CB Bucknor: How bad is he really?

[Lt Melmo]

I don't know about the interference call you're all talking about, but I do know that every game I watch with Bucknor behind the plate makes me a bit closer to going postal. He's consistently awful. His problem is that he always inserts himself into the game--taking advantage of the "human element" he's supposed to be providing, he purposely makes controversial calls to piss off the home fans and make himself a player on the field rather than an official who at least tries to be objective.

Do you see his strikeout call? And how dramatic it is? He gets his entire body into it, as if the strikeout is meant to be expressed by interpretive dance. I have no idea how he still has a job.

[bryanman8]

Laz Diaz is baseball's worst ump, bar none.

[blueberryale77]

I don't know about the interference call you're all talking about, but I do know that every game I watch with Bucknor behind the plate makes me a bit closer to going postal. He's consistently awful. His problem is that he always inserts himself into the game--taking advantage of the "human element" he's supposed to be providing, he purposely makes controversial calls to piss off the home fans and make himself a player on the field rather than an official who at least tries to be objective.

Do you see his strikeout call? And how dramatic it is? He gets his entire body into it, as if the strikeout is meant to be expressed by interpretive dance. I have no idea how he still has a job.

There was also the incident tonight where Liz hit Youkilis, obviously by accident, Youkilis just started jogging harmlessly to first base and Bucknor jumped out from behind the plate and got in front of Youkilis like he was going to tackle him to keep him from charging the mound. He definitely likes attention too much for an umpire.

[bgfield]

There was also the incident tonight where Liz hit Youkilis, obviously by accident, Youkilis just started jogging harmlessly to first base and Bucknor jumped out from behind the plate and got in front of Youkilis like he was going to tackle him to keep him from charging the mound. He definitely likes attention too much for an umpire.

You're leaving out the part where Youkilis held his bat over his head as if he were about to smash it over his knee.

[Captain E.]

Someone help me with this because my memory is fuzzy right now. There was a game against Texas in early July, in which (i) the strike call was horrendous for the entire game, and (ii) there was a badly blown call at home. After the home plate play, Palmer was so disgusted, saying it was one of the worst calls he'd seen, and blatantly calling out the ump.

What exactly were the details of this, am I missing anything? And wasn't CB Bucknor actually the very same ump that screwed us yet again?

[bgfield]

I wanna say the ump you're thinking of was a minor league ump replacing a guy who was on vacation but I could be wrong on that.

[Captain E.]

I wanna say the ump you're thinking of was a minor league ump replacing a guy who was on vacation but I could be wrong on that.

Yeah.. I do seem to recall him saying something about along the lines of the ump "should go back to the minor leagues".. but I wasn't sure if the call was just THAT bad.

[PaulFolk]

Someone help me with this because my memory is fuzzy right now. There was a game against Texas in early July, in which (i) the strike call was horrendous for the entire game, and (ii) there was a badly blown call at home. After the home plate play, Palmer was so disgusted, saying it was one of the worst calls he'd seen, and blatantly calling out the ump.

What exactly were the details of this, am I missing anything? And wasn't CB Bucknor actually the very same ump that screwed us yet again?

That was Brian Knight. Full story here.

[PaulFolk]

Laz Diaz is baseball's worst ump, bar none.

Isn't Laz Diaz the one who kicked the arse of some idiot White Sox fan who tried to attack him on the field? He gets mad props for that, at least.

[Captain E.]

That was Brian Knight. Full story here.

Excellent, thanks. What a lousy game..

[scOtt]

Oddly enough, C.B. was the ONLY ump NOT involved in tonight's Trembey Earl impression.

[Danielos38]

Laz Diaz is baseball's worst ump, bar none.

Their are only two umpires in baseball that I can name. The fact that I know thier name is not a good thing. Those two umpires are C.B. Bucknor and Laz Diaz.

[bgfield]

The second baseman took the toss from short on the centerfield side of the base, touched it as he crossed over, and jumped towards the infield grass to make the throw to first. The runner slid so his foot was touching second, but the rest of his body was on the infield side a good four feet inside the bag.

It was blatent interference, and anyone that is arguing otherwise (other then the Mets) probably has the aforementioned view of the umpire.

Like I said, I see that happen all the time and nobody's called out for it. That's even better than what I usually see; usually I use guys actually aiming their whole body (foot included) towards the fielder without any part of them touching the second base bag. I think it's horrible - baseball is not a contact sport - but if the rule is going to be enforced, it needs to be enforced 100% of the time.

[pgsentinelmike]

I'll see you Bucknor and I'll raise you Jeff Nelson.

I seem to recall a home run by the Yankees that was originally called a foul ball a few years ago. I and a major league umpire got into a heated argument about that call on another discussion board.

[longflyball]

I can tolerate blown calls on the field. One can argue that they are too frequent, but they are nevertheless an inevitable part of the game. Being an advocate for a more reasonable level of offense, what really frosts me are basketball-sized strike zones. There's nothing more maddening than to watch a pitcher throw three strikes, get credit for only two, and then give up a base hit.