As a white sox fan, I'll say this:

Every call tonight that could have gone either way, went for the Sox. There were two main plays that were obviously wrong. Once Scott Podsednik SHOULD have been picked off first, the tag was good, but the ump didn't catch it. AJ's interference was blatant too, he didn't even try to say it didn't happen in the post-game interview, just "Well, it was noisy, hard to tell something like that". The third call was a bit tougher, it looked like Podsednik was once thrown out stealing while called safe, but I never got a good enough replay view to make sure, and like hell I'll trust McCarver's opinion on the matter.

Thing is, of course, most of it was academic. Garcia pitched too well, and our guys hit too well, these were just lemon juice on the already festering wounds the Angels have suffered.

Not that I'll weep for them, heh heh heh.

-Pander

The catcher's interference call was pretty bad. Finley caught a good chunk of the webbing of AJ's glove, and that turned an inning where the Angels could have taken the lead into a killer inning for them.

The pickoff wasn't as horrible. Yeah, Podsednik was out, and the umpire should have seen it. But that wasn't nearly as devastating as a bases loaded, 1 out situation turning into an inning over situation when the ump missed the call.

Speaking of bad calls, did anyone catch The Contender fights on ESPN tonight? All three fights had pretty clear winners, at least according to all the boxing guys doing the show and all the fans there, but yet two of the fights, including the main event, were given to the other fighter. Incredible.

Boxing used to have such a firm place as a part of our culture, and it's just been ruined to the point of having almost no credibility anymore.

Normally I would pile on my boy Fins for not running out the play...HOWEVER, when the umpire comes out after the game 2 fiasco and says he watches the players to "see how they respond," then Fins running it out would imply no interference.

Damned if you do...

The Podsednik call WAS bad. I'm all about the umps being human but these are supposed to be the best of the best and they operate in the playoffs with two more sets of eyes that allow them to concentrate their focus and better position themselves for calls...theoretically.

There is something inherently wrong in the umpiring training system that these mistakes are happening. These are not subjective bang-bang plays, or sight-distance problems. These are routine calls happening within INCHES of the respective officials.

As I said in a discussion on the matter elsewhere...it's sad that a team who threw their last World Series is being tossed another.

You know, combined with the BoSox's surprising turnaround last year...I wouldn't be shocked if the Cubs ended up being next years WS Champs.

If you catch what I'm implying. It seems as though MLB is trying to stir up some interest by getting some storylines back into play.

Of course last year's Boston win was fixed. And how about the the way Selig uses a mirror to flash light into the Angel hitters' eyes every at bat from that grassy knoll?

Flitcraft is absolutely right. Lew is the best.

Jim Caple has a story on ESPN.com about AJ. Click on my name for the link.

Finley's bat did hit AJ's glove--which was clear to anyone after Fox showed the replay 100 times, including shots with the glove detail magnified like we were watching one of those forensic crime lab shows. But, I think Finley in that situation should have committed himself, one way or the other, either to stand in the box and argue for interference or bust ass to get to 1st base and worry about arguing the call afterwards. Instead, he did a little of both. So he did a lousy job of "selling" the interference, and he slowed up just enough to get doubled up and kill the rally. Nice.

If I'm the manager, I agree with Lou Piniella: I'd want my guy to run hard up the line, and we'll argue after the play is dead. I was reminded of the Tejada play a couple years ago, when he stopped halfway between 3rd and home to appeal for interference at 3rd base. He didn't get the call, and Boston tagged him out. When players want to stop the play to act like their own umpire, that's the risk they take. When will they learn? *shrug*

Podsednik was out on the pick-off play, but probably got called safe because the tag was in his armpit and the ump might have thought he'd reached past the tag safely. On the play at 2nd base, he might have been out, but the tag was applied on the back of his leg after Pods' top half had slid past: 99 times out of 100, the runner is going to get that call (and the one time he's called out, it's probably Jeter applying the tag in Yankee Stadium). By that point, I felt like Buck & McCarver were only piling on because Fox has decided that umpiring controversy is going to be the story of the series.

The Sox erased the controversy. 6 runs - they aren't being handed the series - they're outplaying the Angels. Hands down. What's Vlad hitting again?

Ladies and gentlemen, these are my back-to-back-to-back Pitch Sox. Love them or hate them, but baseball fans here should acknowledge the mastery.

And -- conspiracy theorists take note -- the White Sox last appeared in the World Series in 1959, and nobody accused them of throwing that one. Just plain lost it, or so I've read. You could look it up, thus at least getting the facts right.

Dear Mr. Flit,

Now, now.

Indeed, the Sox are playing, and pitching marvelously. The Angels poor hitting I believe is not due to any slump, but rather due to the Sox pitching staff who have found a temporarily lost mojo just in time. Indeed, the pitching has been something to see, and BG of course gives all the credit to AJ.

It doesn't sound like bad calls made the game much different (and BG agrees with the sage Mr. Wig that Joe Buck and Tim McCrapforBrains are probably trying to make it the "story of the series" because they're brain-addled airheads. BK #2 would be a better commentator and he mostly yowls.) At the same time, let's get the calls right, shall we, so we don't have to have this conversation and we can focus on the pitching and on AJ. Bad calls are a part of the game, but they shouldn't be so much a part of the ALCS. A little focus is all BG asks.

Sincerely,
BG

I agree frightwig. Just please don't compare Fins to Tejada. That player never showed any signs about caring, let alone paying attention, in a playoff game. I will always remember Tejada laughing in the batter's box when he kept forgetting his own, at the time, critical ball/strike count. The hind-brain conspiracy theorist in me pictured money under the pillows of A's players in that infamous Yankee series of the Giambi no-slide.

As for the "armpit tag, " the umpire is trained to make that correct call. His entire job is first base and he is inches away. For his level of expertise, training and pay, this is a very basic call.

The second base call, I can see your point, although I would question your 99/100 projection...if it's as close a play as you describe, then THEORETICALLY the out/safe ratio would be at least 50/50, i.e. could go either way. If an umpire is getting something "wrong" 99/100 times, then the rules need changed...and I'm not being sarcastic at all...I do know that there are arguments for the "ball reached the base first...no matter the tag," like the "in the neighborhood" tag of second on a double play. People are shocked by it, but it's been around a long time. I'm perfectly fine with any of that as long as it is consistantly called.

Any ONE or even TWO of these calls are probably within the normal error of a sample distribution. But, to have so many, with all the variables (crew, teams, etc) remaining constant, it is definitely a concern. I don't, even in jest, believe it's some purposeful agenda or we'd be ranting about whacky strike zones. What I do wonder, is how much breaking the umpire's union changed the way they do business/training. I'm not speculating that's the case, mind you, I just like exploring "butterfly effects" in all things.

Here's Adam Kennedy of the Angels quoted in today's L.A. Times. The word "umpire" is absent. More linked at my name.
---

In another corner of the Angel clubhouse, second baseman Adam Kennedy steamed, a quiet rage simmering just below the surface of his restrained voice.

There would be no shame in losing to the White Sox, a talented, balanced and well-managed group that led the league with 99 wins, but there would be no honor in going down the way the Angels are losing.

Early deficits. Feeble at-bats. Three-up, three-down innings. Getting completely out-pitched, out-hit, out-run, out-fielded, out-hustled. Fans bolting toward the exits in the eighth inning.

"We are absolutely not getting any rallies started or putting any pressure on the defense, and [the White Sox] are pretty much cruising through games," Kennedy said. "The fact that their manager is letting their pitchers go into the ninth inning is a sign they're dominating you."

Dear Flit,

Yup. And Scoscia, too, has been quite classy about all of this. Bad calls happen. You've got to win despite them.

Sincerely,
BG

"The fact that their manager is letting their pitchers go into the ninth inning is a sign they're dominating you."

Exactly. The poor umpiring is one story, but the Sox dominance is THE story.

I have to say I'm enjoying watching this dominant pitching. What a breath of fresh air after the last two overrated and sloppy Red Sox / Yankees ALCSs.

I love how easily White Sox fans can dismiss a bases loaded, 1 out situation being turned into an inning over situation. "Yeah, but like they would have scored anyway. Pa-shaw!" If the Angels tie that game up in that inning, who knows how the rest of the game goes? Maybe the Angels hitters regain some confidence. Maybe Garcia gets rattled a bit. Who knows? No one, because the game wasn't allowed to play out like the players were playing it because of bad umpiring.

If we've found out anything so far, it's that both teams are very good, and that the Angels have no idea how to respond to horrible umpiring.

I agree with Will--if AJ interference is called--then the whole game turns around and maybe the Angels get their mojo back.

Yes, the Bitch Sox pitching is dominant and has been this year--I am sure we all remember the game of the year--Santana vs. Garcia--but they have been helped not only by the umps but also by the fact (forgotten by all) that at the start of the series--the Angels played 3 games in 3 cities in 3 nites--think that is catching up to them and needs to be mentioned.

I personally think a stros-sox 'well, someone has to win one now' world series would be fun. It'll 'look' a like a twins-royals game, where no one seems to know how to swing a bat. And if the bitch sox win, we can all be happy for AJ. If not, then at least the city of Chicago won't be forced to go another year without a world series title not even knowing the bitter taste of being 'oh so close'. And that's something that everyone can be happy about.

Also, I'd like to congratulate Lou Piniella for making a mccarver/buck broadcast bearable.

Dear Mr. Bob,

I'm not sure what to make of Lou Piniella as a commentator, but I'd sure love to talk baseball with him at an establishment that served the finest liquors.

I've actually laughed at a couple of his comments and anecdotes, which I've never done during a Fox broadcast before.

Granted, Vin Scully should still be doing these games.

-SJ

I tell myself to write again with something approaching the grace of our gracious host. Better angels, etc.

I think someone may have mentioned the umpiring in this series, no? Great 'safe' call by Randy Marsh at second on Tad Iguchi's phantom tag on the front end of an attempted double play in the eighth. Iguchi had to know that he was set up well off second, even for a neighborhood play.

The Angels have been sliding hard into the bag the whole series, at least when they can get that far. They've tumbled both Juan Uribe and Iguchi with clean, give-up-the-body baserunning and I think that affected Iguchi's positioning on the play. So, with a nice decision by Marsh on a call that routinely goes the other way, the Angels are rewarded for solid, fundamental baseball.

If anyone can stand the thought -- I can barely stand it myself sometimes -- I may be back later tonight to be nice to the rest of the people I should be nice to. Off to game five. In the words of Andy the Banished Clown "Go you White Sox!"

Holy cow, as Harry was wont to say. Andy the Clown has an entry at Wikipedia. I will lift a few Falstaffs in both their honors, they should be living at this hour.

Click my name for Wikipedia.

Bad, BAD calls.

Where are you, Marty Foster?? You MUST be in on this somehow!

"The second base call, I can see your point, although I would question your 99/100 projection...if it's as close a play as you describe, then THEORETICALLY the out/safe ratio would be at least 50/50, i.e. could go either way. If an umpire is getting something "wrong" 99/100 times, then the rules need changed.."
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I don't think the runner gets called safe in that kind of instance because of a poor interpretation of the rule, but more likely because it's extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the umpire to watch for the runner's hands reaching for the bag on a head-first slide while also watching for a tag applied to the trailing half of the runner's body as he slides by.

Even in the split-second it takes for the umpire's eyes to move from the back of the runner's leg to the tip of his outstretched hands, the runner may have slid several inches forward. If the play is so close that it looks like he may have been out by an inch on slo-mo replay, I don't think we can expect the umpires eyes to adjust that quickly in real time. Almost every time when the runner has already slid past the throw, I think the umpire's eyes are going to see the runner beating the tag.

Ya know what call was the dumbest? The one when the tag was with the glove and ball was in the other hand. Duh!