For Non-Insiders you can listen to it through todays Mike and Mike Podcast (8:46 through 15:35): http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/player?context=podcast&id=3630374
Mike Scioscia’s reaction: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810073600375
Neither of the first two bullets are what happened last night, but the MLB rule book is very ambiguous about what the call should be. Instead of being clear, the rule book says it is a judgment call. To make a judgment call, you use similar situations and react accordingly. The point Campbell makes is that Tim Welke (the umpire involved) did not keep his eye on Varitek, as you can see in the video of the play, and therefore should have at the very least conferred with the LF umpire or other infield umpires. He did neither.
Some highlights from this 9 minute radio piece:
You can see the play at this link: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200810073600013
You can listen to it for yourself using the following link:
If the same situation occurs with a collision at home plate– Willits is safe. “You have to give up the ball voluntarily.” If an outfielder catches a ball on the warning track, continues to run, hits the wall, falls to the ground, and then drops the ball: the batter is safe. Tim Welke did not see the entire play. The LF umpire (Bill Miller) was right on top of the play. “At the absolute worst the umpires should have gotten together and conferred on it, and talked about it… ” “Ed Hocculi could have gotten off last night.” [Refering to the Chargers blown call]“If this had happened to the Red Sox, the Boston Globe would have had a 9 foot headline how the Red Sox got screwed on this.”
“If this had happened in NY or to the Red Sox this would be watergate 3″
For ESPN insiders (I think its free so you might not have to be an insider)
I give huge props to Dave Campbell for standing up for the angels. Most of ESPN wouldn’t have the balls to since many people there are either Red Sox fanatics or just don’t want the backlash that would be accompanied by this type of statement. He is exactly right about how this would have been a huge outrage if the situation had occured to a NY team or the Red Sox. What a great way to have our season end (sarcasm) and not even give us a chance to steal this back in a game 5. Unbelievable ****ing believable.
Dave Campbell ;Outraged! - Halos Heaven
I know this has already kind of been discussed in the “Was Willits Safe?” thread but I just wanted to emphasis exactly what Dave Campbell said and put all of the links regarding this in one easy to find location. This morning on Mike and Mike Dave Campbell explained exactly why a) Willits should have been called safe and how b) because this occurred to the angels the media is not making a big deal about it. I wanted to start a new thread so everyone can see exactly what he said, since he has no affiliation with the Angels (you can click on his name above to see his wikipedia page to learn more about him) and is one of the top baseball guys at ESPN Radio.
