It’s hard to put together a good at-bat when balls that are a foot-and-a-half outside the strike zone are called for strikes. That’s what happened to Nate McLouth in his six pitch at-bat against Rafael Soriano in the top of the 10th on Wednesday night.
With a runner on second base, McLouth worked a 3-0 count on pitches low and outside. Pitches four and five were also balls (as shown in the graph below), but were called as strikes by home plate umpire Brian Gorman.
McLouth took a swing at what should have been ball six and lined into a double-play. He likely would have been called out on strikes either way.
I’m not making excuses for the Orioles loss, there was a lot they could have done to prevent it. But this was a case of some terrible calls on McLouth.
You are making excuses for the O’s loss!!!!
Kuroda was squeezed on at least 10 strikes that were called balls.
I guess that is okay with you.
The O’s were beneficiaries of some strange calls by the umpires ALL season, remember Texeira being calledout at first?
There were many reasons that the O’s won so many one run calls –perhaps a lot of luck, some umpire calls, whatever.
It does average out, stop lamenting.
http://pitchfx.texasleaguers.com/charts/gen/4931332012100720121010AAAAAstrikezone.png
He was jobbed on 3 pitches and got generous calls on 3 pitches. One of the 3 pitches he got jobbed on probably should count double, because it was right down the middle, but other than that he wasn’t squeezed any more than Miguel Gonzalez, who was jobbed once and got a generous call once.
“I’m not making excuses for the Orioles loss, there was a lot they could have done to prevent it.”
“Kuroda was squeezed on at least 10 strikes that were called balls.
I guess that is okay with you.”
I don’t think this is true. Do you have a strike zone plot, like Zach does? That “strike 1” stood out as the worst call of the game by far.
“The O’s were beneficiaries of some strange calls by the umpires ALL season, remember Texeira being calledout at first?”
Yes, the Orioles did get a call a month or so ago.