LA Dodgers fans infuriated with team's loss vs Cardinals following questionable strikeout call: "Robotic strike zone can't come soon enough"
Los Angeles Dodgers fans are quite rightly angry after their 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in dramatic fashion. Blatant strike calls in the top of the ninth inning by plate Paul Emmel led to LA being unable to complete an epic comeback.
The never-ending MLB umpire saga in the baseball world seemed to continue as more officiating errors took the limelight. In the ninth inning, the Dodgers had already scored two to make it a one run game. With 2 outs, Mookie Betts came to the box with Jason Heyward on second base for the tying run.
On a 3-2 pitch, a four seam fastball by Cardinals' Giovanny Gallegos was called a strike as Betts was caught looking. However the pitch seemed to land just outside the strikezone on the TV screens. With a runner in scoring position, and a hitter of Betts' calliber in the box in a one-run game, umpire Emmel's wrong call was bound to catch fire from the Dodgers fans with them asking for an automated strike calling system.
The go-ahead run at the plate and this is how the game ended https://t.co/5f3DjuZPME
Already, talks of replacing MLB umpires with automated strike-calling systems are making the rounds. MLB has already tested 'robot umpires' and with increasing mistakes coming from senior umpires, the top brass might contemplate bringing in automated systems permanently.
@TalkinBaseball_ Robotic strike zone can't come soon enough.
@TalkinBaseball_ I hope I live to see the day where umpires are held accountable
@TalkinBaseball_ Miggy is all of us 😱
@TalkinBaseball_ gotta love those cardinal umpires
@TalkinBaseball_ Umps eject anyone that criticizes them but get away with ruining the game lol
@TalkinBaseball_ Definitely outside. Absolutely no way they can tell that from the dugout though.
@TalkinBaseball_ There was a questionable call on Will Smith too. Happens at least once every game lately. Cardinals got away with one here.
@TalkinBaseball_ Not to mention, Will Smith should have walked the at bat prior. I get umpires are human and aren’t perfect, but just sucks to have a game potentially decided by the umpire and not the players.
@TalkinBaseball_ About time an incorrect impact call went the Cardinals way.
@TalkinBaseball_ Cry about it, Cards have been dealing with it literally all year.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts calls out the umpire call after the game
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts didn't mince his words about Emmel in the post game interview. Roberts was clearly dejected as the call determined the final outcome of the game. A walk for Betts at that stage of the game would have put further pressure on the Cardinals.
"He missed it ..Everyone’s trying to compete, all of us. It’s unfortunate that that missed call determined the finality of that game. It was a great at-bat.”
The Dodgers would look to bounce back from this loss. Thankfully they have a safety cushion of 2.5 games at the top of the NL West standings.