We All Have to Be Accountable

Let's start with the inspiration for this entry.  Following the despicable ouster of Alvarez this weekend, and a myriad of prior umpiring wrongs this season, tonight any one who watched the Boston-Detriot game (or caught the "lowlight" on TSN/ESPN) saw the unthinkable - an at-bat continuing beyond strike three.  No, this was not an occasion of the catcher dropping the ball and not making the tag (and in event, the at-bat doesn't continue in that scenario).  In the second inning, Mike Aviles struck out swinging, but only he didn't.  Homeplate umpire Jeff Nelson called a foul tip and on the appeal to first, Bill Welke determined that catcher, Gerald Laird, dropped the ball or it hit the ground first.  Either way, wrong and wrong.  Aviles missed the ball by a clear two inches and the ball landed cleanly in Laird's glove.  Not so, said the umpires; the inning continued and Aviles' subsequent single sparked a rally.

Jim Leyland was rightfully infuriated and promptly tossed.  After the game, he had one of the better interviews this entire season regarding the state of umpiring affairs.  The media were admonished to finally write something and hold the umpires accountable.  Leyland just wants what every self-respecting fan and lover of the game wants - for all players, owners, managers, fans AND umpires to be held accountable.  Displays of the nature seen in Boston today are wretched and embarassing and overall inexcusable.  Competence and quality are two factors that can weigh into an average person's discipline or dismissal from employment, so why not in umpiring?

Speaking of being held accountable, let's talk about the Blue Jays.  I understand the irony of starting this blog and naming it "Punching Tickets" in the same week that the Blue Jays' pitchers handed out 25 walks over four games.  I'll leave the genesis of the name for another day, but for now let me just say that when the Jays' pitchers are on, they have the stuff to be great.  Apparently, when they're not on...well, it can get ugly in a hurry.

So yes, our pitchers need to be held accountable.  I have to think, however, that the boys are doing a good enough job for the rest of us and fans don't need to add to the tension.  But I digress.

Speaking of being held accountable and, more importantly, punching tickets, today Drew Hutchinson took the mound and punch tickets he did.  Sure, there were three more walks, but that was over seven innings.  Over those seven innings, Hutchinson held the Orioles to three hits, topping the performance off with nine Ks.  Punching tickets! 

It was a great comeback for the rookie and for the Jays in general after a very rough road trip.  The Jays took flight early and won 6-2.  KJ was back in the lineup after a couple days to rest his hammy and got to test it out early and often (two doubles and one homerun later, I expect his hammy to be a little sore tonight). 

Here's hoping that the Jays stay in flight.  After all, they can make up three games on the Orioles with a sweep of this series and I have a strong feeling that the boys are dusting of the brooms used to clean the clubhouse.

The Ump That Broke the Fan's Back

I have been  a Blue Jays fan since I was old enough to bounce in a jolly jumper.  I remember the thrills of the back to back World Series wins - albeit, I wasn't old enough to truly "enjoy" them.  I have stayed the course through the post-lockout era, the rise of Halladay, the Riccardi era, the lose of Halladay and the new AA rebuilding phase.  Through all of this, I cannot remember a season for which I have been so excited.  Did I expect the boys to lead the AL throughout the season - no (but it would have been a great surprise if they did).  Do I think they can still improve?  Absolutely, life is growing and getting better.  Some games have been harder to endure than other (last night's laugher in Arlington for example).  But at the end of the day, I am, always have been and always will be a Blue Jays fan.

Like all self-respecting sports fans, I have strong opinions.  Until now, those opinions have been saved for my loved ones, friends, select colleagues who share a love of the Jays, and occasionally my meager number of Twitter followers.  So what has finally pushed me over the edge and into the self-indulgent realm of blogging?  That's simple - MLB umps!

As a life long baseball fan, I have seen all the blown calls, exaggerated strike zones, revenge strikes and hyper-inflated egos.  The Ump that finally broke this fan's back is the illustrious Marty Foster (of course, Bill Miller's ego of late was probably responsible for pushing me to the edge of sanity).  On a 2-2 count, Henderson Alvarez is thrown out for losing control inside (and not hitting the batter mind you).  Foster basically pushes JPA out of the way to make the botched call. It was a pathetic display of an Ump having the power to completely change the course of a game in a moment all the while being WRONG.  Other umpires should be embarrassed for Foster.  Foster should hang his head in shame and his actions should be reviewed by the MLB.  Should, should, should - but none of this will occur.  Instead, Foster will go about his business, which includes ejecting 77 players since 1996 - I wonder how many were truly warranted.

So thank you Marty Foster for freeing my voice and finally enraging this fan to the point of seeking an online forum to vent against the travesty that is MLB umping.  Yours is the only profession of which I know that employees can be so blatantly wrong, so frequently, and not be fired for incompetence.  Well, no more, says this fan.  While I fully understand that adding another voice to the legions of fans screaming to the rafters about injustices in the ballparks across North America will not change a darn thing, it will at least make me feel better.  And, hey, it also gives me an opportunity to discuss one of my favourite topics - my beloved Blue Jays (who are still alive in the 11th as I write this, despite the umps' best efforts).