gulfportdoc said:Well Dee, thanks for reviving interest in the STS'er distinction. We mustn't let it die in the dark of night. Don't be too modest though. You weren't all that low on the STS scale...
Doc
A Badge I'll wear with pride!
Tom, I have no doubt that he makes good calls most times but this was pretty clear as I have seen this done the right way and wrong way a bunch of times. I think the TV deal and even the status of the player does enter into it with a few refs but, as you say, mostly they do a commendable and thankless job.
Many years ago, I called the ref over to watch a hit and after he positioned himself and I saw the expression on his face I said, "You don't know how to tell do you?" The only way to tell was by ball direction but to his credit, he fessed up and called over then head ref. Now, the hit was called bad so you imagine what I would have been saying if the original guy had stayed and called it good. Of course, this almost always happens in the early rounds but I saw it as well at Allen's event in Valley Forge once where Steve asked me to go watch a hit while he was watching another one! He knew me but how did he know I was "qualified" to make the call? I mean, he knew my wife at the time too!