The good part first. Brent batted .673 for the tournament with twelve hits. His on base stats were off the chart he was also walked three times. In the field caught everything in sight. We did lost one game to a real good rival 4-2. The Redmond team has a highly recruited and very good pitcher. Brent had a couple singles off him but he shutdown most of the team with strikeouts. We were surprised not to find them in the finals. But they too were blued. I understand their pitchers could not throw a strike. They have the best pitching staff in the league. Against these blues we would ask to have a coin toss on balls and strikes and close plays. Even some not so close. The goal seemed to be to get the home team to STate. A call left to the Umpires was pure robbery.
I admit to voicing an opinion on bad calls. Mostly I might say on a strike missed, "Where was that?" But even bad calls by umpires usually even out. I find them mostly honest and have to admit I don't have the best angle.
In yesterdays game these were not bad calls they changed the game to home teams favor. At the beginning of the season due to some Umpire arguements the parents sign a pledge they well not yell at umpires. The common thing to say is, "YOu're better than that Blue." I guess it plays to the umpires ego. I frankly yelled that was pure robbery. Give us a coin flip so we have at least a fiftyfifty chance the call well be fair.
These two men in blue did not hide the fact they were trying to get the home team a spot in the State Playoffs. It took a boy not swing at a ball for it to be called a strike and on the other end you had to swing at anything. Close slides were you were safe if the home team out if the visitors.
But the best weopon was the phantom "Balk!" It was called when things did not go well for the home team. At least two strikeouts were removed by balk. And a second chance was given. The very worst was the game changer. Two outs runners on first and second. A solid hit to left field appearing to be a run scoring hit. Acculates to the batter. Only the left fielder makes a diving catch. Now when a balk is called play is immediately stopped. An umpire raises his hands and Managers and fans are yelling "Balk". Not on this play because both teams were confused when he advanced to runners and brought the batter back to the plate. He had waited until he saw the player caught the ball to notice there had been a "Balk!"
Suddenly the game is no longer 4-1 but 4-3. Last inning first batter hits a ball to shortstop. This is one of our regular season varsity players. He is sure handed throws to first. The ball arrives and several seconds later the runner arrives, "Safe!" The next batter watches four balls thrown to the plate. Two of which center the plate. "Ball four", Only the second hit of the game by their team goes off the wall. Our pitcher decides he had to grove the ball center of plate to get a strike. We lose five to four. While the parents are stunned and looking for them the boys in blue are sprinting for their cars./dandy