At 2 o' clock in the morning, after almost seven hours of gameplay, I watched my favorite baseball team lose a game on a call heard round the world. Jerry Meals will always be remembered now... and that's the worst thing that can happen to a major league umpire.
I can't say the guy doesn't deserve everything he gets. He obviously wanted to beat the early morning traffic home. How else do you explain him inexplicacly calling Julio Lugo safe at home, after Michael McKenry applied a tag five feet in front of home plate?
I've watched baseball for a long time and suffered through over 100 games a season (even I couldn't watch them all) of Pirates' baseball for years and years, and I've never seen a runner called safe at any base when the ball beats him to the bag... whether he was tagged or not! I do believe the right call needs to be made, but let's just say he missed him for grins and giggles. The ball was so far in front of Lugo that he had to be called out. Even if he was wrong, not a single person would be discussing it today.
But here we are, and Jerry Meals name is synonomous with baseball umpiring failures right next to Jim Joyce. Here's to hoping Meals admits his fault and explains why he actually made that call. It would be much more noble than the nonsensical excuse he tried to pull so far.
Here's the rest of the best on last night's loss:
From David Schoenfield, ESPN.com - He argues that this was, in fact, the worst call ever.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/14246/we-have-a-new-worst-call-ever
From David O' Brien, Atlanta Journal Constitution - Last night's game recap.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-beat-pirates-4-1050295.html
From Bob Smizik, Post-Gazette - Talks about the call and urges Pirates to make a trade.
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29554-overpaid-overbay-overdue
From Jeff Passan, Yahoo Sports - Another look into MLB Replay
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Auzc1oAhGaG3hp_VA0hjCXQRvLYF?slug=jp-passan_pirates_braves_blown_call_replay_072711
And here's some oddly timed lighter Pirates material that will hopefully make you feel better:
From Dejan Kovacevic, Tribune Review - He tells the Pirates to make their voice heard and show the MLB that we're not going to be kicked around anymore.
http://blog.triblive.com/dejan-kovacevic/2011/07/27/embrace-the-moment-pirates-and-speak-up/
From Gene Collier, Post-Gazette - The Pirates are becoming miracle workers.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11208/1163158-150-0.stm
From Bob Klapisch, The Record (northjersey.com) - Pirates success is healing the wounds of the past.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Pittsburgh-Pirates-2011-success-healing-deep-wounds-for-fans-072611
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