Game Thread: Twins @ Oakland A's 7-30 @ 3:05 CT

[70charger]

 

The technology is here.

 

There is no reason to not automate the strike zone.

 

Cuzzi has been consistent but consistently wrong. 

 

If our alternatives are guys like Phil Cuzzi, Angel Hernandez, and Joe West, I say fire the lot and bring on the bots.

[TwinsCD]

First off, that Fox Box is not the be all, end all.  I don't know why broadcasters feel it is and keep knocking us over the head with it.

 

All we look for is consistency.  Cuzzi has been in the same spot on that outside edge the entire game.  Hitters might get fooled by it the first time but they're major league hitters, they can adjust.  The inside pitch he called on Mauer before he struck out shouldn't have been missed, though.  That's the easiest one to call based on positioning.

 

But that's all beside the point.  Stop blaming the umpire when you should be up there protecting with 2 strikes!

[drock2190]

Dick just burned the Oakland fanbase!

 

What a zinger!!

[Riverbrian]

 

If our alternatives are guys like Phil Cuzzi, Angel Hernandez, and Joe West, I say fire the lot and bring on the bots.

 

Don't get me wrong... umping is hard. I also believe that if you asked those guys... they want the right call and may not be against automation if it means getting the call right.

 

They can still stand back there... Watch the pitches... Watch for Balks... Make Calls at the plate. QB the crew. 

 

Just let the technology take the pressure off of them and lets get correct calls. 

[Aggies7]

Bad umpiring aside, we'd have won this game and be on the way to SD if we had a reliever who didn't fold under pressure

[TwinsCD]

All these sea gulls and somewhere, Dave Winfield winces.

[h2oface]

 

The technology is here.

 

There is no reason to not automate the strike zone.

 

Cuzzi has been consistent but consistently wrong. 

 

 

Hmmmmm.  Since you suggested this is not a place for this discussion a couple days ago...., perhaps you can take it to the other forum you suggested then ??????  

[70charger]

 

Don't get me wrong... umping is hard. I also believe that if you asked those guys... they want the right call and may not be against automation if it means getting the call right.

 

They can still stand back there... Watch the pitches... Watch for Balks... Make Calls at the plate. QB the crew. 

 

Just let the technology take the pressure off of them and lets get correct calls. 

 

I think their accuracy rate is actually pretty amazing, but when umpiring determines the outcome of something that would otherwise be fair, there is absolutely, positively a problem to be corrected. And there are literally zero consequences for them being bad at their jobs. Yeah, they might not get to ump the World Series (thank God), and they get ratings and such, but they cannot be fired. They have life tenure. And guys like Phil Cuzzi are showing us what a terrible idea that is right here, right now. 

 

Bring on the bots.

[nicksaviking]

First off, that Fox Box is not the be all, end all.  I don't know why broadcasters feel it is and keep knocking us over the head with it.

 

All we look for is consistency.  Cuzzi has been in the same spot on that outside edge the entire game.  Hitters might get fooled by it the first time but they're major league hitters, they can adjust.  The inside pitch he called on Mauer before he struck out shouldn't have been missed, though.  That's the easiest one to call based on positioning.

 

But that's all beside the point.  Stop blaming the umpire when you should be up there protecting with 2 strikes!

The batters shouldn't have to make assumptions about a strike zone created on a whim by a cantankerous umpire, this is professional baseball, not the debate club.

 

Umpires customizing their own strike zones was one of those quaint ideosyncrcies that are no longer needed in this age.

[drock2190]

I want to see a batter smoke a bird and make PETA rage

[glunn]

 

Bad umpiring aside, we'd have won this game and be on the way to SD if we had a reliever who didn't fold under pressure

Hildy did not fold. He just came in too late.

[glunn]

 

I want to see a batter smoke a bird and make PETA rage

That bird distracted the batter. I think that he is a Twins fan.

[Riverbrian]

 

Hmmmmm.  Since you suggested this is not a place for this discussion a couple days ago...., perhaps you can take it to the other forum you suggested a couple days ago ??????  

 

That is true... I did do that. 

 

I apologize. 

 

And I was aware of that and thought about that before I posted my response. 

 

For clarification - Any topic is allowed in game threads. Bad Moods are the main thing that we guard against. If any topic starts getting overly divisive that is when we usually direct it elsewhere. 

[glunn]

Another painful loss.

[twinsbaby]

Duffey gives us to go home!!!

[h2oface]

 

The batters shouldn't have to make assumptions about a strike zone created on a whim by a cantankerous umpire, this is professional baseball, not the debate club.

Umpires customizing their own strike zones was one of those quaint ideosyncrcies that are no longer needed in this age.

 

Since everyone now knows they are wrong, and sees every pitch....... how long does this have to go on? If we didn't see the instantaneous proof of wrongness........ but we do. Every pitch. 

[70charger]

Walked off twice by the A's. Ouch.

[Blake]

 

The batters shouldn't have to make assumptions about a strike zone created on a whim by a cantankerous umpire, this is professional baseball, not the debate club.

Umpires customizing their own strike zones was one of those quaint ideosyncrcies that are no longer needed in this age.

This is where I have to give Bert his due. Years past, if I remember Bert correctly, the AL used their own umpiring teams and the NL used their own crews, which gave teams a chance to learn what an ump would and wouldn't call. 

 

From what I understand, it's now sort of a toss-up as to which umpiring crew will work a game on any given day.

[gil4]

 

He did appear to get Cuzzied a bit on that last one.

 

 

"Strike Zone Automation Advocate"

Phil Cuzzi's strike zone automation today:
 

 

[snepp]

*table flip*

 

 

I can't even be bothered to go search up an image again.

[wsnydes]

The batters shouldn't have to make assumptions about a strike zone created on a whim by a cantankerous umpire, this is professional baseball, not the debate club.

 

Umpires customizing their own strike zones was one of those quaint ideosyncrcies that are no longer needed in this age.

I agree, but they've got to make adjustments. It's just the reality of the subject. That's not to say that it's right or fair, but it is the reality.

 

Both teams had to deal with it.

[Riverbrian]

 

That bird distracted the batter. I think that he is a Twins fan.

 

That game was for the birds. 

 

http://www.unsungfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/the-birds_05.jpg

 

[wsnydes]

MLB At Bat notifications we're on top of things. I had a push notification of the walk off shot before Alonso was even done rounding the bases.

[snepp]

 

I agree, but they've got to make adjustments. It's just the reality of the subject. That's not to say that it's right or fair, but it is the reality.

Both teams had to deal with it.

 

This is all true.

 

 

 

 

That said, #$&% Cuzzi.

[drock2190]

Hildenberger needs to be our new closer if we trade Kintzler. I like his moxie.

[Aggies7]

Can we resign Jaime and then retrade him for 7 relievers?

[wsnydes]

This is all true.

 

 

 

 

That said, #$&% Cuzzi.

Yes, there should definitely be more consistency between umpires than that. It was pretty ridiculous.

[snepp]

Ok, I lied.

 

 

[Danchat]

It's too bad our offense managed one hit in the final five innings of this one. Ick.

[Riverbrian]

 

I agree, but they've got to make adjustments. It's just the reality of the subject. That's not to say that it's right or fair, but it is the reality.

Both teams had to deal with it.

 

You are right. 

 

The ability to adjust is the difference between a guy who hits .230 and a guy who hits .300. 

 

It also goes both ways. The Twins pitchers should have been able to break away from strategy and start hitting that outside location against RH's.

 

It's perhaps more important for our pitchers to adjust to it because even if a batter adjusts to that outside pitch... It's a pitchers pitch and there really isn't anything that a batter can do with it. 

 

So I'm going to blame our pitchers more than our hitters since pitching was given the advantage.