The Doug Eddings Game

[JoJo26]

So MLB Network is showing "walk off playoff wins" - and I clicked on...and I was transported to 2005 - Game 2 of the ALCS.

The series that the Angels had to: Play Friday night in NY, Rain Out Saturday, FOX makes them play Sunday night (original travel /off day) at 8:30 pm EST, fly cross country - only to play Yankees Monday at 4:40 pm (or something like that), then fly to Chi-Town, when Paul Byrd flaps his wings for a game 1 W Tuesday ...then this game on Wednesday.

Kelvim Escobar was dealing - K's AJ...Josh Paul (who should of tagged AJ just in case) rolls the ball to the mound - sprints to dugout - Eddings TWO hand motions suggest a strike out - but AJ (who I think believed it was a passed ball strike 3 - because he saw Josh Paul running to retrieve the ball) THEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

Here I am - blazing cursing at freaking Eddings - 15 years later - at my TV. The crew choked big time. Eddings was / is garbage. I still boo his stupid ass when I see him at The Big A. 

The team was dog - ass tired / drained...and FOX didn't help by making Game 4 of the ALDS a night game (ooooooo - the NFL)

Angels had a World Series built team...and the entire thing hinged on Eddings eff up. #88..I hate him. 

 

[Brandon]

I don't take sports seriously or get bent and know the context, but this still bugs me to this day.

[daygloman]

31 minutes ago, JoJo26 said:

So MLB Network is showing "walk off playoff wins" - and I clicked on...and I was transported to 2005 - Game 2 of the ALCS.

The series that the Angels had to: Play Friday night in NY, Rain Out Saturday, FOX makes them play Sunday night (original travel /off day) at 8:30 pm EST, fly cross country - only to play Yankees Monday at 4:40 pm (or something like that), then fly to Chi-Town, when Paul Byrd flaps his wings for a game 1 W Tuesday ...then this game on Wednesday.

Kelvim Escobar was dealing - K's AJ...Josh Paul (who should of tagged AJ just in case) rolls the ball to the mound - sprints to dugout - Eddings TWO hand motions suggest a strike out - but AJ (who I think believed it was a passed ball strike 3 - because he saw Josh Paul running to retrieve the ball) THEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

Here I am - blazing cursing at freaking Eddings - 15 years later - at my TV. The crew choked big time. Eddings was / is garbage. I still boo his stupid ass when I see him at The Big A. 

The team was dog - ass tired / drained...and FOX didn't help by making Game 4 of the ALDS a night game (ooooooo - the NFL)

Angels had a World Series built team...and the entire thing hinged on Eddings eff up. #88..I hate him. 

 

I too, to this day, DESPISE Doug Eddings!

[Bronson]

58 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I don't take sports seriously or get bent and know the context, but this still bugs me to this day.

This just changed the whole momentum of the series. If this doesn’t happen I firmly believe we win Game 2. If we got past the White Sox we would have rolled over the Astros. 
 

God this still really bugs me. We win the series if it isn’t for this. No doubt in my mind.

[Brandon]

14 minutes ago, Bronson said:

This just changed the whole momentum of the series. If this doesn’t happen I firmly believe we win Game 2. If we got past the White Sox we would have rolled over the Astros. 
 

God this still really bugs me. We win the series if it isn’t for this. No doubt in my mind.

Yeah, I don't want to be dramatic but feel like I get PTSD when I see this shit. I get when we can all be homers or hope for calls, etc., but this was so blatant and like you said changed the series after someone behind him got a hit.

I don't mind losing or getting beat by a better team, but this was one of my all-time bullshit moments. I put sports in its box and try to not take shit seriously, but when I see AJ on pre-game shows or whatever I still shake my head.

The whole thing was bogus.

And I agree with you 100%......this was a WS team.

[eligrba]

Video replay would have probably changed the outcome, but knowing the Angels luck that year, the replay official would have been Angel Hernandez.

[Bronson]

Also, the fact he only ran to first was because his blind ass thought the ball got by Josh Paul is even more infuriating. Like it wasn’t a heads up play like some people claim it is.... it was a just some confused dumbass not knowing what was actually going on...

[Slegnaac]

11 hours ago, Brandon said:

I don't take sports seriously or get bent and know the context, but this still bugs me to this day.

I agree

[Taylor]

JocStrapling has to be a troll account.

[Brandon]

3 hours ago, JoJo26 said:

or Garret Anderson's eye infection vs Boston...

 

Ugh.

I brought this up in another nostalgia thread we had. I liked this team, but between the eye infection and Jose Guillen's clubhouse shenanigans it all just fell apart. The Red Sox were good that year and not saying we would have beat them, but it sucks when you beat yourself.

In that thread or responding to that post I think someone said Reggie Willits started in LF and batted clean up. Just terrible.

[Tank]

AJ took a big risk by running to first and it paid off - it was a bold move on his part. i've yet to hear an explanation from eddings on why he let it stand after he CLEARLY made the strike motion with his hands.

[Mark PT]

14 hours ago, JoJo26 said:

So MLB Network is showing "walk off playoff wins" - and I clicked on...and I was transported to 2005 - Game 2 of the ALCS.

The series that the Angels had to: Play Friday night in NY, Rain Out Saturday, FOX makes them play Sunday night (original travel /off day) at 8:30 pm EST, fly cross country - only to play Yankees Monday at 4:40 pm (or something like that), then fly to Chi-Town, when Paul Byrd flaps his wings for a game 1 W Tuesday ...then this game on Wednesday.

Kelvim Escobar was dealing - K's AJ...Josh Paul (who should of tagged AJ just in case) rolls the ball to the mound - sprints to dugout - Eddings TWO hand motions suggest a strike out - but AJ (who I think believed it was a passed ball strike 3 - because he saw Josh Paul running to retrieve the ball) THEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

Here I am - blazing cursing at freaking Eddings - 15 years later - at my TV. The crew choked big time. Eddings was / is garbage. I still boo his stupid ass when I see him at The Big A. 

The team was dog - ass tired / drained...and FOX didn't help by making Game 4 of the ALDS a night game (ooooooo - the NFL)

Angels had a World Series built team...and the entire thing hinged on Eddings eff up. #88..I hate him. 

 

Sorry to be the downer on this one but Eddings was using acceptable umpire mechanics. The fist pump can be used to indicate strike or out. Unless he vocalized "out" the responsibility lies with the catcher. This play also pisses me off but my anger is towards JP. This is an automatic mechanic for a catcher to lean over and tag the batter on any potential third strike.

[kevinb]

So I know this is going to be unpopular but as much as Eddings screwed up the call. I don’t blame him for the loss of the series, and don’t hate AJ at all he didn’t make Eddings screw up the call and it wasn’t like AJ cheap shot an Angels player. Sure that cost the Angels that game. But I put the blame on the Angels for the loss of the series. We were tied 1 to 1 in the series and the Angels Just got trampled on the rest of that series by the Sox. The Angels had a really good team that year and after that game they lost 3 straight. I don’t know how anyone blames Eddings for that series when it was one play and the Angels had opportunity after opportunity to put that game away prior to that even happening. Angels losing 3 straight after that was simply a joke I couldn’t believe that. To those who say that team was a WS team I disagree, to lose like they did in that series proves they didn’t have it which was unfortunate   That was our last best chance of winning a WS.

 

 

 

[Brandon]

3 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

So I know this is going to be unpopular but as much as Eddings screwed up the call. I don’t blame him for the loss of the series, and don’t hate AJ at all he didn’t make Eddings screw up the call and it wasn’t like AJ cheap shot an Angels player. Sure that cost the Angels that game. But I put the blame on the Angels for the loss of the series. We were tied 1 to 1 in the series and the Angels Just got trampled on the rest of that series by the Sox. The Angels had a really good team that year and after that game they lost 3 straight. I don’t know how anyone blames Eddings for that series when it was one play and the Angels had opportunity after opportunity to put that game away prior to that even happening. Angels losing 3 straight after that was simply a joke I couldn’t believe that. To those who say that team was a WS team I disagree, to lose like they did in that series proves they didn’t have it which was unfortunate   That was our last best chance of winning a WS.

 

 

 

I think there is value and merit to your post. I normally don't like to hang a series on just one play, but in this case it was a pivotal one that seemed to cost a game and also momentum. I've seen this in the corporate world, too, where something unfair or negative happens and you see employees just kind of give up.

I think it was also situational. If it was just a bad call or error randomly, then whatever. But it continued the inning and lead to AJ scoring. I don't remember the particulars and haven't watched that game in a long time, but agree that even with the error I thought we could still get out of the inning.

We seemed to fold after that call and subsequent play.

[kevinb]

16 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I think there is value and merit to your post. I normally don't like to hang a series on just one play, but in this case it was a pivotal one that seemed to cost a game and also momentum. I've seen this in the corporate world, too, where something unfair or negative happens and you see employees just kind of give up.

I think it was also situational. If it was just a bad call or error randomly, then whatever. But it continued the inning and lead to AJ scoring. I don't remember the particulars and haven't watched that game in a long time, but agree that even with the error I thought we could still get out of the inning.

We seemed to fold after that call and subsequent play.

I am one who doesn't believe momentum carries over from game to game especially when it comes to baseball. I think there is momentum in a game and yes I have seen where something goes wrong in business and people kind of just give up or think what's the next shoe to drop woe is me kind of attitude. For whatever reason the Angels had nothing left to give after that game. For whatever reason it was, it kind of was just painful to watch remembering back on it. 

Honestly I am not one to watch replays of games I have already seen, unless in some documentary like the Last Dance kind of thing, so I don't know precisely what happened. But I vividly remember multiple times when the Angels were up or tied or whatever it be and they had a couple men on base and couldn't or didn't get that final hit to drive people in. 

[Bronson]

1 hour ago, Kevinb said:

So I know this is going to be unpopular but as much as Eddings screwed up the call. I don’t blame him for the loss of the series, and don’t hate AJ at all he didn’t make Eddings screw up the call and it wasn’t like AJ cheap shot an Angels player. Sure that cost the Angels that game. But I put the blame on the Angels for the loss of the series. We were tied 1 to 1 in the series and the Angels Just got trampled on the rest of that series by the Sox. The Angels had a really good team that year and after that game they lost 3 straight. I don’t know how anyone blames Eddings for that series when it was one play and the Angels had opportunity after opportunity to put that game away prior to that even happening. Angels losing 3 straight after that was simply a joke I couldn’t believe that. To those who say that team was a WS team I disagree, to lose like they did in that series proves they didn’t have it which was unfortunate   That was our last best chance of winning a WS.

 

 

 

The Angels were completely drained from the previous series as they basically got no rest so yeah something like that can completely demoralize a team that’s already running on fumes. 
 

Angels win that game if that call doesn’t get blown. I firmly believe that. They would have went home 2-0 and feeling much better. Instead they go home tied 1-1 thinking they just cheated out of a game. That kind of shit can demoralize a clubhouse.

[kevinb]

1 minute ago, Bronson said:

The Angels were completely drained from the previous series as they basically got no rest so yeah something like that can completely demoralize a team that’s already running on fumes. 
 

Angels win that game if that call doesn’t get blown. I firmly believe that. They would have went home 2-0 and feeling much better. Instead they go home tied 1-1 thinking they just cheated out of a game. That kind of shit can demoralize a clubhouse.

I understand it. I just think they could have reacted differently. Just wasn't their series. 

[T.G.]

@JoJo26 you are now dead to me for bringing this horrible memory back.

[Slegnaac]

2 hours ago, Kevinb said:

I am one who doesn't believe momentum carries over from game to game especially when it comes to baseball. I think there is momentum in a game and yes I have seen where something goes wrong in business and people kind of just give up or think what's the next shoe to drop woe is me kind of attitude. For whatever reason the Angels had nothing left to give after that game. For whatever reason it was, it kind of was just painful to watch remembering back on it. 

Honestly I am not one to watch replays of games I have already seen, unless in some documentary like the Last Dance kind of thing, so I don't know precisely what happened. But I vividly remember multiple times when the Angels were up or tied or whatever it be and they had a couple men on base and couldn't or didn't get that final hit to drive people in. 

Momentum change wasn't just on the Angels side of the field.  I  believe that it gave a spark to the Sox.  Instead of being down 0 - 2 needing to win 4 out of 5, they were even at 1 - 1.

[kevinb]

11 minutes ago, Slegnaac said:

Momentum change wasn't just on the Angels side of the field.  I  believe that it gave a spark to the Sox.  Instead of being down 0 - 2 needing to win 4 out of 5, they were even at 1 - 1.

But even so they won 3 straight after that game. Even if you want to say well it gave the White Sox momentum for game 3 then what about game 4? The Angels go from 1 game up in the series to 1 game down in the series and they completely fold? But the White Sox were down 1 game in the series and they fought back evened it up and won 4 straight. It is what it is now. But I  believe the White Sox were the best team that year, they routed the Angels 4-1. 

[Angel Oracle]

8 hours ago, Brandon said:

Ugh.

I brought this up in another nostalgia thread we had. I liked this team, but between the eye infection and Jose Guillen's clubhouse shenanigans it all just fell apart. The Red Sox were good that year and not saying we would have beat them, but it sucks when you beat yourself.

In that thread or responding to that post I think someone said Reggie Willits started in LF and batted clean up. Just terrible.

This

One correction though: Guillen’s clubhouse blowup was late in the 2004 season, while GA’s pink eye came during the 2007 ALDS.

Between 1986, 2004, 2007, and 2008...that’s a lot of pent up dislike for the Red Sux, that finally got blown out of the water in 2009.

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by Angel Oracle

[Brandon]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

This

One correction though: Guillen’s clubhouse blowup was late in the 2004 season, while GA’s pink eye came during the 2007 ALDS.

Between 1986, 2004, 2007, and 2008...that’s a lot of pent up dislike for the Red Sux, that finally got blown out of the water in 2009.

 

Thanks. I mix up our Boston playoff losses.

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, Brandon said:

Thanks. I mix up our Boston playoff losses.

There were too many of them, totally understood.

GA actually started in 2007 ALDS game 3, but came out of the game relatively early, and that’s how Willits wound up hitting in the cleanup spot.

[Erstad Grit]

On 5/21/2020 at 11:26 AM, Mark PT said:

Sorry to be the downer on this one but Eddings was using acceptable umpire mechanics. The fist pump can be used to indicate strike or out. Unless he vocalized "out" the responsibility lies with the catcher. This play also pisses me off but my anger is towards JP. This is an automatic mechanic for a catcher to lean over and tag the batter on any potential third strike.

I'm an umpire ( mostly high school minimal jr college fill in) and I'm sorry you're wrong.  The correct mechanic would have been verbal strike three and swing mechanic and then safe sign to signal no out.  Watch any dropped third strike and you'll see.  

[Mark PT]

On 5/23/2020 at 10:19 AM, Erstad Grit said:

I'm an umpire ( mostly high school minimal jr college fill in) and I'm sorry you're wrong.  The correct mechanic would have been verbal strike three and swing mechanic and then safe sign to signal no out.  Watch any dropped third strike and you'll see.  

Oh you are barking up the wrong tree. I went to Brinkman-Freoming School in 1996 and yes it is the correct mechanic and I've worked all the way to Div 1.