The tag wasn’t missed, the call was
University of Hawaii baseball coach Mike Trapasso knows he can’t alienate umpires by saying what he might really like to say publicly. Especially this early in the season.
And Trapasso is taking the umpire’s call that helped cost UH’s Monday game as an opportunity to teach his team a lesson about resilience.
I, though, have no reason to not say exactly what I think — and saw.
Josh Pigg didn’t miss the tag. Jeff Henrichs missed the call.
The entire stadium saw it, except apparently for the home plate umpire.
I could only wonder if there were some rule I did not know that caused the safe call, because it was obvious the UH relief pitcher made the tag.
I asked Henrichs immediately after the game, “Did he miss the tag?”
Henrichs’ response: “Yeah.”
Although Henrichs didn’t have a great angle to actually SEE if a tag was made or not he didn’t ask for help from another member of the three-umpire crew.
Even Oregon coach George Horton — who had one of the best angles in the house — told the Star-Advertiser’s Billy Hull, “It was a tough call.”
Translation: “He made the tag and we got away with one.”
Trapasso is right when he says the Rainbows shouldn’t blame the umpire’s bad call for the 3-2 loss after going into the ninth inning leading 2-0. It was just one run, one base. The teams did the rest of it.
But, if Henrichs doesn’t miss that call, Hawaii is probably now 2-2 after splitting its season-opening series against the 16th-ranked team in the country.
Regardless, this is a Rainbows team worth keeping an eye on. Great defense, plenty of live young arms and a lineup with aggressive line-drive hitters.
Shouldn’t the translation be, “He made the tag, and we got away with one?”
Doesn’t this make you think of the LL WS team that had a bad call go against it? The coaches accepted the call, and didn’t let the team get upset over it, and instead pushed forward.
Yeah, thanks for catching that.
So you’re saying Trapasso shouldn’t have argued the call? Really?
I don’t think you can blame him for what happened after, and it’s not like the players fell apart.
He brought in Gleese to get ground balls, which he did. Unfortunately they found a hole.
Then the Bows battled in the ninth and got the tying run to third.
So did you ask next if he thought he was in the proper position to make the call? and the best position?
Was at the game. It was a bad call. But UH shouldn’t have even been in the position. They had the runner caught between 3rd and home, and was chasing him back to 3rd. Should have chase him all the way back, instead of throwing to 3rd. The runner on second was standing on the 3rd base bag, just chase the hung up runner back, when he steps on the bag, automatic out. No need to throw, or tag. Chase to where they came from, not where they want to go.
JCole … I would have if I could. I was lucky to get the one question in and that he bothered to answer it, even with one word. Umpires generally don’t stand around chatting with reporters about controversial calls immediately after the game.
Visitor … And, yes, you are correct. It was not the most well-executed rundown. But that should have no bearing on the umpire’s call.
Dave: I agree. Just a horrible call. Seemed like he knew he missed it, but wasn’t going to reverse the call. Should have had a conference with the other umps, that would have allowed him to “save some face” and correct the call. I have a feeling Horton would have made a token argument, but let it go. He saw the play.
Yay. Nice to see this kind of “pro” wrestling antics adopted by NCAA judges (I always wonder “what’ll the NCAA do NEXT?” [enter laugh trax:________]). Sure like “pro” wrestling; like when the ref’ is fooled by one wrestler’s manager or ally who arrives from the locker room.
Forget what this one particular match was about. But, think was a key wrassle, either AT one of the Wrestlmania-type events or a fight that decided the main match up. Could be wrong about both. Anyway, the ref’ ended up having a twin brother/ref’.
Yah, my 10 year old said, “aren’t you just supposed to chase him back to third?” They also blew the call in the first inning when the runner was already on second and they threw the ball into the dugout. Runner should have been given home.
#5 exactly. They teach that in Little League. Apparently, not at Manoa.
No, I wasn’t suggesting Trapasso not argue the call. I don’t see that I wrote that.
I was just reminded of how well the LL coaches handled their situation.