Baseball is Poop

Four Blind Mice
When Major League Baseball instituted instant replay for home run calls we thought it would solve the problem. While hard to see from a distance at full speed, these calls are usually cut and dry on replay. Like the one Oakland's Adam Rosales hit in the top of the 9th of a game the A's were losing 4-3 to the Indians. On replay, it was clear that the ball hit a railing right behind that wall and that's why it bounced back like that. So it was a huge surprise when the umpires came out after replay review and ruled it a double. I really don't see how they possibly could have gotten it wrong. Angel Hernandez was the crew chief, and he's the worst umpire ever. But still, there were three other guys who should have reversed this obvious call.



I Love a Good Upheld Protest
Another horrible call but the umpires occurred in a game between the Angels and Astros when Astros manager Bo Porter talked the umpires into allowing him to take out a pitcher who hadn't thrown a pitch. In the 7th inning Porter brought in Wesley Wright to face Luis Jimenez. Scioscia countered by pinch-hitting Scott Cousins. So Porter went back to the bullpen for Hector Ambriz. Everyone knows that a relief pitcher has to face at least one batter except if he gets hurt. Apparently, Porter was able to convince the umpires of this, and they allowed the move. I can't understand why they didn't know the rulebook, or at least consult it. Scioscia knew it and he protested the game. But unfortunately the Angels won the game so he dropped his protest and the game didn't need to be replayed for the point of the dispute. There hasn't been an upheld protest in more than 25 years.



Money Can't Buy You Wins
The Los Angeles Angels are once again showing that you can't buy pennants. Last year after making a big splash by signing the Magnificent Pooh Holes, they got out to a horrible start and even the spectacular Mike Trout couldn't help them recover. This year they added Josh Hamilton to the mix and are off to another bad start. And it may be difficult for them to rebound. When the Angels signed the Splendid Pooh Holes I agreed that the contract would be bad by the end of it, but if they could win a World Series or two in the first 4 to 5 years, it will have been worth the investment. Now it seems like there is a good chance in 2017 the Angels will have no World Series titles and two very expensive [corrected], old, possibly injured, players hanging around their necks like an albatross.

He Was on Pace to Smash Clemens's Record
Joe Maddon would never take out a pitcher who was working on a no-hitter, so why did he remove Alex Cobb from a game in which he had a chance to accomplish something much more rare? Cobb had struck out 13 Padres in only 4 2/3 innings. That's 12 of 14 outs by strikeout, plus one strikeout on which a player reached base. The problem, Cobb had already thrown 117 pitches and the Rays were losing 3-2. I guess there was no way Cobb could have gone another 3 or 4 innings without getting up to an unnecessarily risky pitch count, but it would have been cool to see him.

Pictures of the Week
Every year on Mother's Day players employ all sorts of pink gear then sell that stuff to raise money for breast cancer charities.