Another in a long line of examples of how the lack of instant replay is spoiling the game and pandering to ludicrous ideas of unassisted umpire decisions being crucial to the integrity of the game:

Last night the Braves beat the Pirates on a play at the plate where Atlanta’s Julio Lugo was comfortably out. Everyone knew he was out except the umpire who called him safe, saying, “I saw the tag, but he looked like he oled him and I called him safe for that”. i.e. he thought the catcher swiped in the area of the runner without touching him. After viewing replays, the umpire said, “it appeared he might have got him on the shin area. I’m guessing he might have got him”. Which is umpire-speak for, “I totally screwed up, sorry”.

Except of course umpire-speak is couched in language designed to avoid actually accepting any blame, as that would merely fuel people’s desire to use the tools available to make correct decisions.

However, Commissioner Selig continues to pander to the umpires union and between them they’re making baseball look like amateur hour.

What’s it going to take?