Let’s just say that Jerry Mears probably isn’t getting an invite for the end of the season umpires party at Fenway Park this year.
Looks safe to me.
Via NBC Sports: ”Meals admitted after the game that he made the wrong call. Which is good. Personally, I have less of a problem with the call itself than his positioning to make the call. Everything happens so fast that bad calls are going to happen. It’s giving oneself the best chance to make the right call that’s important. Meals had all day to set up, knowing that the play at the plate was forthcoming. Yet he still put himself at the worst possible angle to judge the play. It’s ridiculous that home-plate umpires still retreat behind the catcher to make the call at the plate. The percentage of missed calls at home plate is maybe the single biggest reason expanded instant replay is needed.”
Meals has done this before, blown a call at home plate because he was in a bad position. The fact that it took him about five minutes after the game to admit his mistake shouldn’t be celebrated. Rather, it should be a clear indication that something should be done. Easy fix is that he could get his fat ass in the proper position to make a call, not a position that puts the catcher smack dab in his line of sight. More elaborate fix: expand instant replay. It’s getting to a point where someone may have to erect Bud Selig‘s corpse long enough for him to sign this into effect. I wrote about my distaste for Selig today, but only touched on the replay issue. Fact is, replay needs to change because, that game last night could decide who wins the division and who has to play a win or go home playoff game. That call could cost a franchise millions of dollars in extra home game attendance. Now, shit is starting to get real.
Let’s clean up our act MLB. Stop throwing down 50 game suspensions like it’s skittles and get back to improving the game as a whole.