Monday, July 22, 2002

I am so appalled at how utterly bad Major League Umpires have gotten.  Time after time I see plays right in front of these clueless umps at home plate where they call runners out on the basis of when the ball got there rather than whether or ot the tag was made before any part of the runner can touch home.  Tonight,  on ESPN,  in the Giants Cardinals game,  a runner comes to the plate on a grounder to third. The throw beats them easily,  but the catcher does NOT block the plate,  stands over the plate and swipe tags the runner as they slide by, feet out on front,  and the tag is applied on the shoulder as the feet have slid right past the catcher,  right onto the plate AND over,  and not only does the umpire give the non-shallant out call,  but the announcers say "why did he come home?  That wasn't even close" , even while the replay plays the play again in the background showing the runner sliding cleanly across the plate,  with a swipe tag FOLLOWING them .  It's utterly amazing that announcers can watch this and say nothing.  I shake my head. 10:47:24 PM

Rats!  Comeon' Kenny!   I understand as a person,  but as A Reds fan: ComeON! Rogers puts Reds on hold. The Cincinnati Reds have worked out an agreement to acquire Kenny Rogers from the Texas Rangers, but the veteran lefthander has put the deal on hold. Rogers has a no-trade clause in his contract and is still deciding on whether to waive it and accept the deal. [UPI - Sports Desk] 9:23:25 PM