Article: Heated Observations: Game #3

[Parker Hageman]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/2814-Heated-Observations-Game-3

[Dantes929]

"Here’s the interesting part: When Plouffe did go the other way last year, it was mostly on flies and pops" Doesn't surprise me at all. Much like Morneau, when he was stepping into the bucket trying to pull the ball his bat would drag and he would come off the pitch. Kind of like when a poor golfer tries to hit it to the left and by trying to do so makes poor contact and slices to the right. The fact that he Is hitting line drives to the right shouldn't affect his ability to take inner middle pitches to left. Its a fine line. You don't want to take inside pitches the other way but you do want to take outside pitches there. Likely, last year, trying to pull the ball he pops up weakly to right ending the game in a loss.

[Head First]

Parker, I always enjoy your videos and images of the hitters and pitchers. Might I ask where you were able to get the graphic on the Joe Mauer 3rd strike?

[Parker Hageman]

Might I ask where you were able to get the graphic on the Joe Mauer 3rd strike?

 

Because of our affiliation with ESPN's Sweet Spot Network, we have access to these charts and data which are provided by pitch f/x and Inside Edge among other data sources.

[Head First]

Really like them.

[Linus]

Plouffe's ability to go the other way is the best sign that he might make it as a good hitter. His homer spree last year was all based on pitches middle in. Once the advance scouting recognized that they pitched him away very successfully. Until he makes the adjustment to that successfully, they will not be forced to come back inside.

 

I think that was the most upset I've ever seen Joe get on a baseball field. That call was horrible - how Buckner saw that as I strike, I don't know. He had a very rough game behind the plate.

[Dman]

Plouffe's ability to go the other way is the best sign that he might make it as a good hitter. His homer spree last year was all based on pitches middle in. Once the advance scouting recognized that they pitched him away very successfully. Until he makes the adjustment to that successfully, they will not be forced to come back inside.

 

I think that was the most upset I've ever seen Joe get on a baseball field. That call was horrible - how Buckner saw that as I strike, I don't know. He had a very rough game behind the plate.

 

Yeah I gotta say that as an umpire if you get Joe Mauer mad then you know you made a bad call. Pitchers really like to pitch to the edges on Joe or at least that is my perception and he has gotten some odd calls, even last year.

 

I think it was cold and Mr. Buckner had some interesting calls on several batters for both sides so I would guess things evened out but that was a brutal call to make for strike three on Joe. Pretty much inexcusable really. Maybe he was ready to get out of the cold weather and head home.

[Jdosen]

Yeah I gotta say that as an umpire if you get Joe Mauer mad then you know you made a bad call. Pitchers really like to pitch to the edges on Joe or at least that is my perception and he has gotten some odd calls, even last year.

 

I think it was cold and Mr. Buckner had some interesting calls on several batters for both sides so I would guess things evened out but that was a brutal call to make for strike three on Joe. Pretty much inexcusable really. Maybe he was ready to get out of the cold weather and head home.

You know I had pretty much exactly the same observations of what I saw of CB yesterday. I even made a joke on twitter about his wife wanting him home early for dinner. And then I went on brooksbaseball.net which has some really great stuff on pitchers and strike zones, etc. Anyways, I found that there were only 3 or 4 calls that were really egregiously wrong. The lesson, as always--even the worst home plate umpires are really really good at what they do. Here are the charts: http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=4&day=03&year=2014&game=gid_2014_04_03_minmlb_chamlb_1/&prevDate=0403

[Dman]

You know I had pretty much exactly the same observations of what I saw of CB yesterday. I even made a joke on twitter about his wife wanting him home early for dinner. And then I went on brooksbaseball.net which has some really great stuff on pitchers and strike zones, etc. Anyways, I found that there were only 3 or 4 calls that were really egregiously wrong. The lesson, as always--even the worst home plate umpires are really really good at what they do. Here are the charts: http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=4&day=03&year=2014&game=gid_2014_04_03_minmlb_chamlb_1/&prevDate=0403

 

 

Yeah I agree the umpires are pretty good but they always miss a few calls every game. My only complaint is that on strike three the ball should be mainly hitting the plate leaving no room to question the call. A nipped corner strike three call leaves too many questions. Make sure it is a strike then no one questions anything. Strike three should be a solid strike. He didn't do that and he was wrong on that call for Joe.

 

I didn't feel he was being biased or anything but it seemed like he had a few more whoops calls than normal. If it was only three or four that is better than I thought. Tough to complain too much about 3 or 4 out of 200 and some pitches.