Latest news with #UmpireAuditor
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Why is everyone talking about Laz Diaz's strike call from Rays vs Rangers
Why is everyone talking about Laz Diaz's strike call from Rays vs Rangers (Image via Getty) A Major League Baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, June 4, 2025, turned into a major talking point—not for a great play, but for a shocking mistake by veteran umpire Laz Diaz. The game, held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, saw Diaz make a strike call that fans and experts are calling the worst in modern baseball history. Laz Diaz makes worst strike call in MLB history during Rays vs Rangers game In the bottom of the eighth inning, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jake Mangum was at bat facing Texas Rangers pitcher David Robertson. With a full count and two outs, the pitch thrown was far outside the strike zone—by nearly 7 inches. However, Laz Diaz called it a third strike, ending the at-bat. According to Umpire Auditor, a platform that tracks missed calls by umpires, the pitch was exactly 6.83 inches outside the official strike zone. This now holds the record for the worst strike call ever recorded by the platform since it started tracking data in 2014. The controversial moment quickly spread across social media and baseball websites. Many compared Laz Diaz to former umpire Ángel Hernández, who was often criticized for similar mistakes before retiring earlier this year. The Rays won the game 5-1, but the missed call became the bigger story of the night. Also Read: Insider Reveals Rangers GM Chris Drury Is Actively Exploring Trade Options Fans react to Laz Diaz's strike call and officials face pressure The reaction from players, fans, and sports commentators was immediate. Several well-known baseball analysts called out the call live during post-game coverage. One MLB broadcaster on Bally Sports said, 'That was not just a bad call—it was embarrassing.' After the game, Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash did not directly criticize the umpire but said, 'We've got to trust that calls are being made with fairness. Everyone saw that pitch.' Jake Mangum, who was the batter at the moment, kept his comments short. 'I'll let the replay speak for itself,' he said during a locker room interview. The MLB has not yet commented on the situation. However, many fans are now calling for Laz Diaz to be removed from future games, especially after setting such a negative record. The incident has started fresh conversations about using automated strike zones or robot umpires in the future. As of now, no formal disciplinary action has been announced.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Calls Mount for Umpire's Firing After Dreadful Performance in Dodgers Game
Calls Mount for Umpire's Firing After Dreadful Performance in Dodgers Game Professionalism and objectivity be damned, veteran MLB umpire Mike Estabrook may want to gift Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani a free call or two. Ohtani's latest viral home run took most of the attention off Estrabrook following the Dodgers' 8-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night. The popular Umpire Auditor X (formerly Twitter) account found that Estabrook missed 21 calls. Advertisement How bad are 21 missed calls over a nine-inning game? 'With a correct call rate of only 86.5%, this was the 5th worst called game of the season,' Umpire Auditor shared. Yikes. It's been an especially rough stretch for home-plate umpires. Both teams' fans and announcers blasted Tony Randazzo during Monday's game between the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies following a missed third-strike call on Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Umpire Auditor posted that Bacon missed 17 calls, including 14 against the Orioles, in last Sunday's game between Baltimore and the Toronto Blue Jays. Eight missed calls, all against the Orioles, came in the first three innings. Advertisement Social media users didn't have patience for those two and certainly had no sympathy for Estabrook. 'That first pitch called strike to Michael Toglia should have Mike Estabrook in an unemployment line tomorrow,' one X commenter wrote, referring to an eighth-inning low strike against the Rockies first baseman. 'Mike Estabrook is certainly calling this game,' another added. 'Not well, mind you.' MLB umpire Mike Estabrook in 2024Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Theoretically, veteran umpires shouldn't have such awful games. Estabrook worked his first MLB game in 2006 and became a full-time umpire in 2014. 'Why are we not using the challenge system yet ?' former Miami Marlins minor-leaguer Zach Moore asked. 'This is unacceptable.' Advertisement Moore isn't alone in wondering why MLB hasn't permanently implemented the ABS. Social media and improved pitch tracking have made it far easier to prove an umpire's strike calls are incorrect. If anything, Estabrook's performance is more reason for Major League Baseball to implement the Automated Ball-Strike system. Umpire Auditor found that Roberto Ortiz called the worst game last season. Ortiz missed an incredible 30 calls during a September game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals. 'If you're a major league should not be this bad,' an X user wrote of Estabrook. Related: Calls Mount for Umpire's Firing After Orioles' Loss to Blue Jays Related: Shohei Ohtani Is All Over Social Media After Latest Viral Clip
