After watching the final game in the Giants vs. Dodgers series yesterday, I’ve come to the decision that I want robot umpires in baseball. Gone are the days of humans officiating sports, I want the cold eye of a machine to determine outcomes. Long live robot umpires!
I’m not one for complaining about officiating but yesterday’s game was full of mistakes. Pablo’s phantom HBP that was ruled a foul ball. Schierholtz getting called out when he clearly beat the throw to first by a step — or more. And maybe the most disappointing call of them all, Furcal’s infield single in the 9th inning that, on replay, was shown that he was out by a step. Furcal eventually came around to score the tie run when Andre Ethier hit a single into RF that skipped past a diving Freddy Sanchez.
Generally, in my experience, umpires do a pretty great job on getting the calls right. They don’t always make the right call, but more often than not, they’ll get it right. Yesterday’s game was like a weird cascade event of all the worst possible outcomes rolled into one game. The Schierholtz call at first base was easily one of the most offensive because the umpire wasn’t even looking at first base, instead he was watching Sandoval duck under a tag as he chugged towards second base.
Both Bruce Bochy and Ron Wotus were tossed from the game for arguing calls. If you ever wanted to see a game managed by Tim Flannery — this one was for you.
Juan Uribe, after a mostly forgettable day, redeemed himself in the bottom of the 10th inning when he scorched a walk-off 2-run home run off Guillermo Mota into the LF bleachers. The at-bat was classic Juan Uribe. Two huge hacks at two first pitch sliders that Uribe wasn’t even close to making contact with. Then, Mota tried to tried to throw a 92mph fastball past Uribe and he blasted it.
Redemption is a 2-run home run.
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Good game, but it’s one that after watching, I’ve felt like I’ve aged a good 20 years. I’ve got a new Giants slogan: Giants baseball, it’ll age you faster than hard drugs.

Unfreaking believable. You don’t EVER hear Johnny Miller say anything about the umps, but even he was losing his shit.
Complete nightmare.
By the way, did anyway else see Lincecum turn around and scream “Fuck You” at the umps after he got pulled?
Classic stuff.