire said the pitch was high. See the article that accompanies the story and the ump's hand gestures to Kendall when he questions the call. By the rulebook definition of the strike zone, this pitch WAS NOT too high.The best way to establish this is to pause the video just before the ball hits Kendall's glove.

That's true. By rule, the top of the strike zone is "a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants." That description refers to the batter's back, not his chest. We know that it's not called that way; if it were, the top of the zone would be just above the top of the yellow line I superimposed on the picture.

As a practical matter, and as this and most games are called, the top of the zone is about two inches above the belt at the back, or at the bottom of my thick yellow line. As you can see, the ball is still well within the zone.

I may have paused a frame or two before the ball is crossing the front of the plate, and the angle is not perfect; Geddy's still, on the other hand, is captured too late and also has a bad angle. Remember, the plate is well in front of the catcher's mitt.

A strike by rule, a strike as a practical matter, and a strike by the unwritten "too close to take" rule. A strike 199 times out of 200, as I wrote earlier. But a ball today.

Stix, while the original reaction of Macha and the boys was, I agree, disconcertingly subdued, this is something that will build. I really expect this injustice to be a spine stiffener.

injustice?  you are killing me sid.

Regarding your footer...Ty Cobb must not have cared about winning then because he should have hit .800, not .375 or whatever for his career, if he could in fact hit the ball within 15 ft of wherever he wanted to 4 out of 5 times

geddymd72:

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

You can't make a general statement here, Geddy, you should know that.  Most normal people would read your comment about Mike Cameron and say, "Gee, Geddy is frustrated with the play of Mike Cameron" or that "Mike Cameron is not playing as well as I think he should be or has in the past".  No, on the Brewers message board, every statement is taken literally, every word is critiqued until doomesday and every single one of these posters knows better than any one else. Just ask them.

geddymd72:

radio silence:

brewhawk:

 

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

Hmm, "pretty sure". Sounds like Cameron still has a shot at the crown.

Cameron's the most overrated player in baseball.  Just like you're a doctor.

Juiceman:

Regarding your footer...Ty Cobb must not have cared about winning then because he should have hit .800, not .375 or whatever for his career, if he could in fact hit the ball within 15 ft of wherever he wanted to 4 out of 5 times

geddymd72:

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

You can't make a general statement here, Geddy, you should know that.  Most normal people would read your comment about Mike Cameron and say, "Gee, Geddy is frustrated with the play of Mike Cameron" or that "Mike Cameron is not playing as well as I think he should be or has in the past".  No, on the Brewers message board, every statement is taken literally, every word is critiqued until doomesday and every single one of these posters knows better than any one else. Just ask them.

First, geddy didn't say that.

Second, I think brewhawk actually means that.

Third, so much for you not coming on this board just to rile things up.

ike1024:

geddymd72:

radio silence:

brewhawk:

 

Mike Cameron is the most overrated player in Major League Baseball.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

Hmm, "pretty sure". Sounds like Cameron still has a shot at the crown.

Cameron's the most overrated player in baseball.  Just like you're a doctor.

 

Then its true. I've shown you my license. 

 

sidney lanier:

wisblue:

I have been staying away from the wailing about the last pitch of today's game, but Geddy's posting of the picture (for what purpose I don't know)  reminds me that, rather than listening to everyone's various perspectives of what they saw, "let's go to the videotape":

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090703&content_id=5672946&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

To me, looking at the picture closely removes any question that this was a horrible call. Whether the Brewers would have won or not, or whether they deserved to win, are totally separate points. This was, plain and simple, a blown call that decided the game.

What really proves it to me, is that the umpire said the pitch was high. See the article that accompanies the story and the ump's hand gestures to Kendall when he questions the call. By the rulebook definition of the strike zone, this pitch WAS NOT too high.The best way to establish this is to pause the video just before the ball hits Kendall's glove.

That's true. By rule, the top of the strike zone is "a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants." That description refers to the batter's back, not his chest. We know that it's not called that way; if it were, the top of the zone would be just above the top of the yellow line I superimposed on the picture.

As a practical matter, and as this and most games are called, the top of the zone is about two inches above the belt at the back, or at the bottom of my thick yellow line. As you can see, the ball is still well within the zone.

I may have paused a frame or two before the ball is crossing the front of the plate, and the angle is not perfect; Geddy's still, on the other hand, is captured too late and also has a bad angle. Remember, the plate is well in front of the catcher's mitt.

A strike by rule, a strike as a practical matter, and a strike by the unwritten "too close to take" rule. A strike 199 times out of 200, as I wrote earlier. But a ball today.

Stix, while the original reaction of Macha and the boys was, I agree, disconcertingly subdued, this is something that will build. I really expect this injustice to be a spine stiffener.

You are assuming that the umpire was measuring from the belt at the back. From the front, you can see the belt line is much lower. It may be me, but I doubt that the umpire has much a view of the guys belt from the back. I would think that he would measure more from the belt buckle in front. From the front, your yellow line is about 1/3 down from the shoulders (from the front view) and 2/3 up from the front of the belt. His belt really sags as he is leaning as well.

The top red line, is approximately where I think the umpire is putting the top edge of his strike zone. Its hard to say where in the flight path the ball is, but it is a close one.