How Could C.B. Bucknor Screw The Mets From 604 Miles Away?

All told, the Mets got the short end of the stick on bad umpiring tonight.

I'll explain:

First the Mets got a gift from Gary Darling in the second as he called Josh Anderson out on a play at first when he was clearly safe. Anderson would have scored on Martin Prado's double, but instead Prado was stranded harmlessly to keep the score at 3-0 Atlanta.

The Braves got the break back as Brandon Jones was called safe on a steal of second when he was clearly out in the sixth ... and Jones would then score on a single by Anderson so the Braves got the run they should have gotten in the second. I can't get on Bill Hohn for the botched call ... from where he was standing there's no way he could have seen the tag which was in time. My complaint on the play is this: I was surprised when Ruben Gotay wasn't called for interference for bringing his bat back into Brian Schneider's throwing zone. The bat clearly got in Schneider's way.

But that was borderline, so let's call the previous two plays even ... which means the Mets completely deserved their 4-2 loss tonight (a loss in which Jorge Campillo, let's face it, was lucky to be alive after the Mets hit a bunch of balls right at people ... when Pedro Martinez whacks you for a two run double you have problems. Then again, when Pedro Martinez is your entire offense you have problems.)

The tipping point was in Miami, where C.B. Bucknor, known for such hits as "Runners Interference" and "Obscure Lines In My Rulebook" (available on Ronco Records) completely botched a play at the plate where Jorge Cantu clearly was safe as he slid through Carlos Ruiz's leg on a play at the plate. It was in the eighth inning, and of course Cantu was the tying run. Instead, the Phillies defeat the Marlins 3-2 to jump back into first place.

Umpires 2 Mets 1

But thankfully, and most importantly, the Brewers are chum. So at least if the Mets break our hearts, they'll most likely fall into the mild card, and not the golf course. I'd go further into why it would be a good idea to win the division instead of the mild card ... but of course if the Brewers were to catch the Mets after my detailed analysis then I'd have to live with it the rest of my life, and my life doesn't need that scarlet letter.

Face Washed

There are certain things I notice about a baseball game that nobody else does.

It's not something I brag about, because most of these things that only I notice border on the ridiculous ... like in the bottom of the seventh when Fernando Tatis made a bid to give the Mets the lead with a deep drive to left, only to fall harmlessly into the glove of Omar Infante ... the same glove which he then used to give a playful face wash to a fan behind the wall, no doubt getting a little revenge for some good ol' American heckling. Infante got a smile out of that.

So who's glove do you think clanked Carlos Delgado's fifth hit of the evening and lost the game for the Braves (and completed a sweep ... a sweep??!?) Ooooh, it was Omar Infante's glove. The same glove that face washed one of our own in left field.

Dare I say, I got a smile out of that.

***

I also got a smile about the play in the top of the ninth, which Gregor Blanco really should have been called safe on a play at first base with two outs and a runner on second, and prevented the go-ahead run from scoring from Atlanta. Perhaps karma is on our side right now.

But I ask this, and it has to do with replay: If you eventually make replay about more than home runs, and include plays at first base ... and a play like that happens where you look at it, and then reverse the call and put Blanco at first base ... what do you do with the runner? Put him at third? Let him score? Make it a judgement call with the umpires even though the umpires, as soon as the play is called "out", stop paying attention to what Martin Prado is doing at third base?

That is a subtle reason why you'll probably never see replay go past fair/foul, home run/no home run.

***

Luis Ayala for Anderson Hernandez: A trade that works for everybody except the Phillies.

And speaking of the Phillies: In the remaining days of the month, the Mets and Phillies play twice. Otherwise, the Mets have the Astros and Marlins. The Phillies, meanwhile, have the Dodgers and Cubs.

So if there's ever a chance to pad the 2.5 game lead, it's August.

***

And just because I've gone a whole post without mentioning it ... and this is purely obligatory:

Hey Mikey? How those schools in Denver working out for ya?

(Editor's Note: You do realize that in twelve years when the Mets celebrate the 20th anniversary of the N.L. Championship team, that Mike Hampton will be there? You realize that he'll still get booed, right? Maybe instead of money, the fans can throw loose leaf paper and chalk in his general direction ... maybe some erasers too.)

(Editor's Note Part II: I'm not condoning violence.)