Brian Knight has some explaining to do—most of it to Bob Watson.
His horrific call in the bottom of the first really got manager Bob Geren heated, except he didn't get thrown out of the game. In fact, it was A's hitting coach Jim Skaalen who was ejected.
Adam Kennedy was on first base via a walk. Kurt Suzuki was up and worked to a full count. The next pitch was inside and Kennedy was running on the play, but Suzuki tried checking his swing.
Knight called Suzuki for the swing even though it was clear as day Suzuki hadn't gone around. Kennedy managed to slide into second base where he was safe.
Then the situation got a little bit more tricky because the umpires had Kennedy going back to second because apparently Knight had called interference on Suzuki who had ducked out of the way of the throw by Kenji Johjima.
Which would have meant that Kennedy was out at second and Suzuki was out on the strike three. Luckily, Knight was overruled by the other umpires and Kennedy was promptly returned to second base where he was supposed to be in the first place, since was Suzuki walked.
That blown call got Skaalen angry. Suzuki had struck out on a terrible call. Which raises the the question: What was Knight thinking?
For one, he made the call incredibly late and had no business making the call. There's a reason why catchers will ask for appeal at either first or third base—because there's no way the man calling balls and strikes can see if the bat actually went around in this circumstance.
This wasn't one of those pitches that a batter easily went around. Suzuki was looking to avoid the throw from Johjima with Kennedy running and Suzuki did a great job of avoiding contact with Johjima.
Of course it wasn't like Bob Geren wasn't upset, but even when he's upset he's still way too nice. Instead of destroying a water cooler by kicking it, he just sort of slightly kicks it out of frustration.
Another question is what was Knight's explanation for the blown call? Obviously, it wasn't good enough for Geren and of course Skaalen got ejected from the dugout. Knight's actions were inexusable and Bob Watson needs to have a long meeting with Knight on how to do his job correctly.
In that situation it wasn't Knight's call to make on the check swing. Even Watson himself knows this. That's why he's stated that it's virtually impossible in situations like the one that played out today, for the umpire at homeplate to know if the batter swung or not.
Again that is one of the reasons why they have an umpire at first and third base. The call was clearly wrong and Knight deserves discipline for his horrible call.
- Login to post comments