I don't see why the catcher didn't appeal the swing to the 3rd base ump. Looks like he went around enough to be strike 3

only possible contact was with his hand

This guy sounds like he is pro ump

@@paulkreutzer4385 That’s what he wants you to think.

That’s what I’m saying yo

Yes.

This guy is clueless

@@ptccombatfitness6726 Yes

@Daniel Deering Wait.....are you talking about this comment or the guy who made the video?

The guy in the video is addressing the fact that the commentators say it hit nothing when that benefits their team but then say it hit the bat when they realize it further benefits their team

He did nothing wrong.

@@ccgb92 he twitched

@@emmetm717 I'm referring to Angel Hernandez lol.

Hes literally the worst umpire of all time. Doesnt matter. He shouldnt even be in the MLB.

@@HelloThere-jr6gd How dare you say that? Don't you know that every single MLB umpire is the model of probity, impartiality, and error-free play calling? According to this channel, when you put on an umpire's uniform it makes you more infallible than the pope. Based on the comments from umpires here, I get the feeling that they don't even like baseball, they just like being in charge.

And many umpires can't seem to say that he's not good.

The hbp and ball 4 to reyes were both blown

He usually favors the side of Vegas. I’ve noticed when 70-80% public money is on one side or the heavy favorite he will make shit calls to get the underdog to try to win. So all the 70-80% public bets loose.

@@CuteSealYHM I thought the pitch may have hit his fingers. Singer was all over the place, no control at all. When a catcher does not know how to frame a marginal pitch and drags it into the zone, it will be called a ball.

That’s awesome!!

Watched him pitch in college a ton. He's crazy competetive. It's what makes him great.

@@SparkyGarage Brady’s a stud but off the field I bet he’s a great person but kinda like Harper is ultra competitive on the field

Tribe fan here. I agree, the entire series was a mess. Worst officiating crew I've seen in a long time.

Brady is usually so calm and collected but I don’t blame him for being heated

This balk rule needs to be gone completely! Remember what Joe West did in 2010 when he unfairly ejected 2 White Sox players (Pitcher and Manager)!

I was at the game and I'll tell you that we were not

Losing teams use umpires as their excuse for bad baseball. Singer should have been pulled because he looked weak. But Matheny stuck with him and lost control. It’s why Cardinals jettisoned him. Singer is a BABY! Grow up dude.

Trust me we miss him along with his play by play buddy Steve Psysioc here in so-cal. They made Angel games fun.

Same!!

He called the MLB racist so now they literally can't for fear of a race retaliation suitm

@@macmac3374 I know he did but the reason he never umps the post season is because he is a garbage ump

@@macmac3374 A judge dismissed his lawsuit on Mar 31 and ruled in favor of MLB. So fear of discrimination lawsuits shouldn't be an excuse to continue allowing him to ump.

@@Michael_W007 oh I didn't know he actually did it. I heard he threatened it. If I did my job as bad as he does, people would die.

@Jack Tower ? He’s the best catcher in the league and there’s not even a close second

@Jack Tower 🤣🤣🤣 probably the best besides Molina and who’s your team ?

@@stammeh22 what are you talking about? lmao

@@pxxney2444 are you incapable of reading? 6x all star, 5x gold glove award winner, 3x silver slugger, all MLB first team. He’s the best catcher in the league by a mile

@Jack Tower holy shit you just said Salvador Perez the 5x gold glove winner is a bad catcher😹 he must not know what he’s doing😹

He didn't need to find an opportunity. Every game that Angel Hernandez is working creates its own opportunities. I was a little disappointed in Matheny's response to the whole thing. MLB know he's a bad umpire, and they or the union continues to protect him. He has more over turned calls on review than any other umpire. The call was wrong and the review was wrong. The ball did not hit the batter.

Framing is the art of making a marginal pitch look like a strike. Dragging a pitch into the zone IS NOT framing. This catcher cost the pitcher the strike.

MLB umpires aren't graded, so there's no consistency on what "the league" wants called.

But change it to what? One of the ideas of the balk rule is so baserunners aren’t caught stealing or getting back on a fake throw home, or for batters to see any pitch coming out of the pitcher’s hand in a normal motion.

Well said

@Jack Tower I see now that Angel H. gestured that the ball hit the batters jersey. But, after video review it is clear the ball did not hit the players jersey. Tell me, if the call is that the ball hit the batters jersey, but the video replay shows that the players finger might have been hit. Can they confirm the player was hit if the ball hit the batter but not on the jersey? I think we can confirm the ball did not hit the jersey. I think the ball clipped the nob of the bat. If the voice on the video approaches this without bias, he would see it the same way. It is the hbp that starts this spiral into chaos. Fans can see the replay on TVs in the stadium. Their frustration is valid. There needs to be a mic on the umps so they can communicate exactly what the call is, what video replay decides, and the reason for the final action taken.

@Jack Tower Thank you for your detailed response.

@@ccmalone A hbp was called. Whether it hit his fingers or his jersey is irrelevant. Either way, it is a HBP.

Don’t forget about the strike zone

To be honest they were still mad about the dropped fly ball he called an out the night before 😂

@@danzakuduro1942 True. However Angel Hernandez has been a problem all across baseball for a long time and needs to be held accountable for his mistakes.

@@armageddonsports6196 you spelt relieved of his duties wrong 😜

@@danzakuduro1942 lamo

Right, but that catcher's framing movement is particularly extreme. It makes it look like he is trying to correct for extremely bad pitches.

Hernandez.

@@TenPinTrucker yup, you're right.

That wasn’t the night Angel lost the ball in the lighted advertising boards in the outfield walls, calling out when the ball wasn’t caught-and in KC if I remember?

They are not the only two, but it's clear some guys are not always consistent. You're very perceptive!

I get it that this is an umpire friendly channel but if you're going to applaud Angel for rightfully calling a balk then you should also call him out for having rabbit ears and staring at the dugout looking for trouble. I've umpired for over 30 years, I know if you want to find a problem it's not hard. I don't respect Angel or Joe West but for different reasons. Joe for his "don't question me" attitude and Angel for his robotic style of umpiring and inability to understand the flow of a game. I've known many guys like Angel who think knowing the rules is enough as an official. Those type of people will never "get it" and hence players will never respect that style of umpire.

@Jack Tower what I mean by that is that as officials you need to know that where rules are not clearly defined you can impact a game whether it be positively or negatively. If you're in a game such as this one in the video what harm would there be in giving the corners to the pitcher who feels aggrieved? I'm not talking giving them obvious calls but for the coin toss calls it would help the flow of the game to let this happen. Angel's robotic style is not very well received because it comes across as not relatable to the players is how I see it.

Reviews don't work that way in any sport. They are not assessing where the ball hit him and whether it differs from where the on-field umpire believed it hit him. They are only reviewing the call of a HBP itself. Deference is given to the call on the field and only clear and convincing evidence otherwise is going to overturn a call...again this is consistent across replay reviews in all sports these days. In these instances, umpires are listening for a sound. The ball makes a distinct sound when it hits the bat as it does when it hits the catcher's glove. When you hear a different sound, especially when the pitch appears to at least almost hit the batter, you're more than likely to get a HBP called. It is certainly possible to hear phantom sounds or attribute a different sound as a HBP but in this instance, the replay doesn't provide clear evidence one way or the other. I have no idea what Angel heard but if he thought he heard a part of the batter get knicked, that's a judgement call and it isn't getting overturned with the footage they had.

@Jack Tower lol okay

This is Angel Hernandez we are talking about here, he is never going to admit he got a call wrong. Especially the week he lost his lawsuit against MLB for racial discrimination.

@Jack Tower actually they do, they have to answer reporters questions after the game, usually the crew chief or senior ump, which would be Angel.

That was horrible framing and may have cost them the strike call.

It clearly was a balk

It's basically like tenure.

The Umpires Union is near - if not at the top of the "Worst Things to Ever Happen to Baseball" list.

Very fair take!

When you umpire at this level you hear things.... Angel heard what we'd say is two sounds. Ball ticking something and ball in glove. Since it's pretty clear the ball didn't hit the bat, in order for a 2nd sound to have had happened it's reasonable to decide it hit the finger. HBP. -tmac

@@CloseCallSports ​ @CloseCallSports Absolutely understand that umpires will make calls based on what they heard. I'm just not sold in this particular case. At the 21 second mark of the clip I actually think there is a strong case to be made that the ball grazed the bat. Either way, I can also understand the video evidence to be inconclusive, but since the ball clearly didn't graze the jersey as per the original call, I don't think the call should be upheld when the video refutes the original call, and is inconclusive on if it hit another area of the body. Very unique situation either way. Very much enjoy your channel!

Wait so we compliment Rex Hudler and you're upset with us. Did you watch the full video? -tmac

@@CloseCallSports Yeah I saw that. But the overall vibe is just a little too condescending at times. Just my 2 cents. Others may feel differently. :)

You’re not the only one who feels TMac is incredibly condescending.

They would have: it's still a start-stop violation...

@@acehyatt44 he did that flinching movement in this video and pitched. No balk call was given. So I doubt they would have called it if he went home.

@@smalls3187 No, he did not flinch before coming set on pitches he delivered. What he is doing is replanting his free foot while coming set and is legal as long as he only stops once (comes set). On the balk call, he had already come set, flinched, then threw to second base. That is a clear balk.

But he was correct in all but one of the calls. And the one he got wrong was upheld on replay. But hey, it a team wants to forfeit and get huge fines from MLB that’s a great idea. Would be fun to watch.

Kevin Miller, that is a really, really dumb idea.

Angel fucked up several times in this whole series. Yeah this one inning wasn’t great for singer but watch the other games too and you’ll understand their frustration

I find that kinda dumb, because sometimes not a balk. I remember several times when johnny quato (i suck at spelling names sorry) and marcus stroman get called for balks when its there thing to mess up timing of the batter, ithey just call it on them cause its a different routine every pitch

@@slaymyface1357 Not true. Umpires call balks because the rules were violated. This was one of the clearest balks you will ever see.

Call Stands happens all the time in the NFL. Agree with you on the mic though... we've been on that for over 5 years! -tmac

I have read that MLB has plans to do a trial later this season where an umpire has a NFL-style microphone he can toggle and explain such calls to the stadium, which seems like a great idea for everything from replay to stuff like obstruction/interference calls where a vast majority of both fans and players don't really understand the rules.

@@CloseCallSports However in this instance the ball clearly doesn't touch the batter so can the call stand.

@@CloseCallSports Didn't MLB say they were going to experiment with field mics in 2020? Whatever happened with that? www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-umpires-will-wear-microphones-to-explain-review-calls-to-fans-in-2020-season-report-says/&ved=2ahUKEwipubTdxbvwAhXbXc0KHcxCCk4QFjACegQIHBAC&usg=AOvVaw12Z-IHminaVF_pLjKX9bnU

@@CloseCallSports call: Ball hit jersey Replay: It didnt Outcome should be: Call overruled

@@kr2934 definitely he usually has a lot mistakes but this time he didn't make any so we have to be fair about him

This series has been awful

I hear the two sounds but that don't always mean anything. But if it hit that bat yea it's strike three but how the hell did it hit him. I see what I saw. I don't see anything an this isn't the only angle I've seen. I think it's clear and conclusive it didn't hit his hand

@Jack Tower could be an echo for all I know but it wasn't a finger. Sounds like it be a broke finger if it was. No reason not to get the call right with the replay. I think it's clear enough it didn't hit his finger

Because the balk rule provides for the pitcher's 'Normal delivery', so as long as the jerky stretch routine is the same every time, it's not a balk.

@@mikejunt Yes, you are right; the rules allow the stretch to be any natural motion. The rules also specify that this stretch motion is without interruption and in one continuous motion. These two qualifiers can certainly be in conflict with one another. I guess "without interruption and in one continuous motion" does not have to be smooth and it can be jerky or twitchy. Not obvious to me. I have to wonder how the word "natural" is defined in this rule. Most people equate natural with consistent in this rule. I think natural and consistent have different meanings. It seems clear to me that pitchers make use of consistent twitchy or jerky movements to stretch the rules to the limits allowed by umpires for the sole purpose of gaining every advantage possible toward deceiving hitters and baserunners. I don't blame them for seeking a competitive edge. But the inevitable result is more controversy over what is or is not a balk.

@Jack Tower the point is to eliminate attempts to deceive the runner. If the pitcher is consistent there is no deception. The rule doesn't exist to make pitching match your preferred aesthetic.

@Jack Tower if it's repeated every time it is not deceptive

@@mikejunt 1:50 3 twitches. 6:34 4 twitches. To be effective, a baserunner need only hesitate an instant longer. If the knee jerking draws attention away from some other key to a good jump, it is effective. Not any different from techniques used by illusionists (magicians) to pull off a trick. These are not movements created for biomechanical advantage or any other natural physical basis other than deception.

His legs flinched before the step to second base. A very obvious balk.

Trash frame job on that pitch tho

If it hit the bat, it's a foul tip, and he's out. Amazing that this uploader didn't know that.

"Call stands" was the ruling from New York. Was there clear & convincing visual evidence to overturn the call? Not according to New York. Was New York right? Not according to the Royals, but there may not have been sufficient evidence to overturn the HBP call or a hypothetical foul tip call, either.

@@donaldthomas7070 If anyone has eyes, the ball hit nothing

It was pretty clear

It’s clear he didn’t get hit. Indians score 2 less runs without Hernandez wrong calling. Cleveland fans have nothing else to cheer for

He came set then flinched before throwing to second base. That was a clear balk. It is completely different than replanting his free foot while coming set. Doing something illegal does make it legal if he does it every time.

When you umpire at this level you hear things.... Angel heard what we'd say is two sounds. Ball ticking something and ball in glove. Since it's pretty clear the ball didn't hit the bat, in order for a 2nd sound to have had happened it's reasonable to decide it hit the finger. HBP. -tmac

@@CloseCallSports What IS clear is that it didn't hit the jersey as Angel incorrectly ruled and the announcers stated...not that it didn't hit him, but it didn't hit his jersey. What is NOT clear is if it hit his bat or finger. You'll notice the batter made no inspection of his finger as one would if it got hit by a pitch. The only LOGICAL conclusion is that it more likely hit the bat than it did the finger. The challenge was that it didn't hit his jersey, which it didn't. Angel THEN decided that it his his finger apparently, which is still not obvious. Nor is it obvious that it hit his bat...other than the fact that the batter never even looked or grabbed his hand. FOR A SECOND NIGHT IN ROW, ANGEL IS GUESSING CRITICAL CALLS...and they all go against the Royals.

No shit, Sherlock. Throw strikes and we don't need umpires. The comment that preceded mine say's "it's pretty clear it didn't hit the bat." I'm arguing that it's not clear that it didn't. Nor is it clear it hit his finger. HE'S GUESSING. The only ones who don't have to take responsibility for their actions are umpires. The don't have to answer for shitty calls. Are these the most egregious cases? Not by a long shot. But it certainly doesn't help, and MLB has given zero indication that they care about getting it right.

@Jack Tower My statement was just as asinine as "throw a strike and we're not discussing the play." I know what umps are for. Angel is terrible and escalates situations by sticking to horrible calls. He has had to guess on calls 2 nights in a row (just the latest in a career that's lasted way too long). Someone DOES have to make those decisions. But especially lately, even when they are wrong and replay clearly shows it (perhaps not last night), they have refused to correct it. This is larger than one or two games. It's happening on an almost weekly basis. MLB does not care to correct it, or hold those making the calls accountable to the teams they screw over, or the fans they are losing every day. Just so we are clear, I'm now speaking of MLB umpires in general, the league office, AND the fact that Hernandez should have retired years ago.