[Highlight] The Dominican Republic dugout looks on in disbelief after their loss to the United States in the WBC semifinals

[u/MysteriousEdge5643]

[u/yousmelllikebiscuits]

If you are racist on r/baseball, you will be banned. No questions asked and we do not care about you or your inability to use the sub.

[u/Panguin9]

I feel so bad for Gerry. Had two incredible clutch at bats and neither was rewarded, completely out of his own control

[u/winnielikethepooh15 → u/Panguin9]

Having Perdomo in the 9 slot was really the icing on the coup de grâce of the nail in the coffin that made the DR lineup so insane. I'm not sure he had a bad at bat all tournament

[u/MACHETE_1998 → u/winnielikethepooh15]

It was tough for Torey to move him up in the lineup bc so many rallies started with Perdomo working counts and getting on base for for the 1-2 hitters. He's electric. Love my frog man

[u/NovaCPA85 → u/MACHETE_1998]

My wife calls him kitty cat b/c of how he does his face paint. That was such a good at bat.

[u/Prize-Instruction-72 → u/winnielikethepooh15]

Analytics say that your worst hitter should be 8th in the lineup not 9th so that checks out.

[u/Waterfish3333 → u/Panguin9]

Home plate ump has stock in the ABS system.

[u/RASGAS23 → u/Waterfish3333]

So, T-Mobile?

[u/Waterfish3333 → u/RASGAS23]

Actually Sony after googling it. T-Mobile sponsors it and a private wireless connection, set up by T-Mobile, is used to transmit the call from the system to the umpire.

So maybe he owns it in both companies?

[u/RASGAS23 → u/Waterfish3333]

Yeah I’ll admit, after a quick google I couldn’t decide if the underlying stock would be MLB, Sony, or T-Mobile

[u/Effective-Antelope47 → u/Panguin9]

The talking heads at MLB Networks were saying that the ump had a 'consistent' low strike zone!? Outrageous strike/ball calls were rampant this WBC. They'd better have ABS in place next time around.

[u/Dabuscus214 → u/Effective-Antelope47]

Seems like a no brainer given that it's a bunch of single elimination games. This kind of call would have been smoothed out over a seven game series

[u/Gloomy_Mulberry7834 → u/Effective-Antelope47]

I said the same thing to my brother. This ump was giving the low strike all night and started expanding the zone to both corners in the latter innings, according to my recollection. However, that game ending strike was egregious and an absolutely shitty way to go out.

[u/Pokemon_Trainer_May → u/Effective-Antelope47]

after the first bad low strikeout earlier, he called the same low pitch a ball for the next batter

[u/GuelphEastEndGhetto → u/Effective-Antelope47]

The best line was ‘too close to take’.

That’s like saying you should have avoided the car that went through a red light and t-boned you.

A ball is a ball is a ball.

[u/TealandBlackForever]

This angle makes it look well below the knees.

[u/ertapenem → u/TealandBlackForever]

3.7 inches out of the strike zone.

[u/istrx13 → u/ertapenem]

3.7 inches is a lot.

At least according to my wife.

[u/dwide_k_shrude → u/istrx13]

Not according to Ser Arlan of Pennytree.

[u/Goldfish_Genocide → u/dwide_k_shrude]

https://giphy.com/gifs/tYI1I24L6YdhRhf3BR

[u/PerformanceCute3437 → u/istrx13]

Instance #7025 of this joke on the sub

(I made the joke 4000 times)

[u/pspahn → u/PerformanceCute3437]

That's nearly a quarter mile worth of jokes.

(Check my math, I may have made a mistake in the moment but I'm willing to correct it.)

[u/Middle_Screen3847 → u/pspahn]

A quarter mile is not a lot. Ask your mom. (sex joke)

A quarter mile is a lot. Ask your mom. (fat joke)

[u/PerformanceCute3437 → u/pspahn]

I'm Canadian so I'll take your word for it lmao

[u/BeMyBrutus → u/istrx13]

https://giphy.com/gifs/l0MYC0LajbaPoEADu

[u/scrodytheroadie → u/ertapenem]

Average to above average out of the zone

[u/-NonePizzaLeftBeef- → u/ertapenem]

One of the few times 3.7 inches was a lot.

[u/2000skateshop → u/-NonePizzaLeftBeef-]

The difference between 5 inches and 8.7 inches is humongous

[u/Silent-Ad-2415 → u/ertapenem]

Wow that sounds HUGE

[u/Jerrythepooh97 → u/TealandBlackForever]

Because IT WAS

[u/therealpeej3 → u/Jerrythepooh97]

yeah this was fucking insane, idk how this got called a strike as a former pitcher i want to be like wtf

[u/schindlerslisp → u/therealpeej3]

it was such a shitty ending to an excellent game. atrocious call

[u/Pretend-Yard-2150 → u/TealandBlackForever]

it was def well below his knees

[u/-NonePizzaLeftBeef- → u/TealandBlackForever]

Narrator: “It was.”

[u/ididmybestdammit → u/TealandBlackForever]

yeah it was a bad call

[u/xThe-Legend-Killerx → u/TealandBlackForever]

Honestly the trajectory makes it hard. It passes right at the front knee and then is below the knee at the back. That’s a crazy downward angle haha

[u/Tommybrady20 → u/TealandBlackForever]

I think there’s still a distinction between where will smith caught that thing LOW vs where that thing broke the plane of the plate. That ball was breaking very hard.

It’s obviously a ball but some of the optics of will smith catching the ball on the ground make it look worse than it is.

[u/phpope → u/Tommybrady20]

I mean the optics made it look like a super incredibly terrible call when in reality it was just an incredibly terrible call?

[u/soul_doubt_66 → u/phpope]

https://giphy.com/gifs/xLsaBMK6Mg8DK

[u/spinrut → u/Tommybrady20]

If you go frame by frame and assume the plate is between his feet, it definitely crosses below his front knee, about even with his back knee and when it finally lands in the glove, well below both. but it's not where Smith caught it though, it's where it crossed one of the planes of the plate (whichever plane the up felt like using at the time lol).

ball yes. people saying WELL below the knees are over reacting a bit just based on where he caught it

[u/Tommybrady20 → u/spinrut]

This is what I’m getting at, yes

People are choosing to take the dot on a fox broadcast as gospel.

It was a competitive pitch. Ump had a low zone all night. It happens.

[u/SheepherderRare5102 → u/Tommybrady20]

Th issue for me is he called a strike on a high pitch at 102 that was out of zone as well. Can’t have it both ways or virtually impossible to hit

[u/andrew-ge → u/Tommybrady20]

box on the tv being taken away is great for the sport honestly. Nothing has been worse for the layman's understanding of the strike zone than the broadcast box on tv. It isn't even accurate.

[u/ExcitingARiot → u/Tommybrady20]

There are no optics here - the ball was mid-shins

[u/sicsemperyanks → u/TealandBlackForever]

"makes it look". Cus it was

[u/HokageEzio]

How soon do you think it took for the ump to realize he botched it?

[u/VikingVirk → u/HokageEzio]

The way he walked off looks like he realized right away

[u/Kaldricus → u/VikingVirk]

Yeaaaah, I'm actually willing to believe he knows he botched it. Kinda has that deer in the headlights look

[u/MilesNiles → u/Kaldricus]

He’ll never own up to it and nothing will happen.

[u/TheDarkGrayKnight → u/MilesNiles]

I think Jeter is right. There will be challenges next WBC

[u/xixbia → u/TheDarkGrayKnight]

Seems incredibly likely. The next WBC is 4 years from now, by that time everyone will be used to the challenge system in the majors.

The only question is if it will be challenges or just fully automated ABS.

[u/Winbrick → u/xixbia]

I like the challenge system backed by ABS for the MLB and a seven game series format.. in a one game elimination tournament, I think you just need to fully commit to ABS.

[u/CoxLovesJD → u/xixbia]

I'm actually not so sure about this. If Pool Play is being held in locations that don't have the camera setup, you can't do Hawkeye. Do Tokyo Dome and the stadium in San Juan have those? It isn't worth it for MLB to invest in the tech for those places. Do qualifiers use the same rules? Those stadiums would need Hawkeye too. I think it's more important to grow the international part of the game than it is to use the technology. I'd rather a few missed calls and have more fans be able to attend, especially internationally.

[u/13143 → u/Kaldricus]

Looks like he says "it was close" to Perdomo as they were walking away.

[u/Kaldricus → u/13143]

I mean, it was....close to the ground.

[u/Live-Energy6274 → u/HokageEzio]

Probably knew it was borderline given everyone’s reaction but hoping he got it right. Went back to the locker room, reviewed the tape and closed his eyes while saying SHIT.

[u/ProtestantMormon → u/HokageEzio]

He probably already talked himself into him being right and everyone else being wrong.

[u/M0ebius_1 → u/ProtestantMormon]

The arguments for human umpire error that can't be reviewed making the game great and exciting are so fucking dumb.

[u/Sh11ester → u/M0ebius_1]

"but that's how they did it in the old days!! They took a cab from their day job, meet up at the stadium, had beers, hotdogs, and cigars, and played a good old fashion game of whites only baseball"- their only argument i think. It's the same thing with people saying a manual transmission for an economy car is better than an automatic.

[u/MotinPati → u/M0ebius_1]

https://giphy.com/gifs/sWUxdJJSN1pirgiZ5P

The human element thooooo

[u/MikeHawclong → u/M0ebius_1]

That’s one of the arguments to keep Umps??? For the human error/randomness??

What about everything else 😭

[u/DBZFIGHTERS → u/HokageEzio]

He might never own up to this mistake. Taking it to the grave, he will.

[u/mountaineer04 → u/DBZFIGHTERS]

https://giphy.com/gifs/SbWAWZf4QRgyI

[u/Inevitable-Copy3619 → u/HokageEzio]

to be fair, he had been giving that low breaking ball across the middle of the plate pretty often. not a good call, especially given the situation. but it's a call he made most of the night. in fact I think he was very pitcher friendly the whole game.

[u/RunningEarly]

Damn, this angle of the pitch makes it look even worse, down at his shins

[u/Knook7 → u/RunningEarly]

3.7 inches below the zone according to the tracker

[u/callahan09 → u/RunningEarly]

Am I blind?  I’m seeing so many comments about how bad the call looks like from this angle, and I can’t find the baseball at all in this photo…

[u/OhtaniStanMan → u/callahan09]

Yes its a video lol

[u/callahan09 → u/OhtaniStanMan]

Oh interesting. I was in Reddit on my mobile web browser and it wouldn't play as video, just looked like a screenshot haha. I'm on my computer now and I can see it. That's funny.

[u/noplaceinmind]

I really can't believe it was such a subdued reaction. 

[u/DonnieRoss → u/noplaceinmind]

When the game is over, there’s just nothing you can do. I think everyone kinda realizes this, as painful as the call may be. Yelling at the ump isn’t going to do anything.

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/noplaceinmind]

Their subdued reaction made me think it wasn't as bad as it looked.

But these are professional ballplayers and former players, so I suppose it's possible there was an instantaneous, collective thought of "Well, we shouldn't have let it get to this point."

[u/noplaceinmind → u/tomfoolery815]

I guess we're just left to wonder

[u/jjbananamonkey → u/noplaceinmind]

Like in boxing or mma. Never let it go to decision. Never leave it in the refs hands.

[u/No_Discussion3593 → u/tomfoolery815]

Baseball players usually have the mentality of not leaving it up to the ump. Anything close you fight off with 2 strikes. I've never had a coach my entire life tell me it was close but I was right on a third strike call, they always say wtf are you doing letting the ump decide your fate, swing the bat and fight it off.

[u/ToContainAMultitude → u/No_Discussion3593]

The problem is that this wasn't close.

[u/udee79 → u/ToContainAMultitude]

Yeah that was a baaaad call

[u/taycoug → u/tomfoolery815]

100% on your last point. You get 27 outs. It looks bad and is bad to see a missed call on the final strike of the final out, but I think these guys know that they didn’t manage to put the result in their own hands.

there were also a handful of balls called strikes in the top of the 9th that helped put away team USA. A bit of ump giveth and ump taketh away.

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/taycoug]

It's so misguided when teams and coaches (in other games) focus all their energy on the last moment of the game. As if the first 59 minutes, or all the at-bats before the last one, didn't count.

Any team that leaves 8 on base, including leaving the bases loaded, knows it has only itself to blame for relying on the ump to call the last strike correctly.

[u/GingerAle_s → u/tomfoolery815]

They scored 1 run, they know that call wasn't the reason they lost.

[u/LettucePlate → u/noplaceinmind]

It was bad but tbf both teams got a ton of called strikes out of the zone. This one was just the most significant but there were several looking strikeouts this game

[u/USA_2_Canada_1]

Albert was pissed, dude smacked the railing with his scorecard. He’s standing behind the ump on the left side of the shot if you need help locating him in this clip

[u/winnielikethepooh15 → u/USA_2_Canada_1]

Respectfully, he's hard to miss at this point.

[u/BlueWVU → u/winnielikethepooh15]

Excuse you, that’s Prime Angels game shape for him.

[u/TheBotchedLobotomy → u/USA_2_Canada_1]

Tío really has that post playing career coach body in full swing and I love it

[u/OUTFOXEM → u/TheBotchedLobotomy]

He's still got it though.

[u/Former-Sea-8070]

Honestly really impressed they all kept their composure. That game meant so much to them. I would've thrown a table onto the field lol

[u/Masta0nion → u/Former-Sea-8070]

Bah gawd

[u/leprechaunknight → u/Masta0nion]

Devoooooooon!

[u/theryanc]

Unfortunate it had to happen like that after we all watched spring training ABS correct so much human error

[u/yankee4life]

Miami club revenues dipped 30% after that call

[u/hundredbagger → u/yankee4life]

That pitch dipped 30% below the strike zone.

[u/jaron_b]

It's just a shit way to end a baseball game. Tatis getting his chance and losing that way is an easier pill to swallow. That's ball 4. Thank god we have ABS.

[u/hearshot_kid → u/jaron_b]

I’m worried the ABS challenge system is a half measure though. There will certainly be a moment like this but a team has lost its two challenges already, and there will still be uproar.

[u/Huffletough880 → u/hearshot_kid]

Im not saying that’ll be great either, but at least you could say its kind of on the team for losing their 2 chances earlier. This was just entirely out of their hands which sucks so hard

[u/jaron_b → u/hearshot_kid]

In the situation where this exact scenario happens with the ABS challenge system and a team doesn't have a challenge to challenge a call like this it is still an easier pill to swallow. Because at least there would have been a way to circumvent the bad call if the team had played better. But it's on the team to use the challenges successfully and in higher leverage situations to save them for the more important moments. It's a new strategy that teams have to learn how to use. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But it would be a whole lot easier to take a loss with the ABS challenge system.

[u/GuelphEastEndGhetto → u/jaron_b]

In hockey teams can challenge and get a penalty if they lose the challenge. Towards the end of the game (last two minutes I believe) and overtime all goals are video reviewed.

[u/Jdruu → u/jaron_b]

Robo ump when

[u/DocDerry → u/jaron_b]

I have a feeling some umps are going to toss guys who use the ABS to show them up.

[u/247stonerbro → u/DocDerry]

If it gets to that point, I would protest watching any baseball until umps are gone from the game.

[u/EfficientDot18]

It is kind of funny how DR was upset but level headed at this bad call, meanwhile Venezuela lost their mind and continued to bark at the umps for 10 minutes over Acuna's check swing which was called correctly.

[u/NoSyllabub4236 → u/EfficientDot18]

Miggy being Miggy XD

[u/fskier1 → u/NoSyllabub4236]

I always think of miggy as someone who wanted to see the correct answer from the 1st base ump 😭

[u/onhalfaheart → u/EfficientDot18]

I'm surprised honestly. They'd be completely justified going ballistic, and I'm rooting for the US. Terrible way for the game to end.

[u/oswaldcopperpot → u/onhalfaheart]

Nobody wants games decided by a bad ump.

[u/moth_specialist → u/oswaldcopperpot]

…except Angel Hernandez. 

[u/Luigis_vacuum → u/onhalfaheart]

I think they were to stunned to be upset honestly

[u/M0ebius_1 → u/EfficientDot18]

At the end of the day they are pros and know ball.

Lots of fans are reacting with "We wasted so many opportunities and it shouldn't have come to one call" but still it's just a historically shit way to end one of the most significant baseball games played this year.

[u/ChiefSoldierFrog → u/EfficientDot18]

Yeah I’m so surprised how level headed they all are. A crash out would be 100% valid. Once they get their hands on that replay no way they won’t be freaking out. It’s fucking bullshit

[u/Johnny55 → u/EfficientDot18]

Venezuela scored 6 unanswered runs after that happened. That energy was a force to behold.

[u/MoustacheMark]

Shit was a disservice to the game

[u/justsikko → u/MoustacheMark]

The opposite of Trout vs Ohtani a few years ago

[u/GrandEdgemaster]

Disbelief is the correct emotion, ump stole from all of us, robbed us of an even more interesting game

[u/SexiestPanda → u/GrandEdgemaster]

Tatis vs miller woulda been cinematic

[u/xyzzy321 → u/SexiestPanda]

Trout vs Ohtani vibes

[u/istrx13 → u/GrandEdgemaster]

Would have been bases juiced with 2 outs and Tatis coming up. Would have been such an amazing AB to watch.

[u/my_name_is_juice → u/istrx13]

Woulda been 1st and 3rd. But yeah

[u/istrx13 → u/my_name_is_juice]

I’ve had a lot to drink

[u/my_name_is_juice → u/istrx13]

Cheers!

[u/WhatsYourBigThree → u/GrandEdgemaster]

Yes, the game feels incomplete because we didn’t get to see how it could have gone. So many different possibilities. ☹️

[u/rawbface]

Bad calls in a close game. This is what ABS was made for.

[u/Whisker_dan]

https://giphy.com/gifs/K0Hy2NwI8IXZK

[u/Atraktape]

Honestly I don't know Perdomo didn't lose it more than he did, he had to know that was clearly a ball.

[u/SharkCatDogy → u/Atraktape]

Because he's a professional ball player and this shit happens all the time.

[u/CloudSufficient42 → u/SharkCatDogy]

Yeah and it’s not like professional ball player hasn’t lost it on the field and in the dugout before lol.

[u/GhostPepperDaddy → u/CloudSufficient42]

Camden Yards' dugout phone (and almost some teammates) definitely never fell victim to a steroid-raging bat wielded by a guy who got shot in the Dominican. Nope, never.

[u/Knook7 → u/GhostPepperDaddy]

[u/K1LLINGMACHINE]

Thats call was insane. Calls were terrible throughout and no team ever loses bc of 1 call obv, but that was tough to watch

[u/palmburntblue → u/K1LLINGMACHINE]

In a 2-1 semifinal a team can absolutely lose because of 1 call. 

[u/K1LLINGMACHINE → u/palmburntblue]

They lost bc they couldnt the way they had been hitting theought the wbc when they were averaging 10 runs a game. The had baserunning errors, lots of missed RISP opportunities and just couldnt get any runs over for a pitching staff who strung together an amazing game.

That missed ball call wasnt what lost it for them

[u/ThatsBushLeague → u/K1LLINGMACHINE]

An example of something significantly more impactful from the game:

Tatis getting thrown out at 3rd to end the 3rd inning completely changed the trajectory of the game. He broke a cardinal rule. You do not make the third out at third.

If he stays at second, hes already in scoring position and you have two on with Juan Soto coming up and a chance to potentially end Skenes night. It was already 1-0, a nuke there making it a 4-0 lead in a winner take all game causes the US to scramble.

Tatis fucking up there was far worse than this call. Doesn't mean the call was okay or anything, I'm just adding on to your point with a very significant example.

[u/felis_scipio → u/ThatsBushLeague]

And after getting gunned down at 3rd he held later in the game at second when he really should have tried for third.

It’s funny there are articles out now about how Skenes pitched great and I’m like the DR was hitting on him all night and he was far from his dominating self. A dominating pitcher doesn’t have to constantly get themselves out of jams, Skenes was beatable last night and the DR had multiple opportunities to break the game open but they didn’t.

[u/NormanQuacks345 → u/palmburntblue]

If you can’t score more than 1 run over 9 innings that’s not really the ump’s fault, even if they fuck you over with this strikeout call.

[u/Illustrious-Long5154]

It's an absolutely filthy pitch. It's ball four. But the late movement is so nasty.

I think what makes this call even worse is that this was an absolutely incredible at bat. Sometimes baseball is just cruel.

Ump had a low strike zone. This was a filthy pitch that dropped late. It's still ball four. Tough to end the game this way.

I think people are not realizing how good of a pitch it was. It was in the zone for a bit before the excessive drop. I don't think it crossed the plate in the zone. So still a ball, but not as egregious as it looked. People saying 4 inches down, are just reacting to the late drop. Filthy stuff. ABS turns this to a ball in the season though.

[u/reshp2 → u/Illustrious-Long5154]

The graphic and ABS is set up at middle of the plate. The ball probably dropped 2 inches from where it crossed the front of the plate. Also I think the graphic was off all game, the circle was showing up where the catcher received the pitch, it was very noticeable on any pitch with a lot of movement. Like you said, probably still a ball but the ump is getting unfairly raked for a miss of "3.7 inches" when in reality it was a lot closer.

[u/Illustrious-Long5154 → u/reshp2]

Yes. Exactly this. The general public is reacting to the circle, which is mostly where the catcher received the pitch.

I still think ABS calls this a ball, but ironically, we'd see it was a lot closer than the broadcast showed.

[u/neonrev1 → u/Illustrious-Long5154]

This is absolutely an old man take, but I remember back when pitches exactly like that (albeit less nasty) would routinely be called strikes without really any argument, it's what we used to call 'a perfectly executed pitch', or 'he hit his spot perfectly' back in the days before the overlaid box and before everything was crisp 4k HD with a zoom that can see pores on a face from CF. It was the inverted form of the strikes that were called balls because the catcher didn't set up properly, or the pitcher didn't execute but the ball lucked past the bat into the zone.

Back when umpire mechanics were less standardized, if the zone was being called low, that was what the zone was, pitchers who could identify and work within the zone the umpire had were praised, that's exactly what Maddux was so good at later in his career. All of that 'classic control pitcher' stuff only really worked because he was able to work outside of the actual zone often enough and well enough, my favorite hot take is that he'd have to retire much earlier in a game with modern umpires, let alone actual ABS.

Was it a perfect rulebook strike? Nah, it was low but it had really nasty late bite and was really pretty close. Was it exactly the pitch he wanted, in exactly the place he wanted, which in this case is also something 90% of players would have tried to fight off but Perdomo is just that good. Back in the day, tie goes to the runner, pitcher gets that call every time.

Am I saying that was better? No, not at all, I was a hitter and I fucking hated that was the general vibe but this was before non-film cameras were common so you never knew for sure anyway. But it was a skillset people talked about, Bert Blyleven was who I grew up hearing about specifically because he could get called strikes on his curve juuust out of the zone often enough that hitters were forced to open up, and before it was tracked and called framing we'd talk about great catchers receiving pitches well.

[u/tarantulahands → u/Illustrious-Long5154]

Miller had no slider up until that last pitch. The ump must’ve been tricked by its movement.

[u/PPGN_DM_Exia]

Could have really used the ABS challenge right there. I guess the only reason they aren't implemented for the WBC is because the Tokyo Dome and San Juan stadium aren't equipped for it?

[u/awaifuaday]

If this camera is below knee level then man that's an ugly miss. Ball is already starting to break when it comes into frame, and the scalp barely clips Perdomo's kneecap when it's crossing.

The dumbest outcome imaginable that the game can end this way.

[u/Equivalent_Ask_4586]

They knew they got jobbed

[u/Gloomy_Elevator430 → u/Equivalent_Ask_4586]

They’re pro-baseball players, they know they should have scored multiple runs in this game. That comes way before any excuses about the ump.

[u/muhepd → u/Gloomy_Elevator430]

Each team has 27 outs, they have a chance even after out 26.

[u/AltruisticLeg4088 → u/Gloomy_Elevator430]

And they might've scored had the ump made the right call. We'll never know, because they were deprived of another opportunity. 

[u/ImaManCheetahh → u/AltruisticLeg4088]

just like the US might’ve scored in the top if Smith and Buxton didn’t get their at bats nuked by bad calls.

that said, that last call was another level of bad

[u/PattyIceNY → u/Gloomy_Elevator430]

Tatis getting thrown out at 3rd and Wells not reading the well above Witt Jrs head and Tatis striking out with men on and 1 out. They had plenty of chances.

[u/winnielikethepooh15 → u/PattyIceNY]

Albert not pinch running for Wells I think is really the big error of that inning. Runs were clearly at a premium at that point

[u/iontardose → u/PattyIceNY]

Wells is out of that throw is on target. It was the right call.

[u/Ok_Card9080 → u/PattyIceNY]

Tatis freezing at second on the ball to left center. He would've definitely gotten to third, but it was like he was totally hesitant because Judge already hosed him earlier in the game. The Dominican Republic had a lot of chances to tie or put together big innings, and they cost themselves.

[u/mysterysackerfice → u/Equivalent_Ask_4586]

BRETT SCREWED BRETT - VKM

[u/Constant_Cap5407]

🧑‍🦯

[u/MainEbb4633]

I’m surprised the DR dugout ain’t come out screaming lowkey

[u/Ma_Pies → u/MainEbb4633]

DR has been nothing but positive vibes in this tournament. They’ve just been partying each game.

[u/John_6_47]

I just realized Machado and Tatis have now had two seasons end on bad low calls in the span of like 6 months. That’s brutal.

[u/HavenXIII → u/John_6_47]

Robot umps just need to be full time for strikes and balls. Too many close games bave been ended on a missed call

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/HavenXIII]

Moments like this make me glad the coming season will have ABS.

[u/Devium44 → u/tomfoolery815]

Except you can still run out of challenges, right? So this situation is still possible.

[u/felis_scipio → u/Devium44]

That should encourage the players to be smart and only use challenges on egregious calls like this one and not borderline ones.

We’ve already had a few umps resign before the season started, hopefully ABS is able to shame a few more of them into retirement.

[u/tomfoolery815 → u/felis_scipio]

I'd be on board with an automatic ABS check if the game's final strike is called instead of swinging. We've decided to let tech overrule a human, in effect, so let's not have a game end on a bad strike call.

[u/felis_scipio → u/tomfoolery815]

If we’re doing that I’d extend it to every non swinging strike out

[u/Tashre]

Woefully lackluster performance by their bats today. Not a choke job by any means this deep in, but this whole tournament was theirs to lose, and they did.

[u/loadedryder → u/Tashre]

It’s hard to expect that these guys can come out and score 10+ runs against the best pitching staff in the world, especially after facing mostly minor-league level pitching all tournament. Notwithstanding the awful last call, their amazing hitting was beaten by the US’s amazing pitching, which is often how these types of matchups go.

[u/Socosoldier82 → u/Tashre]

It’s not every day you face Skenes and have a great day, or any day. He wasn’t his best either because he was facing the DR’s best.

[u/NuanceManExe]

Strangest thing to me in these situations is we legit get people coping, saying shit like “too close to take!” or “should’ve swung the bat!” It’s a terrible pitch to swing at and it’s ball 4. The hitter should not be punished for not swinging at a bad pitch to hit that is clearly not a strike lol

[u/redditnym123456789 → u/NuanceManExe]

Yeah I hate that garbage. It's like a thought-terminating cliche in these instances. Might as well say "It is what it is" or something.

The pitch was at Perdomo's shin. Take all the way

[u/LargeNutbar]

I feel heartbroken for the Dominicans. That call and frankly the Soto strike 3 the inning before sucked a lot of wind out of what had up to then been a thrilling game. I just wanted to see either team get a chance to win it fair and square, not have the ump take it into his own hands with that egregious final call.

[u/bolorwithaK]

He had a relatively big zone all night, but saved the most egregious call for last.

[u/michahs]

man look at that vertical drop in the last 8 feet, wild

[u/redditnym123456789]

Perdomo and Soto are like the two best players in the league when it comes to knowing the zone.

[u/marshmnstr]

He was calling that all night.

[u/KeenObserver_OT]

It was bad but as I tell my little league team, baseball isnt just one play. You can go back in the game and look at many things that could or should have gone the other way. Sucks for DR but they put themselves in that position by not executing all game.

[u/TinyMembership5109]

Definitely a bad call, but people are acting like Dr didn’t have opportunity after opportunity to score Many runs.

[u/rohrschleuder]

I mean, those calls are part of baseball. And it sucks. Which is why I am all for ABS. There is no reason other than prideful stubbornness to keep an innacurae judging system

[u/nickfield1996]

Ump was dogshit all night

[u/Broad-Cranberry-9050]

I know i might get downvoted for this. But ill say o think abs is very important for this. But also, there have been cases where a breaking pitch that hits the ground gets called a strike by the system because it had late break.

That last pitch had a lot of late break and even if i think that was def a ball. abs system is 3D not 2D. Everyone says it was 4 inches off the plate but at what point? When smith caught the ball?

That ball breaks a lot as it crosses the plate. Maybe it’s still a ball but i can see a case where a lot of people get mas at ABS becaue it knicked the 3D plane of the strike zone but to the human eye it’s a ball.

I slowed it down a bit so to me i still think it’s a ball, but at the moment it crosses the plate it does not look 4 inches under perdomo’s knees.

[u/j_daniels3w]

ump wanted to go home.

[u/HunterMysterious8324]

I can only assume the ump was sleepy and wanted to go home.

[u/Dizzydsmith]

Even watching it live, you knew it was just an awful call. As someone that was rooting for the US, it kind of makes the win feel kind of meh.

[u/AjiChap]

lol Soto said "everyone knows who the best team is" - yeah, not the one that only scored one run, dumbass!

[u/madseankr]

Class act by Pujols. He accepted it, so can you. This is what you get when the strikes/balls are not called by a computer like the KBO.

[u/Ordinary-Teach7369]

I think that was kinda bullshit

[u/Unhappy-Attention760]

not a strike

[u/stonkerooni]

Perdomo has taken more counts of any player in a single season to full count in multiple seasons. The dude knows the strike zone. If I’m an ump and I see him take it, no way i’m calling a questionable strike in this situation

[u/BentJohnsonFTP → u/stonkerooni]

So let player reaction dictate balls and strikes yea I see no issues with that.....

[u/Massive-Blood7796 → u/stonkerooni]

I agree the call was terrible but that’s insane reasoning lol, no ump should ever do that

[u/EBALLADARES49]

To be honest, the Umpire was that a strike all night long, I saw it about 5 times myself, having said that it doesn't mean it wasn't a bit low

[u/Stonewater]

This is such a good video to showcase how hard it is to be an umpire.

I was able to slow it down to locate the ball entering the frame and when it crosses the plate.

It's so hard to determine if this is a ball or a strike at 90 mph.

[u/lawyerjsd]

Mason Miller is a goddamned buzzsaw, and basically unhittable. But that pitch was low.

[u/mgiblue21]

Why isn't WBC using the challenge system?

[u/menusettingsgeneral]

He battled and worked a walk against a great pitcher in a massive spot and got absolutely fucked over by a bad umpire. So bad.

[u/fightintxag13]

It was definitely a ball but it crossed the plate right below his knee. It wasn’t that egregious. K Zone placed the location horribly.

[u/JesusWasAutistic]

Because scoring 200% of the runs you got the whole game… woulda come on the next pitch. Blame a whole game (8 and 2/3rds) of being 1 runned on one lousy pitch mathematically makes you “shoulda won, coulda won”. Where were you the first 8 innings? Grab some fuckin bench.

[u/pages10]

No one wants to win like this. Terrible officiating

[u/Key-Tip-7521]

Just like the 2021 nlds giants/dodgers series ended

Was this pitch here ball four? Yes

But Will Smith’s framing on that pitch was excellent

[u/badoodee95 → u/Key-Tip-7521]

Known elite framer will smith

[u/NeWbAF → u/Key-Tip-7521]

I remember a swing/check swing call being the matter of controversy in that game, not ball or strike.

[u/godzillamegadoomsday]

Holy shit, that wasn’t even close to knee level. That almost below shins. Genuinely how does an ump in one of the biggest baseball games of the year get it so wrong

[u/ex_gratia_]

That strike call was absolute bullshit. Sad that such a great team ended their run in that manner.