Joe West has an agenda

[Balta1701]

Games take too long anyway. Hitters should be hacking.

I love this line showing up in a Joe West thread.

[BearSox]

Letter high strikes haven't been around for a long ass time and there's a good reason for that. It totally screws left handed hitters.

Ha, GMAFB. Do lefties usually have more uppercut swings than righties? Seems like that. But if you ever studied Ted Williams, you'd know that a slight uppercut is a necessary thing in every swing. When a pitcher throws the ball, the ball is coming down at a slight angle, because of the mound height. The ball never comes in on a flat plan and if it did, it would be way high, out of the zone. To counter the ball coming down at an angle, you have to swing with a slight uppercut if you want a shot at truly hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the bat. Even the high fastball comes down at an angle.

 

And, while lefties love the ball low and inside... a lot of hitters do. And while some lefties struggle to catch up to a high fastball, and lot of righties struggle with the same pitch.

 

But according to you, calling the high strike is a bad thing cause it screws lefties? Ha. Yep, it sure did screw Babe Ruth, Lou Gherig, Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, etc, etc, etc...

 

Any good major league hitter should be able to have the bat speed to catch up a letter high fastball. Just cause lefties have an uppercut swing doesn't mean they are screwed vs. the high fastball. Hell, I'm a lefty and when I still played, I loved the letter high fastball probably more than the low and inside fastball. If anything, the MLB is screwing pitchers by taking away a part of the plate, making the strike zone even smaller for them.

 

Also, as far as the strike zone is concerned, now it is basically all the umpires judgment. Back in the day there used to be strict strike zone rules like the arm-pits for the high strike, then they changed it to the top of the letters, etc. Now, it really does seam like there is no set strike zone, just whatever that ump feels is the strike zone.

[TitoMB345]

Hopefully this Fat Ass loses his job. He's consistently one of the worst umpires in the game. It's UNBELIEVABLE that he is still on the MLB payroll.

[WCSox]

Hopefully this Fat Ass loses his job. He's consistently one of the worst umpires in the game. It's UNBELIEVABLE that he is still on the MLB payroll.

 

All it would take is one manager forfeiting a game when West was behind the plate. Who do you think MLB would side with, Joe West or the tens of thousands of angry fans who don't get to see the game that they paid for?

 

[JorgeFabregas]

No manager would do that. MLB would fine the team and manager into oblivion.

[WCSox]

No manager would do that. MLB would fine the team and manager into oblivion.

 

If an organization truly felt and had evidence that an umpire was repeatedly biasing calls again them and MLB was ignoring their accusations, it would be a possibility. One game out of 162 is a small price to pay for forcing a corrupt umpire out of the game.

 

[Balta1701]

If an organization truly felt and had evidence that an umpire was repeatedly biasing calls again them and MLB was ignoring their accusations, it would be a possibility. One game out of 162 is a small price to pay for forcing a corrupt umpire out of the game.

Depends on if you're in a pennant race or not.

 

And you'd have about 30,000 angry fans to deal with somehwo.

[WCSox]

Depends on if you're in a pennant race or not.

 

And you'd have about 30,000 angry fans to deal with somehwo.

 

Not if you do it on the road.

 

I think that threatening to do so would be the best course of action. It would certainly force MLB to deal with the issue.

 

[T R U]

there had to be something personal involved in this, there's no way Buehrle balks in two consecutive innings..

[TitoMB345]

there had to be something personal involved in this, there's no way Buehrle balks in two consecutive innings..

As far as I'm concerned, neither was a balk.

[lostfan]

I'm just really happy to see Joe West finally facing a massive backlash.

[scenario]

Source: Umpire Joe West to face discipline from MLB. Punishment will be suspension or fine. Umpires union and MLB talking about severity. via Jeff Passan

 

MLB plans showdown with umpire Joe West by Jeff Passan

 

Very good article

 

 

[TitoMB345]

MLB plans showdown with umpire Joe West by Jeff Passan

 

Very good article

FTA: "MLB reprimanded West during a phone conversation Thursday and will continue to consult with the World Umpires Assocation – of which West is president – to determine the severity of his punishment."

 

Really? He's f***ing president? Oh man, they screwed the pooch on that one..

[T R U]

As far as I'm concerned, neither was a balk.

 

Didn't really look like it, but two in consecutive innings? come on now

[Quin]

I'm beginning to like the prospect of challenges like in football for baseball.

[IlliniKrush]

Regardless of whether it was a balk, tossing your glove like that will get you tossed 100% of the time. So, MB deserved to get tossed for his actions.

 

To those of you who think a letter high strike should be called...wow. You want 1-0 baseball games and .200 averages, you got it. You can't hit 95 MPH pitches at the freaking letters. There's a reason that's not called. You can drop your hands and have a better chance hitting a knee/below the knee pitch than you do anywhere up there. That's ridiculous thinking.

 

Plus, over the history of the game, with all the changing of the strike zone via the rule book and the strike zone, every year the MLB average has been around .260.

 

Seems like they know that they are doing in that regard.

 

 

Also, as far as the strike zone is concerned, now it is basically all the umpires judgment. Back in the day there used to be strict strike zone rules like the arm-pits for the high strike, then they changed it to the top of the letters, etc. Now, it really does seam like there is no set strike zone, just whatever that ump feels is the strike zone.

This couldn't be further from the truth. You may not like a call or two in a particular game, but all the stats, now that you have Questec, says they are all calling about the same zone, day in and day out. Most umpires score over 95% every game. Those who aren't don't stay around very long. If anything, you used to have control over "your" strike zone back in the day. Anyone else remember Eric Gregg/Livan Hernandez? You don't see anything close to that whatsoever right now. That's not way back in the day, granted, but it's still before Questec.

Edited May 28, 2010 by IlliniKrush

[WCSox]

West is always promoting something. His country music CD. His line of umpiring gear.

 

I hope that Passan was being sarcastic here. Because that would be really sad.

 

The comparison with Ed Hochuli is a good one. Hochuli has blown a couple of high-profile calls in recent years and, even after admitting fault, has taken the high road when slammed by the wronged head coach and the press. Hochuli respects the game and its players and, as a result, the respect is given back to him. Joe West could learn A LOT from Ed Hochuli.

 

Anyway, it's nice to see that MLB is coming down on this douche.

Edited May 28, 2010 by WCSox

[qwerty]

Regardless of whether it was a balk, tossing your glove like that will get you tossed 100% of the time. So, MB deserved to get tossed for his actions.

 

To those of you who think a letter high strike should be called...wow. You want 1-0 baseball games and .200 averages, you got it. You can't hit 95 MPH pitches at the freaking letters. There's a reason that's not called. You can drop your hands and have a better chance hitting a knee/below the knee pitch than you do anywhere up there. That's ridiculous thinking.

 

Plus, over the history of the game, with all the changing of the strike zone via the rule book and the strike zone, every year the MLB average has been around .260.

 

Seems like they know that they are doing in that regard.

 

 

 

This couldn't be further from the truth. You may not like a call or two in a particular game, but all the stats, now that you have Questec, says they are all calling about the same zone, day in and day out. Most umpires score over 95% every game. Those who aren't don't stay around very long. If anything, you used to have control over "your" strike zone back in the day. Anyone else remember Eric Gregg/Livan Hernandez? You don't see anything close to that whatsoever right now. That's not way back in the day, granted, but it's still before Questec.

 

It's not a 100% guarantee, playoffs or regular season.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007...&id=3049925

 

I will agree with you that the ejection was the right call though, regardless if it was a balk or not.

 

 

[IlliniKrush]

It's not a 100% guarantee, playoffs or regular season.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007...&id=3049925

 

I will agree with you that the ejection was the right call though, regardless if it was a balk or not.

Qwerty, that wasn't showing displeasure with an umpire. That was pissed at himself. You're comparing apples and oranges here.

 

Nyjer Morgan threw his glove the other day during play and let up an inside the park home run. Not a comparison because the umps could care less about those.

Edited May 28, 2010 by IlliniKrush

[qwerty]

Qwerty, that wasn't showing displeasure with an umpire. That was pissed at himself. You're comparing apples and oranges here.

 

Nyjer Morgan threw his glove the other day during play and let up an inside the park home run. Not a comparison because the umps could care less about those.

 

No apples and oranges being compared here.

 

Rule 9.01 (d)

 

Each umpire has authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager or substitute for objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field. If an umpire disqualifies a player while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further action is possible in that play.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/off..._the_umpire.pdf

 

The example i gave with lilly sure as hell fits the description of unsportsmanlike conduct, regardless if the umpire was the reason the glove was thrown or not.

[greg775]

To those of you who think a letter high strike should be called...wow. You want 1-0 baseball games and .200 averages, you got it. You can't hit 95 MPH pitches at the freaking letters. There's a reason that's not called. You can drop your hands and have a better chance hitting a knee/below the knee pitch than you do anywhere up there. That's ridiculous thinking.

 

Then change the rules.

It's ridiculous to have a pitch just above the belt called a ball. It just is stupid.

Why is it ridiculous thinking to want the rules enforced?

I think hitters should be hacking at pitches just above the f***ing belt. But that's just me.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Joe West line of umpire gear comes in 3 sizes, Fat, Fatter and Joe West size...

[scenario]

"West is always promoting something. His country music CD. His line of umpiring gear."

 

I hope that Passan was being sarcastic here. Because that would be really sad.

 

West Vest Equipment

 

http://www.umpirejoewest.com/products.htm

Edited May 28, 2010 by scenario

[BearSox]

Plus, over the history of the game, with all the changing of the strike zone via the rule book and the strike zone, every year the MLB average has been around .260.

 

Seems like they know that they are doing in that regard.

Look at the batting averages in the major leagues from 1920-1940. I didn't do the official math but the average was somewhere in the .280's with the high being .292 in 1925 and the low being .267 in 1940, and mainly ~.280's in between. The official high in AVG was 1930 with .296, but lets not count that cause that is the year the National League juiced up the ball and hit .303 as a league.

 

However, do you know what the strike zone was before the 1950's? The top of the knees to the top of the shoulders. Think about how tough it was for the hitters back then compared to today... yet, they seemed to get by fairly ok.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Joe West just keeps digging himself a hole.....

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5225554

 

You can hear his 11 minute interview on 670 The Score, and at around the 2:30 mark he starts talking about how he did not want to eject Buehrle because he is a fast working pitcher.......

 

"As soon as I kicked him out of the game I was thinkin, "Aww, this is great, now how long is this game going to take?", so you know, we aren't looking to kick him out of the game"

 

Seriously Joe? You ACTUALLY think to yourself that you shouldn't eject a guy because he makes the game go by quicker? Wow. He is just scum. I wonder how many plays he calls the guy out just so the game does not take too long....