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Speed Umps

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 08 2010 11:57 AM

Next time Joe West is umpiring a Sawx-MFYs game, bet the "over" on strikeouts-looking. 'Cause it seems like a smart bet. (Also, who do you side with in an Angel Hernandez-Captain Soft Rain spat? Does anyone win?) Non-Klapisch Bergen Record Guy wrote: Umpire Joe West blasted the Yankees and Red Sox just before Wednesday's game, accusing the two clubs of being "pathetic and embarrassing" in dragging the pace of games and refusing to work with umpires. "They're the two clubs that don't try to pick up the pace," said West, chief of the umpiring crew that worked the three-game series in Boston. He was the home plate umpire Sunday. "They're two of the best teams in baseball. Why are they playing the slowest? "It's pathetic and embarrassing. They take too long to play." West would not allow Angel Hernandez to comment. Hernandez denied at least three timeouts Tuesday night called by Derek Jeter, Marcus Thames and Boston's David Ortiz. The two Yankees-Red Sox games this season lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes and 3 hours and 48 minutes, respectively. "The commissioner of baseball says he wants the pace picked up," West said. "We try. And [Tuesday night's game] still almost went four hours." West and the players agreed that the initiative to speed up games is not new, dating back five years. And it is a regular topic before the season begins broached by Bob Watson, vice president of rules and on-field operations for Major League Baseball, and a representative for the umpires. "That issue is made every spring training … so it's not anything new," manager Joe Girardi said. "Are they trying to enforce it a little more? Right now it appears [they are]. The jury will be out on that at the end of the year." West said special emphasis has not been placed on speeding up games this season. But umpires are evaluated on how quickly the games move, he said. "All of baseball looks to these two clubs to pick up the pace," West said. "Angel did everything he could. The players aren't working with us. "This is embarrassing, a disgrace to baseball." West conceded that the Yankees and Red Sox often play high-scoring games and that both teams employ a strategic approach that involves hitters taking pitches. He also said pitchers attempt to be too fine. "I understand it's strategy," West said. "I understand they're trying to set up the count and take so many pitches." But he said that still does not explain the length of games between the archrivals. The Yankees involved in Tuesday's incidents would not comment. Jeter called timeout in the second inning and did not get it, but stepped out of the box completely and eventually time was called. He would not reveal what was said between him and Hernandez. "There's really no need to get into it," Jeter said. "I'm not really one to say much about umpires." Thames also tried to call timeout in the second and was denied. Posada, who got crossed up with pitcher A.J. Burnett when Ortiz asked and did not receive time, equally was non-committal. "Ask Angel. I have no idea what that was all about," Posada said. West admitted he's frustrated trying to speed up the tempo of games. But he said it's about more than just the Yankees and the Red Sox. "I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to do," he said. "I don't know how to make them pick up the pace. "It's sad when school kids can't watch the end of the game because it ends too late."

Ceetar Apr 08 2010 12:04 PM Re: Speed Umps

I suppose the insubordination by Jeter is going to be spun as 'heroic' because no one really likes umpires? I haven't watched enough of them in very recent years to know for sure if this is still the case. (But it was Sunday night..) But they take slow walks in to pull pitchers. Delay tactics and throw to first and what not. Catcher meetings, and Girardi (I yell at Manuel for this too) sometimes goes to his 3+ relievers in one inning thing that makes one inning take an hour. It's a shame time was actually called in this game. They should've let the pitcher throw the pitch and given a strike to Jeter.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 08 2010 12:10 PM Re: Speed Umps

Ceetar wrote: I suppose the insubordination by Jeter is going to be spun as 'heroic' because no one really likes umpires? It's a strong possibility that Mrs. Angel Hernandez doesn't like Angel Hernandez all too much.

Ceetar Apr 08 2010 12:11 PM Re: Speed Umps

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Ceetar wrote: I suppose the insubordination by Jeter is going to be spun as 'heroic' because no one really likes umpires? It's a strong possibility that Mrs. Angel Hernandez doesn't like Angel Hernandez all too much. She just likes guys with 4 balls.

metsmarathon Apr 08 2010 12:15 PM Re: Speed Umps

what is the penalty for a batter leaving the batters box without time being called? is there any?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 08 2010 12:18 PM Re: Speed Umps

I believe a pitch can be thrown and counted ball or strike.

Frayed Knot Apr 08 2010 12:29 PM Re: Speed Umps

metsmarathon wrote: what is the penalty for a batter leaving the batters box without time being called? is there any? If the batter steps out while only asking for time but it isn't granted, then the pitcher can throw the pitch and the ump will call it as he sees it. If the batter - for whatever reason, like excessive arguing - refuses to get back in the box after being told to, the ump then instructs the pitcher to throw the pitch and will call it a strike regardless of where it crosses

TransMonk Apr 09 2010 07:30 AM Re: Speed Umps

The Douche Strikes Back http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumo ... n&hpt=Sbin New York Post wrote: Mo hits back at ump in 'pathetic' flap 07:19 AM ET 04.09 | Normally not one to mix it up in the media, Mariano Rivera fired back Thursday at Joe West, the umpire who criticized the Red Sox and Yankees for their slow play. The Yankees closer ripped the umpire after West criticized the Yankees and Red Sox over the pace of their games. West was the crew chief for this week's series between the teams. "It's incredible," Rivera told The Post. "If he has places to go, let him do something else. What does he want us to do, swing at balls?" ... "He has a job to do. He should do his job," Rivera said. "We don't want to play four-hour games but that's what it takes. We respect and love the fans and do what we have to do and that's play our game."

metirish Apr 09 2010 07:40 AM Re: Speed Umps

Gary ,Keith and Ron talked about this the other night and Cohen question weather West used the correct forum to voice his digust. Keith and Ron piped in that West has that type of personality and always had. I like that the ump said what he said, a nine inning game taking nearly four hours....bleh.

Frayed Knot Apr 09 2010 07:45 AM Re: Speed Umps

Neither Joe West nor Angel Hernandez are exactly favorites of mine, but I love the fact that Hernandez got all stingy on granting numerous 'time-outs' and that West backed him by going public with this. Both those clubs are a chore to watch separately much less when they're on the same field and, after years of MLB claiming they were trying to do something about the length of games, I'm fine with just about anything they want to try at this point. What's annoying in the aftermath of this flap is those trying to turn this back onto the umps, especially the cries of; 'well they should just call more strikes if they want to speed things up', as if that's a logical or proportional solution. No, get in the box, stay in the box, throw your pitches at a rate better than 2 per minute, and cut the mound meetings down to less than one for every third pitch.

Edgy DC Apr 09 2010 07:50 AM Re: Speed Umps

"What does he want us to do, swing at balls?" I think he wants you to play baseball.

Ceetar Apr 09 2010 07:56 AM Re: Speed Umps

One of the things I hate about the other sports is clock management, and how un-athletic it is. No one goes to watch guys count seconds and take knees or dribble in the backfield. While there is strategy to it all, the Yanks/Sox push this to insanity, with all the throwing over, mound visits, pitching changes, stepping out, etc. It's not taking pitches that's the problem, despite how Michael Kay and John Sterling and whoever else want to spin it.

soupcan Apr 09 2010 08:34 AM Re: Speed Umps

Edgy DC wrote: "What does he want us to do, swing at balls?" I think he wants you to play baseball. Yeah, really - West isn't saying that all. Does 'Mo' read?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 09 2010 08:52 AM Re: Speed Umps

soupcan wrote: Edgy DC wrote: "What does he want us to do, swing at balls?" I think he wants you to play baseball. Yeah, really - West isn't saying that all. Does 'Mo' read? Reading is for career underlings, sniveling failures, and Orioles. True Yankees lead and achieve by taking action and leading by example, spouting platitudes in response to things they heard and by visualizing themselves equipped with horsey-lower-halves and Conan broadswords.