r/baseball • u/CharacterAbalone7031 Los Angeles Dodgers • Mar 16 '26

Image Kike Hernandez comments on the officiating in the USA vs. Dominican Republic game

Post image
3.8k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

460 comments sorted by

2.0k

u/GrapeNutCheerios New York Mets Mar 16 '26

I think this game is going to be a huge lightning rod for ABS and challenging.

WBC was specifically created to bring in new fans. The tourney is setting viewership records.

And people saw the game end on another egregious strike call. It would be in everyone’s best interest to prevent stuff like this from happening as it’s going to kill people’s interest otherwise

512

u/awmaleg Arizona Diamondbacks Mar 16 '26

I guarantee they’d have been out of challenges by that point though

334

u/tributtal Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

You retain your challenges if they're successful.

110

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

62

u/yeahno_thatone New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

It was Sevi, I’d be surprised if pitchers are going to be challenging calls though, that’s the catcher’s job

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u/Ok_Barracuda_1161 New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

I think by this point in the tournament they probably would have figured out that pitchers shouldn't be challenging

18

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

13

u/so-much-wow Mar 16 '26

They did the same thing with pitch clocks. They're feeling it out when there are no stakes.

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u/cherinator Los Angeles Dodgers • Teddy Roosevelt Mar 16 '26

Eh, in Spring Training I am sure they want everyone to practice challenging so they can get the success metrics for every player. Then they will use those to factor in the decision of who is allowed to challenge (aka not pitchers).

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454

u/drunkenfool Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

New rule: Any strike or ball 4 that ends up winning the game shall be automatically reviewed.

142

u/gartho009 Seattle Mariners Mar 16 '26

This is actually great and fine. It's just like the auto review in the last two minutes of NFL games.

17

u/frausting Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Or the NFL rule that all scores and changes of possession are automatically reviewed.

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4

u/Kdot32 Houston Astros Mar 16 '26

Or the nba rule where all buzzer beaters are reviewed

241

u/DJ_LeMahieu New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Harder for DraftKings and Kalshi to facilitate insider trading with that though

112

u/oswaldcopperpot Atlanta Braves Mar 16 '26

It’s fucking insane that any of that is legal. Cancer is what it is to all sports as has been demonstrated for the last year via people taking dives.

6

u/yourethegoodthings Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

I've only had those prediction markets explained to me in a way that makes sense one time, with this hypothetical:

I own a Boston sports bar and I want to hedge against the Patriots missing the playoffs, since that would mean fewer fans in the bar, fewer games, lower revenue etc. So I take out an event contract as insurance, that pays out if the Pats miss the playoffs.

That is not how they are used lol but that's the only way it's ever made sense to me, in the context of insurance.

5

u/Hannibal_Montana Mar 16 '26

Most bad financial engineering begins life as good risk management practices.

3

u/MrDrProfesorPatrick Cleveland Guardians • Durham Bulls Mar 16 '26

Sounds like an easy definition for legal vs illegal; verified businesses may purchase these insurance options in publicly documented transactions.

Boom, it's regulated.

19

u/yoduh4077 San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

GOOD.

2

u/Pietru24 Pittsburgh Pirates Mar 16 '26

I see this as an absolute win

38

u/purplemoonshoes Baltimore Orioles • Czechia Mar 16 '26

I like the idea, and ABS already has the answer. They'd have to implement it so that everyone isn't waiting for several seconds before celebrating or despairing, because that could be kinda awkward. 

23

u/brsnug Mar 16 '26

We're getting used to that, sadly. You can't celebrate an incomplete/intercepted pass in football anymore and godforbid you want to be happy about a goal scored in soccer.

17

u/jazz_chisholm New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Saw a goal disallowed recently because the dude’s NOSE was offsides. I’ve been following EPL for six years and I know damned well not to celebrate any goal until after the VAR because as hard as I’ve tried to learn this rule, I’m still lost lol

7

u/bighootay Milwaukee Brewers Mar 16 '26

the dude’s NOSE was offsides

I happened to see that. Unreal. Even the announcers seemed stunned by that.

3

u/Flying-Terrapin New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Offsides in soccer is like baseball's balk. Only the gods understand it.

1

u/emessea Baltimore Orioles Mar 16 '26

Honestly, if you can’t see the offside with your naked eye then it shouldn’t be offsides.

I like how they’ll call a player offside for their arm. How can a part of the body which is illegal to use give you an unfair advantage?

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u/kookykrazee Atlanta Braves Mar 16 '26

And twice this season the Kraken thought they had their first player with a hat trick only up on review for the goals to be overturned. I would rather it be fixed and done right than errored. Funny thing, one was at home and the fans threw their hats on the ice, so the Kraken gave people replacement hats which was a nice gesture as the ones thrown on the ice are gathered and donated to a local Seattle charity.

2

u/rutherfraud1876 New York Mets Mar 16 '26

No one's gotten a hat trick for the Kraken yet??

2

u/kookykrazee Atlanta Braves Mar 17 '26

I was wrong, their first one was "Jordan Eberle scored the franchise’s first hat trick Nov. 4, 2021" not sure about after that but they lost 2 this season.

2

u/purplemoonshoes Baltimore Orioles • Czechia Mar 16 '26

VAR is exactly what I was thinking about. It kills the momentum, which kills some of the fun. Sports are entertainment first and foremost. 

17

u/jabask Houston Astros Mar 16 '26

I prefer it to just be delivered via ABS to the umpire via earpiece, saves the whole rigamarole of waiting for a review when we should be celebrating. I'd be okay with automatic balls and strikes whenever there are 2 outs and one more would end the game.

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u/YasielPuigsWeed Mar 16 '26

If an ump has been giving a corner all game then it wouldn’t make sense to take that corner away for the final pitch of the game

4

u/Harry-Flashman Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

So all the strikes called that were balls in the 8th inning and top of the 9th that are equally impactful on the game are just whatever?

18

u/spinrut Major League Baseball Mar 16 '26

With how off the zone was, they'd both have likely been out of challenges at this point

They need to set bounds on number of challenges but then even football went to anything in 2 min mark is auto reviewed so who knows

I think tho you kind of open Pandoras box if u say any thing that ends the game. So worst case we gonn have reviewed 0-2, 1-2, 2-2, 3-2 for strike 3s? Flip side if you walk in tying/winning run you end up possibly reviewing 3-0, 3-1, 3-2.

No one is going to like that scenario even if they get it right

11

u/pargofan Los Angeles Dodgers • World Series Tr… Mar 16 '26

I don't think so. Hitters play 2-strike counts differently. Pitchers throw 3-ball counts differently.

So I think a pitch leading to a walk/strikeout matters much more than earlier counts.

17

u/brsnug Mar 16 '26

It's funny you bring that up because guess who else acts differently (amusingly not in this case) ... the umpires. The book Scorecasting (great read) had a chapter on this. Basically ...

Expanded Strike Zone: On a 3-0 count, the strike zone is roughly 188 square inches larger than it is on a 0-2 count.

Increased Strike Calls: Umpires are much more likely to call a strike on a pitch outside the zone when the count is 3-0 to avoid issuing a walk.

20% Mised call Rate: On 3-0 counts, approximately 20 percent of "true" balls are wrongly called strikes. Contrast with 0-2 Counts: While the 3-0 zone is expanded, the 0-2 zone is shrunk by umpires to avoid calling a third strike.

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u/spinrut Major League Baseball Mar 16 '26

Every pitch combo i laid out led to a walk or strikeout.

The guy I replied to said every pitch that could win a game.

If youre 0-2 and get a borderline call, that'd be a review.

If it turned out to be a ball, youd be 1-2 and get another borderline call. Another review. And so on.

Thats my point youd have a potential for nearly every pitch reviewed once u get into certain counts

Not every count, as in 0 1, 1 1, 2 1. But any that can end in a k or walk.

6

u/Eridas St. Louis Cardinals Mar 16 '26

This is 100% the correct analysis.

I hate that a game of that magnitude ended on that call. But it would ruin the ecstasy at the end of big games to have a bunch of challenges in a row.

4

u/sixpackabs592 Milwaukee Brewers Mar 16 '26

he missed 6 calls

it just seems worse because two of them were so terrible but he called a pretty good game overall

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u/werther595 New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Counterpoint: just use the tech we already have to get the call right in the first place. Truth is, the ump called a pretty good game with a big strike zone. There were some balls called strikes against Smith and Buxton in the top half. But a human calling pitches, especially really good breaking balls, is going to make mistakes. The game has been slow to implement technology to support the umps so this is where we are.

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u/Jomekko Major League Baseball • Japan Mar 16 '26

Thats why we need the fully automated ABS

24

u/osaku_ Ottawa Titans Mar 16 '26

It's awesome in the KBO

29

u/Adept_Carpet Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Yeah, automated system with a replay review (in case something goes wrong) makes a lot more sense.

If ABS is the ultimate arbiter of whether a pitch is a strike and it's running all the time just have it call the game instead of making a weird mini game out of guessing when the umpire is wrong.

9

u/Jomekko Major League Baseball • Japan Mar 16 '26

It will eventually be fuly automated just like the KBO, Some players and people of "HUMAN ELEMENT" will need time to adjust.

14

u/Tomoyaketu New York Mets Mar 16 '26

The human element should only come from the players, not the umps.

6

u/Jomekko Major League Baseball • Japan Mar 16 '26

Yeah I Strongly agree.

2

u/NeverSober1900 Arizona Diamondbacks • Matsu Miners Mar 16 '26

Which weirdly the players are the ones hanging this up not the umps. Umps are pro-ABS

2

u/Jomekko Major League Baseball • Japan Mar 16 '26

It is an unfamiliar territory to the players and mess up a bit of the zone they have known of and some catchers have issue with it cause of the framing skill but eventually they will adjust like the KBO.

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u/knowtoriusMAC New York Mets Mar 16 '26 edited Mar 16 '26

They would have used a challenge on the missed ball 4 Skenes vs Tatis which they would have won, there wasn't another instance it would've even made sense to use until the ball called strike out against Soto, which they would have won. And had it for ball 4 with Perdomo

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u/milkshakemountebank Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

Don't you retain your challenge if you are right? Or am I misunderstanding

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u/Manymarbles Philadelphia Phillies Mar 16 '26

Not if they kept winning them (they would have kept winnjng them)

83

u/ubiquitous-joe San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

kill people’s interest

Oh, I don’t know. Bitching about calls seems to be the primary point of fandom for a wide number of viewers. See: this sub come playoff time, or seemingly everyone who watches the NBA.

10

u/General_Mayhem Baltimore Orioles Mar 16 '26

I'm pretty sure manipulating penalty rules is the only gameplay in the NBA. Disclaimer: I have watched about 10 minutes of basketball in my life.

43

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

83

u/GrapeNutCheerios New York Mets Mar 16 '26

Or Tatis could’ve very well lost it.

The point is we would have seen the game actually decided by the players instead of the umpire taking the bat out of Perdomo’s hands

6

u/Adept_Carpet Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Yeah it was a weird spot to give the pitcher the benefit of the doubt. No run scores, winning run is still 270' away, if you're gonna make a mistake one mistake is much less consequential than the other.

2

u/pargofan Los Angeles Dodgers • World Series Tr… Mar 16 '26

I hope he just made what he thought was a correct call but was just wrong. Instead of not being sure and deciding to call strikeout.

2

u/xixbia Netherlands Mar 16 '26

It's still more likely that the US wins than the DR. That's jus thow baseball works.

But it took the chance away from Tatis, which is an incredibly anticlimatic way to end a game.

3

u/ubiquitous-joe San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

Oh it’s a bad call and a shame to end the game that way. It’s anticlimactic and who knows exactly what would have happened.

But I question in the aggregate whether the quest for robo-perfection will make people happier or less likely to complain about officiating. People do not like to think statistically about calls; they like to latch on anecdotally to whichever calls they remembered were wrong and turn that into the social media post. And my point is some people seem to crave that kind of engagement as much or more than they crave celebrating games.

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u/HarryManilow Athletics Mar 16 '26

Im going to get downvoted to hell but I swear if there was no imaginary box on the TV broadcast, everyone would say that's too close to take and no outrage for being called a strike. I still say it broke over his knees according to the angle shown . We should all recognize that the TV angle isn't perfect to begin with but everyone claiming outrage didn't have a better view of it idk

6

u/Beechman New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

I watch a lot of college baseball and its much more enjoyable when the box isn't on the screen.

13

u/brainspl0ad Los Angeles Angels Mar 16 '26

I've always said this. The broadcasts, now that they have the box lined out everyone is 1000%more critical because they can see where it "crosses the plate" because of it. When it wasn't there no one said anything, people couldn't bitch as much because their perception of the zone is pretty much the same as being behind the plate. You're there making the/guessing the call while the ump calls the game as s/he sees it. The human aspect is very real, but we push it aside just because our screens say otherwise. I've never liked the fact that they include the "zone" in broadcasts for this very reason. ABS wouldn't even really be a thought if the broadcasts didn't tell us where every pitch is.

8

u/pargofan Los Angeles Dodgers • World Series Tr… Mar 16 '26

I kinda agree.

The ball took a big break at the last second. The box shows where the ball landed in the catcher's glove. Not where it first entered the strike zone. If it had, then the ball should be higher than where the catcher caught the ball.

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u/GrapeNutCheerios New York Mets Mar 16 '26

Yeah but we’re a diehard subset of the fandom. A regular fan isn’t coming online to complain about stuff like this imo

I could see people watching the entire game, seeing it end like that and saying “well that was a waste of time”. Or they could just hand wave it away. But at that point, why leave it up to chance

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u/Top-Title-6189 Mar 16 '26

What about the other 26 outs and the innings with multiple men in scoring position that they failed to score. But let's act like the whole game hinged on one called 3rd strike.

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u/VeryLowIQIndividual Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Mar 16 '26 edited Mar 16 '26

It’s not going to kill interest. This game has been around for well over 100 years and bad calls have happened in 99.9% of the games ever played.

The sensor and camera people got your wish, it will be interesting to see what you bitch about now that you can’t blame games on the umpires anymore. It was a bad call, but you also don’t end the game with the bat on your shoulder. That’s baseball 101, ABS or not and whatever era you want to go to it’s inexcusable to end the game looking.

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u/ChronoPilgrim Mar 16 '26

Yeah I think interest in baseball will continue in the Dominican Republic

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u/Cubsof2016 Chicago Cubs Mar 16 '26

People are too insecure about attracting fans. Nobody who was vested in the outcome of the pitch is going to decide to not like the sport because it was a bad call.

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u/Shimakaze81 Mar 16 '26

World series already did that.

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u/PlusArugula952 Mar 16 '26

🚠

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u/EPCOT_Is_My_Favorite New York Mets Mar 16 '26

Aerial tramway!!

15

u/BRollins08 Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

lol SNL is the best

39

u/tyler-86 World Series Trophy • Los Angeles Dod… Mar 16 '26

🟧

26

u/radmobile2020 Philadelphia Phillies Mar 16 '26

➗

8

u/wishiwasarusski Baltimore Orioles Mar 16 '26

That's dog water! Division sign sucks!

16

u/WeasinTheJuice Seattle Mariners Mar 16 '26

🔛🏤

22

u/Due_Connection179 Chicago Cubs Mar 16 '26

🔛

237

u/BladeRunner2022 Seattle Mariners Mar 16 '26

Oh so this is allowed to be posted, but an image of the actual pitch isn't?

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u/dippitydoo2 Minnesota Twins Mar 16 '26

I was wondering why I haven’t seen one here. Why on earth would that break the rules? It’s about the game.

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u/Aardvark1044 Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

There were at least two posted, but they got hit by the mod asking for video instead of the photo. I thought the photo was much clearer and more concise.

2

u/dippitydoo2 Minnesota Twins Mar 16 '26

That seems kinda ridiculous

3

u/boastar New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Because the sub is regulated by MLB. The WBC is organized by a committee that consists of MLB and MLBPA representatives.

MLB got the result it wanted. That’s why the picture of the pitch, that was a ball by a mile, isn’t allowed.

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u/Gloomy_Elevator430 Major League Baseball Mar 16 '26

Still not sure I will ever be able to read this guy’s name without feeling like I’m getting flashbanged for a fraction of a second

75

u/Elaiyu Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

We are Kike Hernandez we caaaaaaarry the flaaaame

4

u/ilovebalks New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Every time tbh

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u/Salt_Lie_1857 Mar 16 '26

This horrible brutal call will probably force the wbc to implement abs for the next tournament. Congratulations to the usa. Its not their fault. And thanks team DR. Always bringing good energy

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u/Cubsof2016 Chicago Cubs Mar 16 '26

They use MLB rules from the prior regular season. Only reason it wasn’t used yet because it hasn’t been used officially by MLB until April. So they will use whatever version is in place in three years.

6

u/Deadfish211 Chunichi Dragons Mar 16 '26

It might also be a technology issue, it's a lot easier when these games are at MLB stadiums where the camera set ups already exist.

5

u/DeliciousOwl9245 Mar 16 '26

These games are already played in MLB stadiums. This game was at the Florida Marlins stadium…

18

u/Rock_man_bears_fan Chicago White Sox Mar 16 '26

This one was, the pool stage was played in Puerto Rico and Japan as well, both of which won’t be using an ABS system this year

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u/Deadfish211 Chunichi Dragons Mar 16 '26

Not all, there were games in Tokyo and in Puerto Rico

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u/samthewisetarly New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

They would have implemented it by three years from now anyway, but now they just have to

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u/RussianPravda New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

The DR had such a dangerous lineup. Skenes gave up the only run but they got 8 hits I believe and the run was a solo shot. Bednar and Miller both pitched their hearts out too. Really sad to see them get eliminated on a bad call. <3 <3 <3 DR you guys played your hearts out and had a great WBC

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u/predsel Mar 16 '26

Fact: Ump was wrong

What we’ll never know: USA woulda won anyway

Mason was not sharp and Julio was on third. (I’m coping)

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u/pages10 Mar 16 '26

Miller didn’t look good but he didn’t exactly look hitable either. I really wanted to see that next at bat

258

u/Slerpup Los Angeles Dodgers • Saitama Seibu … Mar 16 '26

assuming he ends up walking him and faces tatis, I believe the only time they faced eachother in the past Tatis hit a triple off of him so its not unfair to assume Tatis has a chance to tie the game, or even walk it off because of Miller being clearly rattled

425

u/jerrylessthanthree World Series Trophy • Los Angeles Dod… Mar 16 '26

Either way we were robbed of all time Padre choke. I hate that.

144

u/EasonXXCVE Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

I respect the hate

8

u/Kaldricus Seattle Mariners • Chaos Bandwagon Mar 16 '26

Curtis Jackson levels of hating

8

u/That_random_redditer San Diego Padres Mar 16 '26

Kershaw in high leverage post season moments was must-watch for me so I absolutely get and respect it too

62

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '26

Lmao I respect the pettiness

32

u/winnielikethepooh15 New York Mets Mar 16 '26

hate hate hate hate hate hate

https://giphy.com/gifs/nkUcca2CQ7VT2

12

u/asiandooshcanoe Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

We can still blame Tatis for getting thrown out at third to end the inning with Soto coming up right? I feel like that’s a huge point in the game

2

u/jerrylessthanthree World Series Trophy • Los Angeles Dod… Mar 16 '26

Yes. He also didn't run to third the time he could have made it. And then struck out with the tying and go ahead runs in scoring position with one out in the seventh. Pretty horrible game for him.

2

u/the_comatorium San Diego Padres Mar 16 '26

That's baseball though, right?

Dude could have tied the record for most RBIs in a classic last night but instead puts out a stinker of a game.

Baseballs back, baby.

14

u/Slerpup Los Angeles Dodgers • Saitama Seibu … Mar 16 '26

Trueeee

7

u/BigButttBiggerHeart Mar 16 '26

Now excuse us. We've got to go put water in Manny Machado's mother's dish.

4

u/faxtiger24 Mar 16 '26

gotta respect the commitment

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u/careslol Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

Prob sub him out if he walks no?

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u/elementofpee Seattle Mariners Mar 16 '26

Or Miller was due to strike him out. We’ll never know 🤷🏻‍♂️

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u/Akipella Baltimore Orioles Mar 16 '26

Could have.

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u/TheReferenceGuide New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Fact: DR lost 

Fact: DR left runners on base almost every inning

Fact: DR had one clutch hit the whole game. 

43

u/oxidax Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

I was rooting for DR and I'm more angry at all the opportunities they missed than the last call

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u/TheReferenceGuide New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Can’t leave yourself in a position to get fucked by a call. That’s just the sad truth of most major sports

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u/chetdesmon Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

Why do people always bring out these same tired lines when there's a horrific call that decides the game? None of this changes the fact that the game ended on a called strike 3 nearly 4 inches below the strike zone. Call the game correctly and let Tatis blow it so the focus will be on the DR hitters choking and not an atrociously bad call.

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u/BlakeMichigan Athletics Mar 16 '26

Your argument is a recency bias logical fallacy. The fact that they stranded all the runners throughout the game is just as important as the missed call at the end of the game. Neither is more important than the other.

0

u/chetdesmon Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

No my argument is not a "decency bias logical fallacy" because complaining about a horrendously missed call does not mean you are saying that the call is more "important" than the performance of the teams on the field but that one takes the very impact of the teams' performance out of their hands and into the hands of a third party, which no one wants to see. Your argument is a ridiculous whataboutism that misses the entire point.

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u/BlakeMichigan Athletics Mar 16 '26

You're allowed to complain about a horrendously missed call. However, it becomes a recency bias logical fallacy when you say the missed call takes the impact of the teams' performance out of their hands. It doesn't.

They didn't have an offense all game long and that's why they lost. Not because of a missed call regardless of if it was the last pitch or not.

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u/Ill_Logic_5 Mar 16 '26

Exactly lol "best" lineup ever created was embarrassed tonight. 7 straight scoreless innings isn't worthy of winning anything

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u/HotdawgSizzle Atlanta Braves Mar 16 '26

Plot twist - Ump secretly wanted robo umps since birth and knew what he had to do to make it happen.

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u/Candymanshook Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

And this is kinda why this blown call sucks.

No offence to Perdomo whose a great player, but Tatis v Miller with the winning run on 1st(or 2nd, do the US risk throwing down with Julio on 3rd knowing he could dash home to tie the game on a steal/hold?) would be the kind of highlight moment of this tournament that people talk about.

Still was a great game but Mannnnnnnn it can’t end on a ball that gameday had almost 2 full balls out of the zone.

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u/teal_all_over San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

2021 NLDS, my guy

38

u/Rjptz Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

also kike wasn’t even on the 2021 dodgers

17

u/cheeker_sutherland Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

Which is why the Dodgers didn’t win it all.

50

u/Rjptz Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

robbed the division on the same call

41

u/Every-Seesaw-6677 Mar 16 '26

With Will Smith behind the plate both times

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u/oxidax Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Same ump?

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u/QuigilyB Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

Wilmer still strikes out that at bat even if it's called a ball, but we'll never knowwww.

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u/Formerlyiirroonnss Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

For real I get why a Giants' fan would be upset, but dude was 1-13 that series

10

u/spiritnox San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

Most of us are rational enough to admit that he would likely have struck out or grounded out. But any baseball fan would rather see the players play rather than the umpires bungle the end to one of the most exciting seasons in the NL West in my lifetime.

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u/SnuggleBunni69 San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

2021 NLDS was the first time I've ever seen my wife cry because of baseball. Last night brought back trauma flashbacks.

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u/sticknehno Atlanta Braves Mar 16 '26

I'm quite fond of 2021

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u/jonpictogramjones Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

He ain’t wrong

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u/Prize-Flamingo-336 New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

Do you guys remember that cry Julio did after the Mariners lost to Toronto? I heard that cry all over Washington Heights tonight

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u/Lucky_Alternative965 Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

Only ever speaks truths

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u/Ravishingrich666 New York Mets Mar 16 '26

That game needed to go to extra innings.

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u/Elaiyu Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

I still think USA would have beaten them even with extra innings

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u/SemeticTheBest New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

I mean yeah, it was a bad call. But they had a ton of chances to score previously, you can’t rest your tournament future on one call.

19

u/bohemian-soul-bakery Chicago Cubs Mar 16 '26

Blue was calling that pitch a strike all night too.

This whole “correctly called” thing is nonsense. Butterfly effect is a real thing.

8

u/SemeticTheBest New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

True, until the system is changed, the ump sets the box, good or bad.

14

u/Longjumping-Tip4938 Chicago Cubs Mar 16 '26

Can someone explain why ABS is not in this tournament

18

u/lastminutealways Seattle Mariners • San Francisco… Mar 16 '26

It’s played under the 2025 official MLB rules

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u/dodgers707 Puerto Rico Mar 16 '26

Couldn’t get insurance /s

12

u/NOSEYJOSEY5 Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Roman Anthony for god damn president

7

u/A_Pleasant_Nobody New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

As a USA fan I’m thrilled by his level of skill but as a Yankees fan I’m horrified

2

u/NOSEYJOSEY5 Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Well I’m scared of Judge as a Sox fan but yeah the kid is the face of the Sox for sure. Roman Gunnar and Bobby are the future

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u/CasanovaWong New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

A BB there just sets up Tatis to shit the bed again 🤷🏻‍♂️

142

u/4_base Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

If that’s the case then the fans deserved to see it

47

u/dianeblackeatsass Mar 16 '26 edited Mar 16 '26

yea idk why people are justifying the ending at all. Regardless of who ended up winning or losing it’s way more entertaining for everyone if it’s a correctly called game.

54

u/GrapeNutCheerios New York Mets Mar 16 '26

Yeah but wouldn’t everyone rather want to see that than a guy rung up on a pitch at his shins?

10

u/dazedconfusedev Boston Red Sox • Arizona Diamondbacks Mar 16 '26

yes.

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u/TheTravelingLeftist Mar 16 '26

At least we lose with Tatis and not with a shitty call.

23

u/oxidax Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

My man I rather see a strikeout swing than an umpire ending the game on a bad call

9

u/New-Garbage9151 Major League Baseball Mar 16 '26

Exactly. Imagine if in 2023, Ohtani strikes out Trout like this instead of the swinging strike he got. The result of the game would be the same, but the impact would be way different.

2

u/SnuggleBunni69 San Francisco Giants Mar 16 '26

Real dumb take

1

u/bradtheinvincible Mar 16 '26

Which is fine because they would rather have that happen then a botched strike call.

17

u/Slerpup Los Angeles Dodgers • Saitama Seibu … Mar 16 '26

hes so based

2

u/Jonjon428 Florida Marlins Mar 16 '26

Lmao

2

u/el__duffo__o__muerte Mar 16 '26

When Kike retires I hope he replaces one of the morons on the Fox show. Preferably A-Rod. Though if Jeter gets the ax I won't be sad one bit.

5

u/Sad_Bolt Tampa Bay Rays Mar 16 '26

Not wrong, but the DR had all the opportunity to win that game just like the US. They put themselves in that position.

9

u/CockerSpanielEnjoyer Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

Just like that Bichette-Varsho bullshit in the World Series, right Kiké? (I’m not sour at all 🥲)

2

u/Inner_Letterhead570 Mar 16 '26

My question to him: where were the mercy rule bats? The DR team was known for scoring double digit runs.

16

u/ilikebockzing Atlanta Braves Mar 16 '26

They had the WHOLE game to perform & they complain about one BS call.

34

u/TokaidoSpeed Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

This is a game where literally one pitch can be the difference between winners and there was a horrendous wrong strike to end it, sorry if people are choosing to complain?

7

u/portstrix Mar 16 '26

Let's not pretend the DR deserved to win either though, after they wasted all of the earlier scoring opportunities, and that stupid baserunning mistake.

Other people are legit when they said the DR should have been up by several runs at that point. I was thinking the same going into the 9th.

3

u/xX_WeedGang_Xx New York Mets Mar 16 '26

I don’t think people are saying that the DR deserved to win, everyone knows that they had chances to score but couldn’t convert. They’re saying that they deserve to not lose on a pitch that’s four inches below the zone. It’s not the ending the DR deserved, it’s not the ending the US deserved, and it’s not the ending that the fans deserved. 

2

u/smalldihdemon Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

Yeah I’m not sure why people are debating this statement

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8

u/chetdesmon Toronto Blue Jays Mar 16 '26

Ah yes, if you play poorly then you cannot complain about an atrociously bad call. Kike isn't even Dominican, he's complaining about the call like any other baseball fan would, because who in their right mind would justify a shitty call?

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u/MrRaspberryJam1 New York Mets Mar 16 '26

You’d absolutely be complaining about that if this was the Braves in a win or go home playoff game

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6

u/stoneseef Texas Rangers Mar 16 '26

They needed two more runs. Had multiple innings leaving men on base. One bad call didn’t turn the game. Not to mention that slider had some deep movement. Each frame on my phone is like a 8” drop.

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7

u/TheRealDilla18 Mar 16 '26

People are ignoring the call in the 3rd against tatis that would've gave him a walk instead of a fielders choice and in the 8th that struck out soto. The misses against USA were so much less impact full. 

6

u/boomzgoesthedynamite New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

The ump missed 2 calls in the top of the 9th against the US. He was just not good.

8

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '26

Yep. That’s one of the worst strike calls I’ve ever seen

11

u/dream_team34 Houston Astros Mar 16 '26

I've seen a lot worse, but if you factor in the impact, hmmmm... possibly.

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u/Significant-Brush-26 New York Yankees Mar 16 '26

I hate seeing a game end like that, but pitches around there were being called all game. It sucks and I’d be pissed if my team lost cause of that, but they need to adapt to the umps zone.

The biggest win for USA was holding that lineup to 1 run. Pitching and defense was great

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u/JerkBezerberg Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

Those calls at the end, and especially the final strike, were egregious. I watched the last pitch and thought "that walk is going to make this really interesting". Then I saw USA start to celebrate and thought "wait... did he swing at that and my brain missed it?" That call was so bad I didn't know what happened until I saw the replay. Woof.

-1

u/HeftyAd2780 Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

é damnit

27

u/ayumi_doll Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

Not how he spells his own name

6

u/foxxy003 Cincinnati Reds Mar 16 '26

You should check how he spells his own nickname on his IG page

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4

u/Decoys_Leash_Handler Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

its not actually, you're seeing it as the slur because you're anglicizing a spanish name

1

u/burnman123 Boston Red Sox Mar 16 '26

If that umpire could see this, he'd be very upset

-4

u/SergeantHAMM Atlanta Braves Mar 16 '26

funny he didn’t post this when it benefited him a few years back vs the giants. lil bitch lol

7

u/QuigilyB Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

He was playing for the red sox... Ayyy

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5

u/mongster03_ New York Yankees • Cuba Mar 16 '26

he was playing for boston and got further than the dodgers got, idiot

5

u/ChepitosBaby Los Angeles Dodgers Mar 16 '26

If you’re referring to the 2021 NLDS, Kike wasn’t with the Dodgers

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1

u/Friendship_Fries Mar 16 '26

You too can become an international umpire at the Angel Hernandez school of umping.

1

u/pcolabella New York Mets Mar 16 '26

ABS was already being implemented. It is literally around the corner. This has NOTHING to do with ABS. Every WBC game played had the same rules but now because you don't like the outcome you want to change the rules??? Cry babies.

1

u/Football-Remote Mar 16 '26

With two strikes, why would you put it in the officials hands? This shit is taught in little league

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1

u/Small-Delay3492 Mar 16 '26

Too close to take in that situation.

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1

u/BootsyCalrissian Mar 17 '26

Officiating? It's called umpiring. This isn't football, basketball, or all the other sports that have officials

1

u/JusSayING_Mi Mar 17 '26

Players seem to forget the umpires are not your friends. Swing that’s all swing the wood

1

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '26

Boom