And it's the umpire's job to have a consistent strike zone. The umpire the other night was all over the place. I was sitting directly behind home plate. Some of Nate Harris's pitches that were called balls were right down the middle of the plate. That's what created the controversy.
You seem to be crticizing Diaz in a backhanded way. What he did was exactly what he should have done under the circumstances.
"benefit of the doubt on any close pitch"? How do you give "benefit of the doubt" for either pitcher? That would be bias.
If you are an ump and have a doubt about a pitch before you make the call, then you need to start looking for another profession. You define your strike zone and stick with it, to the best of your ability.
If you are an ump and give one pitcher the benefit of the doubt on close pitches, then you are problem and need to quit immediately.
No matter how the catcher, pitcher, batter, coach or any player are acting toward you, you owe it to your profession and yourself to continue to make the best calls you can.
If you can't then you need to stop ump'ing.
Well... I was skeptical....
Home Plate: https://www.facebook.com/forrest.ladd.5
1st Base: https://www.facebook.com/don.meche.7...2%3A1489774765
2nd Base: http://lhsoa.com/about-us/lhsoa-lead...vis-hargroder/
3rd base, no name listed.
When the catcher and the ump are on the same page the catcher will frame close pitches that are called strikes to "protect the ump". Maybe that's what professor means. Saying that, it was so bad that ther were no close call strikes for him to "protect the ump" but there were plenty of good pitches called balls by the ump.
Forrest Gump's Facebook page is full of ULL love. No way he should be calling their games.
Good old Memorial Gym
So Hargroder is the assignment secretary for UL-Lafayette!
My best guess is that as the visiting team the Cajuns could assign the crew. Hargroder was then given that responsibility. But instead of making a few calls to find a neutral crew, he called a few friends in Lafayette Parish, and they all drove up together.
Putting that crew together was just a bad idea. A series of controversial calls could put the spotlight on the crew. And sure enough...
Also, Tech77 is right. Forrest Ladd should not be calling UL-Lafayette games.