Penn State has been brutalized by a number of horrible calls since entering the Big Ten. Joe Paterno became so exasperated by shoddy officiating that he successfully lobbied for instant replay in college football.Perhaps Major League Baseball needs to consider using technology to get the calls right...
In the bottom of the 19th inning early this morning with Atlanta and Pittsburgh tied at 3-3, the Braves had runners on the corners and one out.
Julio Lugo ran home on a grounder to third and was beaten by at least ten feet. Pirates catcher Mike McKenry applied the tag, but umpire Jerry Meals inexplicably called Lugo safe, ending the game.
Batter Scott Proctor did a pratfall running out of the batter's box, so the Pirates would likely have turned an inning-ending double play had the call at home gone differently.
In most years nobody would care, but the Pirates are fighting for a playoff spot. Instead of waking up tied for first this morning, the standings show the Bucs in third place, a game behind the Cardinals and half a game behind the Brewers.
Meals admits he blew the call, but that's of little consolation to the Pirates and their fans...
"After coming into the locker room, I reviewed the incident through our videos that we have in here and after seeing a few of them, on one particular replay, I was able to see that Lugo's pant leg moved ever so slightly when the swipe tag was attempted by McKenry.
"That's telling me that I was incorrect in my decision and that he should have been ruled out and not safe."
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