[ckissick]

I didn't watch the game last night, and this morning I walked into the TV room, as my wife watched the news. I had no idea what had happened, and I saw 3 replays of the ball being caught by the catcher. I saw the ball "change direction", as the umpire said. I thought for sure the ball hit the dirt an instant before going into the mitt.

However, the ump could never have seen the ball hit the ground. It was surrounded by the mitt. The ump blew it by not being clear about the ruling. If the hitter can run to first, the ump has to let the team on the field know it.

How many times have I seen the catcher tag the runner after a marginal catch, just in case? Plenty. The catcher should have been more dilligent.