Umpire behind the plate?

[Grommet]

What the hell was up with this guy? This is what pisses me off about sports in general is the officials. There is no way to judge these guys. The calls that they make are to subjective to hold them to any standard. In my opinion the ump behind the plate cost the Rebels the game last night. Every Ole Miss pitcher stood up there shaking his head in dismay or outright cussing the ump out for crappy calls. Bianco was taking it pretty well by not getting pissed off at every bad call instead he would just walk out and talk to the ump at the end of each inning. I went to Ole Miss but I am an LSU fan. I rarely pull of Ole Miss so I don't think that I am biased on this topic. What did ya'll think about this azzclown? I thought the blow to the head early in the game would help him out but I think it got worse. I saw the Cuban Nationals get calls all night that Ole Miss never got. It is just a damn shame to see kids play so hard and lose a game because of one man's opinion.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Well, due to the ump rotation, we had three different umps behind the plate during the series. All were inconsistent.

At times, for the Reb pitchers, the strike zone seemed to be the size of a grapefruit and shifting from batter to batter. During one inning in the middle of the game, when Miami scored two runs to go back ahead, Weeks should have been called out on a called third strike ---a perfect pitch by Kline in a location that had earlier been called a strike WITH THAT SAME BATTER. Instead of being out, Weeks gets a hit on the next pitch and goes on to score that inning, an inning that should have been over without any runs scoring.

So, yes, those bad calls do affect a close game. And they were noticed, not just by the fans, but by the ESPN announcers, including MSU alum Brantley. What can you do? Your players just have to adjust the best they can, and try to keep their composure. Our young frosh Lance Lynn did not handle it very well and lost his focus.

I know it is part of the game. And some calls are going to be missed. But if the strike zone is the size of a grapefruit for one team, then it should be that same size for the other. Miami hits well enough ----they didn't need any help.

[webbmaster]

I heard from somebody, who heard from somebody else who read on a internet message board that the umpire had an anti-OM agenda.

Of course, this is all speculation...

[bigoak]

I thought they rotated but the ump behind the plate Monday night looked like the same one that was behind the plate Saturday night. Dark hair with a big dark mustache. He was at first base on Sunday night. He was the one that was so bad. I may be wrong.

[MudHog]

You know, EVERYBODY always blames the umps or complains about the umps. Do most of these complainers actually know what a ump goes through and how little he does get paid. They all call the game how they see it and it doesn't help to argue with an ump. Only thing a coach arguing with an ump does is worsen the situation for the team. There is also a huge shortage for umps from the pony league all the way up the chain. These guys are out there because they want to and nobody else wants to be there. Give the guys a break and let them call the game the way they see.

Am I saying they never make a bad call? Nope, everybody makes mistakes, but the ump is the first person people complain about.

Far as a strike zone, I'd personally rather see a tight strike zone. For me this proves a pitcher has control of his pitches and isn't throwing these junk or trash pitches.

[FnW man]

The HP Ump was TERRIBLE last night

[Grommet]

MudHog I understand the situation with a shortage of umpires and the fact that they don't get paid well. I have no problem if they suck at there job as a lot of them do. The problem that I have is when one team gets a very broad strike zone like last night for Miami which consisted of the other batters box and the other has to hit the friggin mitt. If someone tivoed or taped the game go back and look. Ole Miss threw three strikes right down the middle (belt high and right through the middle of the plate) that were called balls. That is a friggin shame. I have seen plenty of bad umpires and usually it doesn't matter but in a close game that is give and take it does matter. My point is that he is human and if you couldn't tell that he would be damned if Ole Miss won that game after Ole Miss's starter hollered something at him to end I think it was the first maybe second inning then you didn't watch the game very close.

[camlock]

MudHog I understand the situation with a shortage of umpires and the fact that they don't get paid well. I have no problem if they suck at there job as a lot of them do. The problem that I have is when one team gets a very broad strike zone like last night for Miami which consisted of the other batters box and the other has to hit the friggin mitt. If someone tivoed or taped the game go back and look. Ole Miss threw three strikes right down the middle (belt high and right through the middle of the plate) that were called balls. That is a friggin shame. I have seen plenty of bad umpires and usually it doesn't matter but in a close game that is give and take it does matter. My point is that he is human and if you couldn't tell that he would be damned if Ole Miss won that game after Ole Miss's starter hollered something at him to end I think it was the first maybe second inning then you didn't watch the game very close.

From a baseball standpoint, and I would imagine Bianco agrees, we didn't help ourselves yelling at him and the umpire wasn't great. HOWEVER, when you give 2 runs on 3 errors, that not only score 2 but extend innings for more. When you got a hitter 1-2 with 2 outs and miss your pitch by 10 freaking inches and give up a RBI to not only take a lead AGAIN but extend the inning and not get the 3rd out. When you miss you spot to Danny Valencia and leave it over the middle of the plate for him to BANG on...TWICE...When you walk 3 and hit two in 2 innings....When you continue to be stolen on and do NOTHING to stop them....you can't blame the umpire. We do the things we CAN control without playing tense and making mistakes. We win despite the umpire...

[jkb87]

i could be wrong, but im pretty sure that ump didnt cost ole miss the game, and he is human, but if that ump cost ole miss the game, haha, nevermind, come on fellows, are some of ya really blaming the guy behind the plate, welcome the the wonderful world of sports, where everybody is human..........

[Po Monkey Lounger]

I don't expect perfection, but I do expect some form of consistency. This is expecially important in college baseball with the aluminum bats ---advantage already to the hitters. Call a big strike zone, or call it tight, but just be consistent.

That said, the umps did not cost us the game last night. Like Cam said, we pretty much made enough errors and mental mistakes to do ourselves in without the umps help. The missed calls by the ump just made an already frustrating night, even more frustrating.


Our young pitchers will no doubt learn from this experience and perhaps be able to better maintain focus and composure in the future when such happens to them in big games. Its part of the game.

[RebelYelp]

the ump was none other than Jack Cox... believe he's an MSU grad, but not 100 %, yes this is the same Jack Cox who nearly cost ASU last year calling a balk with bases loaded in bottom of 9th... claimed the pitcher never came to a complete stop, but video review left the announcers baffled at the call....

[camlock]

the ump was none other than Jack Cox... believe he's an MSU grad, but not 100 %, yes this is the same Jack Cox who nearly cost ASU last year calling a balk with bases loaded in bottom of 9th... claimed the pitcher never came to a complete stop, but video review left the announcers baffled at the call....

still he did nothing to cost Ole Miss the game...our pitchers were way off and scared to death...our fielder pressed...we scored 9 runs, we hit, 9 runs should win!

[Greenhead22]

"That's Baseball" !!!

[lower14]

The HP Ump was TERRIBLE last night

He wasn't nearly as bad as the Ole Miss pitchers. None of them had any command. When the first pitch is at the neck and a foot outside and the second pitch bounces in the dirt, you can't expect to get the call when the third pitch paints the black.

The Rebel staff just looked like Grade-A booty all series long. Nobody could consistently hit their spots, nobody could keep the ball down, and nobody had good movement on the fastball or break on the curves/sliders. You simply can't win a Super Regional when nobody pitches well. Hell, it's a testament to the Ole Miss offense that they were able to stay in the series until the 7th inning of Game 3.

[crackhead]

"its a game of inches"!!!