The Red Sox beat the Tigers 7-4 on Monday night thanks in large part to a three-run second inning that was made possible by a missed call. With two out and two strikes, Boston shortstop Mike Aviles tipped a ball that Detroit catcher Gerald Laird caught for strike three. It should have ended the inning, but the homeplate umpire ruled that the ball hit the ground and Aviles was given another chance. He singled and the Red Sox went on to score three runs. After the game, Jim Leyland decided to take out his frustrations on the reporters rather than the umpires.
“There should not have been a second inning rally,” Leyland said after the game according to FoxSportDetroit.com. “There were three outs. I’ve been in the game a long time, when the catcher catches the ball and it’s strike three you call the guy out. It’s that simple, isn’t it?
“You guys need to write something and hold people accountable. We’re all accountable in this business. All of us are accountable. When I say all of us I mean everybody that’s involved in the game needs to be held accountable, okay? That’s exactly what needs to be done. There should not have been a rally in that inning. Now anyone who saw that, have the nerve to write what you saw and say it. Because I’m not going to sit here and rip umpires. … Write it and say something every once in a while. Have the nerve to say something.”
Leyland isn’t exactly the most understanding manager in the game, but he is a known opponent of instant replay and has a high level of respect for the human element in the game. Maybe that’s why he wants us to rip the umpires instead. In any event, I’ve got your back Jimmy — it looked like a bad call to me.
