Umpire in Game 4 Admits He Blew Calls

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Umpire Tim McClelland admitted missing two calls during Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday night, the latest incident in what has been a bad October for umpires.

"I'm just out there trying to do my job and do it the best I can," McClelland said in a post-game statement. "And unfortunately there was, by instant replay, there were two missed calls."

McClelland, a veteran umpire considered one of the best in the game, first ruled that Nick Swisher had left too early when tagging up from third on a fourth-inning fly ball to center. Replays indicated that he didn't.

"In my heart I thought he left too soon," McClelland said. "But the replay showed that he didn't."

An inning later, Robinson Cano was at second and Jorge Posada was at third when Swisher hit a bouncer back to the mound. Pitcher Darren Oliver threw to catcher Mike Napoli, who chased Posada back to third. Cano was also approaching third. Napoli, with the ball in his bare hand, tagged Cano as he stood off the bag and then tagged Posada. Only Posada was called out.

"I thought Cano was on the base," McClelland said. "I was waiting for two players to be on the base, when there was never the situation where both of them were on the base at the same time."

The incident will certainly increase the call for use of instant replay to be expanded from its current use, which is only for boundary calls on home runs.

Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who works for the Yankees, said after the game that he'd be in favor of more instant replay.

"Seems like it to me," he said, "but that's a commissioner issue. I would be for it."

Jackson added: "One of the best umpires in the game had a bad night. That's not OK, but it will happen."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

10-21-2009 @ 1:10AM

sr72s said...

Umpires are human and humans make mistakes. If we are able to and can go back in time, I'm sure you'll find many mistakes throughout baseball history. It only seems like there's more mistakes now will all the TV cameras and the internet with today's technology. It all basically balances itself out. If the commissioner decides to expand instant reply, that's OK by me, but I really don't think that's necessary.

10-21-2009 @ 1:37AM

pahtoo said...

What about time like the Oklahoma/Oregon football game a few years ago when even with Replay they got it wrong twice? Might as well go all the way and have lasers call balls and strikes.

10-21-2009 @ 1:48AM

beny75 said...

Lasers would not have caught either error. McClelland is famous for having an incredibly consistent strike zone

10-21-2009 @ 12:15PM

James said...

That's the PAC 10 for you, the cheatingest bunch in college football. The entire conference should get the "death penalty."

10-21-2009 @ 1:49AM

Lakergregg said...

Time to get rid of the "umpires are humans" bullsh*t. I'm human and if I can't get my job right I'm gone.
Just like everyone else would be.
These guys get paid a lot of cash to call balls and strikes, safe or out, fair or foul.
It ain't rocket science.

10-21-2009 @ 2:07PM

bigrocknoise said...

Amen to that, brother! They are not asked to do very much for the outrageous money they make. MLB umpires starting salaries are around $120,000 and senior umpires are making up to $350,000 a year. Those figures are straight from the MLB website. If I was to f**k up like these guys do on a regular basis, I would be out of a job in a heartbeat. I have a pretty stressful job with a lot of responsibilities, and I don't make anywhere near that kind of money.

10-21-2009 @ 7:30PM

dusty754 said...

Nope. It aint rocket science. Fact is they make mistakes. GET THE HELL OVER IT. Everybody makes mistakes. Guess the game of baseball will continue on mistakes included.

10-21-2009 @ 1:59AM

docfcc said...

The game is slow enough, replay would make it unbearable. I don't want rallys stiffled by instant replay. The human element is a part of the game, and on the whole, I think it all balances out. BTW, the article failed to mention that Swisher was clearly picked off on second base prior to the tag up call. The blown call on the tag up balanced the blown pickoff call on second. Just part of the game.

10-21-2009 @ 3:26AM

Richard said...

Gimme a break. How much time is wasted by the managers running out to dispute all these bad calls? An additional umpire, stationed in front of a TV screen, could view every angle and give a proper decision in less time.

10-21-2009 @ 10:36AM

w8anders said...

It would take adout 15 seconds to check a replay and get it right.

10-21-2009 @ 2:25PM

AshburnStadium said...

The NFL and NHL both use instant replay when a call is in question.

In fact, the NHL sends the video via satellite to a "war room" in Toronto where league officials make a final decision.

It is high time for baseball to implement full instant replay.

10-21-2009 @ 3:52PM

tmmytomato said...

There is no such thing as a bad call "balancing" out another bad call. A bad call is exactly that - bad. That's like killing someone by mistake but letting a mass murderer go free as a "make up" call to even things out. Bad calls are bad calls.
Also, I can't buy into the idea that the game is too slow already so let's have a series of wrong calls just to allow the game to go a little faster - what's the use?

10-21-2009 @ 2:31AM

cardflo said...

These playoff and World Series games are a big deal for the sport of baseball and the umpires need to make the right calls. What really frustrated me is that the third base umpire looked to be trying to get some help from the other umpires, but they never came to his assistance. These games should have instant replay available. This game wasn't close, but the next one might be. I agree with LakerGregg if the umps are human they can make errors. Take a lead from football and horse racing and try harder to take the "human" factor out of it.

10-21-2009 @ 3:11AM

burnsengine said...

No. No. No. NO. No replay.
When we do watch instant replay, in the comfort of our homes, you'll see the umps get it right about 99% of the time. Granted tonight was an anomaly and inexcusable. And, also granted, this year has been a bad year for the umps. They've made some really bad calls, especially during the playoffs.
But, compared to other sports, these guys are phenomenal!
Replay? No. Keep the game as pure as possible.
Instead, a series of fines for the umpires on "blown" calls.. like tonight. In other words, plays that aren't even close and MLB should slap them with a womp-in-the-wallet.

10-21-2009 @ 3:22AM

jgc711 said...

the human factor will always be a part of any sport, replay or no replay...if there is a replay, who will review the play...a human...

10-21-2009 @ 4:00AM

Thomas said...

The sudden cries for instant replay in baseball are turning the game of inches into the game of pixels. While the argument that umpires are human and make mistakes is valid and is also my position, these mistakes, and the correction of these mistakes via television screen, are turning baseball into yet another "perfectly officiated" game. We all have seen how the college football world has benefited from instant replay, or rather how the games have been extended with fans booing each replay time (unless it was clearly a blown call that went in favor of the visiting team and its reversal would be in favor of the home team) and not to mention the added 5 minutes of commercials during games with 3 or more replays. I have played baseball for 13 years and do not fully agree with the use of instant replay having a larger realm in the playcalling of umpires. As a first-baseman, I have had a number of calls go against me and a number of close calls for me. While these calls were at the community-baseball level and not the World Series or AL/NLCS, the use of instant replay every time there is a close call would only extend the games further and drive more fans away from the game. If Commissioner Bud Selig were to allow instant replay to further "assist" the umpires, eventually each bang-bang play, each double play, each tag, each shoestring catch would have to be reviewed, leading to the "Major Review Leagues" and, yes, more accurate calls. But isn't the controversey what the fans live for?

10-21-2009 @ 4:38AM

Manny said...

Its not our job and we dont get paid to make calls so its ok if we miss one here or there and we make mistakes... However, it is THEIR JOB!!! It is THEIR JOB TO GET IT RIGHT every time. It is not ok for me to make mistakes at my job and it is not ok for them to make mistakes at their job. They should be able to get it right 100% of the time.... 3 missed calls???

10-21-2009 @ 4:40AM

Ron Pizz said...

I think the third base umpire was standing too close to third base in calling Swisher out for leaving early. In my 25 years of umpireing fast pitch softball, one of the first thing we learned was " don't smother the play " and he was right on top of the play.
In all my years of umpireing I can't ever remember TWO missed calls in one inning, come on guys get on the ball, these are important games.

10-21-2009 @ 5:42AM

obamaizadope said...

The blown call with Cano, and Posada was inexcusable. Stevie Wonder could see they were both out. That ump should be suspended for at least one game, and sent to the eye doctor to boot..