Kick Joe West Out of Baseball

[Lhalo]

The time has come. His terrible calls, triple chin, horrible music and arrogant attitude are ruining my enjoyment of watching professional baseball. The dude flat out sucks. Kick this tub of lard off the field and restore some sense of normalcy to umpiring. That is all. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

[UndertheHalo]

Angel Hernandez is about 100000X worse. 

 

Edited October 18, 2018 by UndertheHalo

[Lhalo]

Someone in my office said this last week:

“Angel makes worse calls but West makes the game about himself.”

They both need to go. 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

They only way that wasn't fan interference is if Betts reached into the seats. I couldn't tell one way or the other from the replay. Unless they install cameras pointing along the fence lines it's just a judgement call.

[Slegnaac]

Rats, I read the topic as "Joe West Kicked Out of Baseball".

Now I am really disappointed. 

[Stradling]

Joe West is bad, but that play is not on West, not even a little bit. There were enough camera angles to make the right call using replay.  This is a rule problem.   If a fan reaches into the field of play that’s interference.  If a player makes a play on a ball IN the stands there should be no interference.  

[Troll Daddy]

30 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Joe West is bad, but that play is not on West, not even a little bit. There were enough camera angles to make the right call using replay.  This is a rule problem.   If a fan reaches into the field of play that’s interference.  If a player makes a play on a ball IN the stands there should be no interference.  

 

[floplag]

43 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Joe West is bad, but that play is not on West, not even a little bit. There were enough camera angles to make the right call using replay.  This is a rule problem.   If a fan reaches into the field of play that’s interference.  If a player makes a play on a ball IN the stands there should be no interference.  

100% this.  
Not to mention it appears he was closing he glove prior to being touched of the leather would have bent differently.  
Either way how the hades do you assume an out? 

[Stradling]

His glove only closed early because it hit a fans hand.  I’m not sure how you call it an out.   Since I posted this I saw something that shows he may NOT have been reaching in the stands.  There’s a fan who helps give perspective as to where this happened in relation to the field and the seats.  A fan to the right that has a gray shirt on has his hand on the top of the yellow line of the fence and looks to be leaning forward or at least even with the fence. 

[Stradling]

[T.G.]

We need umpires that understand that every close call should go against the Red Sox.

The fans in that section should have caught Betts, pulled him into the stands and made him disappear.  I mean what's the point in having home field advantage if you can't do things like that?

Joe West, Angel Hernandez and C.B. Buckner all need to go.  Throw Doug Eddings in there too.  C'mon AW moderators - get it done. 

[Lhalo]

36 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Oh look... a ball going in the stands.

[T.G.]

The guy in the grey shirt took his eyes off the ball. What a rookie. The guy in the jeans reaching over, isn't even wearing any Astros gear. What's up with that? The guy in orange is the only one who made a legitimate effort.

[DMVol]

29 minutes ago, True Grich said:

The guy in the grey shirt took his eyes off the ball. What a rookie. The guy in the jeans reaching over, isn't even wearing any Astros gear. What's up with that? The guy in orange is the only one who made a legitimate effort.

They’d be crucified if it was Wrigley Field....ask Bartman....

[mulwin444]

It was a HR...the Stros got hosed.  Unfortunately, the PED Sux were the ones who benefitted.

[floplag]

Umpiring to me is like many other fields including the one i work in, which is IT management.  I've always felt that the best of us were those that people hardly knew our names.  It meant we did our job, we werent having to be constantly called, and things ran how they should.  I think umpire are largely the same, the ones we know are NOT in a good way.  Those who want thier name known, thats ego, not ability.  

I think this call was asinine on many levels.   Since when do we assume outs?  Since when is interference an out?  Since when is the player entitled to anything in the stands?  I look at that reply and i see his glove closing without assistance before the ball gets there, a missed catch.    Bos was given a gift by MLB.  

[Second Base]

  

[stormngt]

4 hours ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

They only way that wasn't fan interference is if Betts reached into the seats. I couldn't tell one way or the other from the replay. Unless they install cameras pointing along the fence lines it's just a judgement call.

Does the fact that Betts glove was closed when the fan touched the ball have any relevance?  Betts would never have caught the ball.

[Stradling]

21 minutes ago, stormngt said:

Does the fact that Betts glove was closed when the fan touched the ball have any relevance?  Betts would never have caught the ball.

His glove was closed because it came in contact with fans hands, so no.

[Blarg]

Astros should have played better.

[floplag]

4 minutes ago, Stradling said:

His glove was closed because it came in contact with fans hands, so no.

Thats entirely debatable, i didnt see it that way at all.  If his glove was touched the leather would have bent partially where it was touched, not closed in unison.  Alternatively his arm would have moved from push if his hand was strong enough. 
Honestly though, why does it matter?  it was obviously over the wall and fair play to fans, there is nothing that makes that illegal at all even if it was true, in fact its quite the contrary.  In play or player side of the wall is one thing, but this was clearly not that. 

[Stradling]

Yep the Astros walked 7 and hit two batters.  

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, floplag said:

Thats entirely debatable, i didnt see it that way at all.  If his glove was touched the leather would have bent partially where it was touched, not closed in unison.  Alternatively his arm would have moved from push if his hand was strong enough. 
Honestly though, why does it matter?  it was obviously over the wall and fair play to fans, there is nothing that makes that illegal at all even if it was true, in fact its quite the contrary.  In play or player side of the wall is one thing, but this was clearly not that. 

It was above the wall and would have gone out, but it’s debatable on where the fans made contact with his glove.   And yes him flying through the air (exaggeration maybe) glove open, his glove comes in contact with the fans and his glove closes because it was stopped while he was in motion.  

[Pancake Bear]

8 minutes ago, Stradling said:

His glove was closed because it came in contact with fans hands, so no.

Took me multiple times watching to see this but that is correct. Betts clearly was tracking it - his timing on the glove was perfect yet he inexplicably closed his glove early? It’s plain that he made contact at that point, but it’s hard to see. 

As to Joe West? He sucks. Needs to retire. Makes the game too much about him. But I can’t fault him for the call. Betts may have gotten the benefit of the doubt since he’s well known as an elite fielder. 

Where it’s difficult is on replay. To my eye, the ball looks over the wall when contact is made, but it’s difficult to be certain. Betts’ arm is reaching towards the wall, but his body doesn’t hit the wall until after the catch is missed - that’s what makes it hard to be sure. Depth perception on video is a tricky thing and we don’t have a camera on the actual line. 

Opinion: Probably a home run, but I think it’s too hard to overturn on video definitively and I don’t think West’s call was particularly wrong. Unlucky for Houston.