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5/28/04: I'm watching the Astros game, they are tied with the Cardinals 1-1 in the top of the 10th, Octavio Dotel is pitching for the Astros, Cardinals have a runner on 1st and 3rd and all of a sudden 3rd base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt calls a balk, which means that the go-ahead run scores for the Cardinals. Now, a balk is a rule that is designed to keep pitcher fron decieving a batter or baseunner by faking a either a pitch or throw. When a balk is called, the batter takes 1st base, and all runners advance a base. Dotel steps off of the mound, stretches his arms forward, and a balk is called. This, of course, causes the Astros to lose. In an even more cowardly move, the umpire tosses Dotel from the game when he complains to him about the call. These umpires can't make such calls and expect the players to be happy about it. First of all, a balk is only supposed to be called if the pitcher is still on the mound. Secondly, this motion is in no way, shape, or form trying to trick the runner. The umpires in Major League Baseball are a joke. I don't see how they are allowed to make such a decision, especially in a game of such magnitude. Because of the umpire, the Astros are now one and a half games behind the Reds in the division.This isn't only happening in baseball, why do you think that the instant replay had to be brought back in the NFL. But now that has been screwed up by the refs because most of the time they won't overturn the call because they don't want to admit that they were wrong. It is not fair to the fans or players when a game is decided by a dumbass referee or umpire because they could care less about doing their job the way it is suppposed to be done. |
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