This was a email I replied to many people who were watching the White Soxs-Angels series in October. Several guys asked me to send it to them again since it is holiday seasons. People need to find topics for conversation. It is better to be prepared.

---- Oct. 15, 2005---

Hi all,

I received about 15 emails last night regarding this.
The controversy started after the strike out call on
A. J. Pierznski in Game 2 of ALCS, that runner
eventually became the game-ending winning run after
Joe Crede's double. Some of you have discussed with
me at lunch or on the phone yesterday. Sorry my
answer was short at the time because I really felt it
was th best to write it down. Please feel free to
call me either on the phone or Skype.

Here was some more background about my experience
about the game. I just finsihed my shower at
ClubSports preparing for my therapy session at 8:00pm.
Right after the strike out, people were leaving their
seats, trying to catch the break, got a glass of
water, drying their hair, etc. Me and my
buddy, Brandon, were the only left on the couch when
A. J. dashing to 1st base. Neither one of us felt the
inning was over, or you can say because we were just too big to get up quickly...

We thought it was a smart play in A. J.'s part but
horrible mistake by a Josh Paul, the 3rd string
catcher.Brandon, who played catcher at Livermore
High, thought Paul should have tagged A. J. since the
ball was so close to the dirt. Me, with all I was
taught by the catches, thought it was the right thing
to run before the umpire called you out. A. J. had nothing to lose by running to 1st base

More than 15 guys were argueing when they got back to
their seat realizing Ozuna just stole 2nd base at the
bottom of the NINTH inning, especially the Angels'
fan. "Catchers are taught that on anything close to
the ground, they are supposed to tag the batter."
Brandon's comment silienced most guys. I left to
catch my session, without knowing the outcome of the
discussion or the games. During my session, I was
thinking how this subject should be discussed. Here
are my thoughts:

1. Rule

2. Did the home plate umpire call it right?

3. Should the umpired rewarded A. J. the first base
after the protest?

4. Should the umpire make it even more clear about his
call?

For item #1, : In the baseball rule 6.05: A batter is
out when... (b) A third strike is legally caught by
the catcher; "Legally caught" means in the catcher's
glove before the ball touches the ground. There should
not be any doubt. It is the rule.

For item #2, the umpire called it the way he saw the
ball. Paul has his story, and A. J. has his version,
Edding has his. We will never know the truth. The
fact was that the ball was caught extremely on the
dirt, even it seemed to end up in the web of Paul's
glove.

This leads the #3. The only possilbe way to argue was
having Edding check the ball and see whether there was
dirt on it. Unfortunately, Paull just tossed the ball
back to the mound, and put dirt on it. Edding could
not do anything because there no more evidence to
prove Paul caught the ball.

OK, now to the item #4. Should the umpire make it even
more clear about his call? You should probably read
this article "Maybe the umpire was only half wrong" if
you have New York Time.

The best part of the article is this quote from Steve
Palermo, a super visor of umpires. He backed up
Edding ,who is only 37 if you are interested. "The
kid did exactly what he was supposed to do" "He
brings his right arm up and he doesn't say anything.
It's not his job to say, 'Oh, fellows, the ball is in
play.' You are not supposed to coach. You are
supposed to umpire."

In baseball, if first base is open, or there are two
outs, the umpire still signals a strikeout, but is not
supposed to indicate whether the batter is out or
alive. " If the catcher tagged the batter, the
umpired would have said 'Now you are out,' and done a
double pump." Palermo said.

Human error lives. Mike Scioscia put it the best, we
did not play well enough to win. Unless you a an
Angels fan, and this killed your dream of Angels
winning their 2nd rings. It is better to move on to
the game 3 tonight.

All teams need some luck to get into the World Series,
and even more to win it. If there was no rain delay
last year, Boston might be done at Game 4. With Curt
Schilling's pitcher, Red Sox actually needed two
reversed calls in game 6 to win it 4-2, one was
A-Rod's base running interference, one was Mark
Bellhorn's homers.

These are just my thoughts with good reference. Hope
it doesn't bore you.

Best,

SC

P.S. Poor Josh Paul. To know a lighter side of the
game, you can refer to this article. Paul is more a
player, just as everyone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/14/sports/baseball/14paul.html