For clenz...

[SuperHornet]

...as our resident umpiring SME....

Should the umpire call a strike no matter WHAT happens with the pitch if the batter heads to first before the pitch is even thrown?

Case in point: David Ortiz....

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-l ... 01092.html

[JayJ79]

if the batter heads to first before the pitch is thrown, the pitcher and catcher should throw three quick strikes and strike out the batter. that would be hilarious.

doesn't apply to this situation since the pitcher had started the pitch already when ortiz stepped out, but still.

[clenz]

Hell no...a ball is a ball no matter what.

He, and everyone in the park, knew he wasn't going to get thrown a strike. Look at the K zone for that ab. All 4 pitches were within a half inch of each other about a foot off the plate.

[SuperHornet]

clenz makes a good argument for calling the pitch as given as he always does in these situations.

I was hoping he'd support the idea that a player ought to be penalized for showing up the umpire, however. I guess clenzy doesn't go in for that....

[JayJ79]

if the batter has a 3-ball count and the pitch is borderline and the batter starts towards first before the ump makes his call, I could see the ump calling it a strike b/c the batter was "showing him up". But that wasn't the case in this instance, since Ortiz took off before the pitch even reached the plate.

even so, if the pitch was borderline, the ump might call it. but when it isn't even close, calling it a strike would be dumb. baseball games are already too long, no point in extending an at-bat that is obviously an intentional walk.

[BlueHen86]

clenz makes a good argument for calling the pitch as given as he always does in these situations.

I was hoping he'd support the idea that a player ought to be penalized for showing up the umpire, however. I guess clenzy doesn't go in for that....

He wasn't showing up the ump. He was showing up the pitcher.

The had no intention of throwing Ortiz anything to hit, but they hoped he'd be dumb enough to swing at a bad pitch. Ortiz showed them other wise. He may have broken a rule by stepping out of the batters box, but I'm not an ump, so I'm not sure.

[SeattleGriz]

I love Clenz!

[clenz]

clenz makes a good argument for calling the pitch as given as he always does in these situations.

I was hoping he'd support the idea that a player ought to be penalized for showing up the umpire, however. I guess clenzy doesn't go in for that....

He wasn't showing up the ump. He was showing up the pitcher.

The had no intention of throwing Ortiz anything to hit, but they hoped he'd be dumb enough to swing at a bad pitch. Ortiz showed them other wise. He may have broken a rule by stepping out of the batters box, but I'm not an ump, so I'm not sure.

As long as he doesn't make contact with the ball it doesn't matter if he's "in the box".

Ortiz did exactly as you said. He punked the pitcher before he released the ball.

Say what you will about him possibly doing roids a decade ago, when it comes to setting pitchers up, knowing what's coming, and understanding how to be a great hitter Ortiz is about a good as there has been in a long time (same goes for Manny as well, honestly)