Just when yiou thought you had seen it all

[LennG]

As my umpiring journey continues (55+ years), just when I thought I had seen it all, something happens that just boggles my mind. Not for the grandeur of it, more the stupidity of it.

We are in the bottom of the 7th inning, the home team is down 3, but they have the bases loaded and send up a pinch hitter. There are 2 outs, and all rests on this guy's shoulders. He takes the first pitch, right down the pipe, Strike One. He looks at the second pitch, again a fastball just right there. Strike 2. WTF has he been looking at? I have no idea. Next pitch a curve ball that bounces a foot in front of the plate, and you guessed it, he swings at it. The catcher didn't block it, so the batter runs to first. The catcher, all he had to do was get the ball and step on the plate for the win, but no, he has to throw the ball into right field, trying to throw the batter out at first. Now the batter is heading for second when the rightfielder gets the ball. He tries to throw it to second, but throws it so far wide of second that it goes into left field. The runner is now heading home, they get the ball and he should be dead at the plate, but instead the throw goes over the backstop and the runner scores, winning the game for the home team. They carry this guy off the field on their shoulders as if he won the game. In retrospect, he struck out, looking foolish, on a ball that never even made it to home plate, and because of the complete incompetence of the other team, he was able to make his way around the bases and score, yet he is now the school hero. SCHEEEEZ. Now I think I have seen everything.

[T200]

Was it in black and white and featured the star players named Larry, Moe, Curly, and Shemp???     

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Some pretty dumb things happen in baseball that defy logic. I remember when Jose Canseco, playing right field for the Yankees, tried catching a long fly ball for an easy out. Instead, he missed the ball completely with his glove, and it hit him on top of his head and bounced over the wall, turning a routine out into a home run lol

[LennG]

Was it in black and white and featured the star players named Larry, Moe, Curly, and Shemp???     

Might as well have been.

This was HS baseball. How can a team play well for 6+ innings, and when it comes time to just record an easy out, pretend to be Moe, Larry, and Curley? And then award a guy, who probably needed help with directions, trying to run around the bases, be carried off as the new hero of the day?

[LennG]

Some pretty dumb things happen in baseball that defy logic. I remember when Jose Canseco, playing right field for the Yankees, tried catching a long fly ball for an easy out. Instead, he missed the ball completely with his glove, and it hit him on top of his head and bounced over the wall, turning a routine out into a home run lol

When we ran our umpiring school, that was always one of the questions that was on their final exam: was that a HR or ground rule double? Many still get it wrong.