Jack Davis
Ft Wayne, Indiana, USA

Posted at 2:25pm on Friday, September 2, 2011

My comments deals with the umpiring of Major League Base Ball games, not necessarily directed at Bud Selig. I have been a baseball fan for most of my life, remember listening to games on the radio before television. I am currently so disappointed with the umpiring that I am near to giving up on the game. I am appalled at the number of bad calls lately. I can remember when instant replays was first brought into the game, the umpires then were very much against it. It didn't take long for the umpires to realize that the instant replay was their friend. The close calls showed that almost all were called correctly. Not so today. The calls that most iriates me is the balls and strikes. Umpires today seem to call "their" strike zone. What happened to the "rule book" strike zone? Maybe I am giving them too much credit that I take for granted that they do actually have good eye sight. I have watched a number of games on MNLB.com lately, many of the games show a strike zone and where the pitchs crosses the plate. In a recent series the Cardinals played in Milwaukee all three plate umpires at best called balls and strikes correctly at 50%. I wish I would have kept a count. I understand that the strike zone that was shown maybe can have some variance due to the height of the batter but most of the incorrect calls were outside or inside, some wasn't even close to correct. In this observanced it seems that the umpires has more control of the outcome of the game than the players. I find it almost impossible for players to shift the strike zone from one nite to the next and then players are not allowed to voice any comments as to the calls, the umpires appear to be insulted to the fact that their call was incorrect. Base umpires maybe fair a little better than plate umpires but still many bad calls there too, more and more are critical to the outcome of the game. So after more than 50 years as a Major League baseball fan I am very dissappointed in today's game and who really controls the outcome. There are time that I think that an umpire could be "on the take" and taking bribes but then I discount that right away. If they aren't they sure aren't doing themselves and favors by the way they make their calls.
I would have liked to have sent these comments to the commissioner of umpires but couldn't find a link for him. Thats who my comments really are directed to, maybe if it is possible you would forward my comments to him. Sorry that I had to vent to you, Mr. Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Thanks for your time.

A very disgruntled fan.

Donna Marie
Orlando

Posted at 5:46pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2007

This is my thought, as a girl, and a fan of the game, Baseball has enough problems... Bud needs to get excited about Bonds, if HE'S not excited and going to the game, why should anyone else? Do what you need to do, but this is something to get the fans into and have fun with... American baseball needs SOMETHING fun, why not this? I just think if Bud isn't going to have fun with it, than maybe he doesn't get the true life of baseball. Why the drama???? get behind it and create some much needed excitement.