Jerry Meals

It's not often that an umpire would get so much attention, but Jerry Meals is the most hated man in New York today. Last night Jerry Meals was the umpire at first base for the Yankees-Orioles game. If the Orioles won the game, the two teams would be tied for first. If the Yankees won, they would have a two game lead over the Orioles and a three game lead over the Rays.

The game came down to the top of the 9th inning. The Yankees were finally rallying and they got to a point where it was 5-4 with runners on first and third with one out. Mark Teixeira was back in the game since straining his calf and wasn't running all that well. The Yankees' first baseman hits a ground ball to second and the Orioles record the out at second and then the throw to first. Teixeira slid into first base and was obviously safe. Click Here to view the play.

A still shot of the play

It is true that umpires can't get the plays right all the time, but that play he has to get right. Umpires are just like players. They can make 999 great calls and then 1 bad call in a big situation. In 1986 Bill Buckner had a .989 fielding percentage and missed one ball in the playoffs. That one botched play will now leave Buckner associated with terrible fielding forever, even though he is one of the best first baseman ever.

The same can be said for umpires. Jim Joyce is one of the game's best umpires. He blew one call in the famous "Imperfect Game." Now the veteran umpire is associated with umpires making terrible calls. People just have to realize that players aren't perfect and the same goes for umpires.

Then there is the ongoing debate about instant replay. If instant replay was added to the game, the game would be extended to probably 4 hours. The managers would want to abuse it, on every close call the instant replay would be used. I recommend that there be a 5th umpire (7th in playoff games). This umpire would sit in the video room and review every play to make sure that it was the right call. If a manager protests a call, 3 out of the 4 umpires on the field (4 out of 6 in play off games) would have to agree to review it. The 5th umpire would then be notified and then review the call. A phone similar to the phone to the bullpen would be installed in every home dugout and that is how the on field umpires would contact the review umpire. The review umpire would then reveal his call via telephone and the call will remain the same of be changed.