News |
Rays
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Crawford sees pattern of 'bad calls'
By MARC TOPKIN
Published September 5, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG - Carl Crawford's Monday outburst at umpire Paul Nauert is officially "under review" by MLB officials, who will determine in the next few days if the Rays All-Star should be fined or suspended, and for how long.
Crawford said he hopes not to be disciplined for his reaction to the blatantly blown call. But he also said he is tired of calls repeatedly going against him.
"I can name you about 10 bad calls but I'm going to stick to the one from (Monday) night," Crawford said. "I don't know. I've never gotten into it with any umpires or nothing like that. I don't really talk back much. But for some reason calls always go against me a lot of times.
"If I've done something to the umpires that I don't know about, I'd like to take this time to apologize because I'm definitely getting tired of these situations happening."
Rays personnel have complained often during their 10 seasons that they don't get close calls because of who they are: a relatively new and usually unsuccessful team.
"It's been that way for a while now and I understand that part; because we lose a lot of games I understand a lot of calls are not going to go our way," Crawford said. "But sometimes you just have to be like, 'C'mon man.' It's ridiculous sometimes. Sometimes you just feel like enough is enough."
BAT-GATE: MLB officials completed the examination of Akinori Iwamura's bat that was confiscated in New York on Saturday and found it - as expected - to be "in full compliance" with regulations. Alex Rodriguez's bat was also examined and cleared.
BALL-GATE: There was a reason Carlos Pena didn't get the ball from his team-record-setting 35th homer Monday: It was tossed into the stands. After the ball hit a catwalk, it was retrieved by Orioles RF Nick Markakis, rolled to the infield, picked up by pitcher Jim Hoey and requested by third-base ump Rob Drake, who apparently wasn't made aware of the significance and flipped it to fan.
DELAYED ARRIVAL: The Rays tried hard to get Fernando Cabrera, but when the reliever finally made it to the Trop Tuesday he was in an Orioles uniform. The Rays claimed him first on standard waivers but were unable to work out a trade with Cleveland, then on release waivers, but Cabrera rejected the claim to become a free agent and signed with Baltimore.
Z END: Though SS Ben Zobrist is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a right oblique strain, manager Joe Maddon said his season "more than likely" is over. ... There was no update on the status of CF Rocco Baldelli.
NOT-SO-MINOR MATTERS: Two Rays teams open postseason play tonight. Triple-A Durham is at home against Toledo (Tigers) in best-of-five International League play with J.P. Howell starting. Class A Columbus opens a best-of-three series against Augusta (Giants) by starting Heath Rollins, who has three of his 17 wins against the Green Jackets, but without star OF Desmond Jennings (knee injury). Double-A Montgomery opens the Southern League playoffs Thursday.
MISCELLANY:Delmon Young's11-game hitting streak ended, but he picked up his 75th RBI, three shy of Baldelli's team rookie record. ... Baseball Prospectus authors Will Carroll and Joe Sheehan are talking from 5:40-7 tonight in the leftfield meeting room with Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman a guest. ... Ex-Ray Rob Bell is expected to rejoin Baltimore's bullpen today. ... The Rays are looking to win three consecutive series for the first time since August 2005.
FAST FACTS:
Bottom's up
How the Rays stand in avoiding the worst record in the majors:
Team W-L GA
Rays 57-82 -
White Sox 59-79 +2.5
Marlins 60-79 +3
Pirates 60-78 +3.5
Orioles 60-77 +4
Nationals 62-77 +5
Astros 62-77 +5
Reds 62-77 +5
Giants 62-77 +5
Royals 62-76 +5.5
[Last modified September 5, 2007, 02:20:36]
Share your thoughts on this story
Comments on this article
|
by John
|
09/05/07 03:28 PM
|
|
Umpire Nauert is the one that needs disciplined. Carl is right, he never gets the call. The rule says a tie goes to the runner, but umpires refuse to accept the speed they see & won't make the call in favor of the Rays--a know MLB embarrassment.
|
|
by Michael
|
09/05/07 03:26 PM
|
|
Maybe the umps are just practicing for their new upcoming jobs in the Pinellas County Commisioners offices.
|
|
by Paul
|
09/05/07 02:13 PM
|
|
A real mgr. knows you have to get in the umps ear even if a close call was correct to to set up a later call to go your way. Maddons "Golly Gee Mr. Umpire That Was Close" does nothing. Try "You Blind MF Even The Other Team Knows You Blew That One"
|
|
by Tony
|
09/05/07 12:01 PM
|
|
Bad calls going against the Rays is certainly nothing new. The bottom line is that teh umpires get paid to make the right call regardless of who's playing. Maybe they need a reminder of this.
|
|
by David
|
09/05/07 09:43 AM
|
|
If they really are trying to keep instant replay review out of baseball they are going at it the wrong way.
|
|
by John
|
09/05/07 06:55 AM
|
|
I would believe that MLB wants the close calls to go towards teams like NY and Boston so they can keep the pennant race and wild card race close thus genterating more fan intrest and revenue. Plus the fact that Maddon never gets mad at umps helps too
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Letter to the editor
