Unreal. Read this article I found in the Boston Globe today. You'll see what I mean:
A closer look was warranted
10/01/98
By Howard Manly, Globe Columnist
No question about it.
Umpire Joe Brinkman blew the call at home plate.
ESPN's cameras caught Indians catcher Sandy Alomar tagging the outstretched left arm of Red Sox third baseman John Valentin before he reached home plate in the explosive first inning of yesterday's American League Division Series game.
If ever there was a time for instant replay, yesterday was it. Never mind all the questionable ball and strike calls made by Brinkman.
This was a clear out. ''The film doesn't lie,'' said Kevin Kennedy, the former Red Sox manager and ESPN analyst for this game.
Kennedy was all over Brinkman from the very beginning.
Brinkman called Indians starter Dwight Gooden's first three pitches balls. Kennedy said two of them were at the hitter's knees and over the plate. The replays were not conclusive, but the pitches appeared to be strikes.
Either way, Indians manager Mike Hargrove thought the pitches were strikes and confronted Brinkman, who almost immediately threw him out of the game. ''Oh my God, he was tossed after three pitches,'' ESPN play-by-play announcer Chris Berman thundered.
Berman is loath to criticize umpires. He probably figures that it doesn't matter, that umpires are extremely unlikely to reverse a call, no matter how much in error they are.
He is right, of course, but ESPN also blew an opportunity to show viewers just how bad the plate calls were throughout the game. Technology exists to allow networks to use computer-generated graphics to demonstrate the strike zone, the path of a pitch, and the umpire's call.
ESPN could have let the viewer decide if the calls were right or wrong. Not that it would have made a difference. But it definitely would have informed viewers about Brinkman's judgment.
''Brinkman's strike zone is a little high today,'' Kennedy said. The film didn't lie.
''You've got to be able to pitch at the knees,'' Kennedy said. ''Hargrove was right. The pitches were strikes.''
Brinkman disagreed. When Hargrove ran onto the field, Brinkman reportedly told him that Gooden had to throw his pitches higher. ESPN cameras caught Gooden telling Hargrove to calm down, that he would be all right. They didn't show Brinkman admonishing Gooden.
''Doc needs to find the plate,'' Berman said, pointing out that 11 of Gooden's first 15 pitches were balls. He found the plate by striking out Mo Vaughn.
Gooden appeared fine until he gave up a monster double to Nomar Garciaparra, which led to the play where Valentin was called safe at the plate.
Sure enough, a seething Gooden was thrown out after screaming at Brinkman. Gooden also had to be physically restrained from further confronting Brinkman. ESPN had the explosion covered but probably made the right call by not keeping its cameras trained on an enraged Gooden, who was shouting obscenities in full view.
The story of Game 2 was the umpires.
''The umps are in the picture more than they care to be,'' Berman said.
It started when Brinkman left his position to tell Gooden he should get his pitches higher.
It ended when ESPN analyst and Globe columnist Peter Gammons said on ''Baseball Tonight'' that the umpire lost control of the game. Gammons referred to the major league rule book, specifically Section 905, which states that umpires must exhibit self-control.
© Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company.
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