September 19th, 2019 at 9:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is a saying about baseball umpires that is as old as the game itself: “If nobody knows your name, you did a good job.”
Chances are exceptionally good that although very few Dodger fans knew home plate umpire Adrian Johnson‘s name before Wednesday night’s heartbreaking 8-7 / 11-inning loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, they most certainly do now.
Reminenesant of MLB’s worst umpires Ángel Hernández, ‘Country’ Joe West and Laz Diaz, Johnson blatantly blew an 0-2 strike call on a perfectly located 93-mph cut fastball by Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen to Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi with one out and runners on first and second that would have been – and should have been – strike three for the second out of the inning, thereby giving Choi another pitch. Choi lined that gifted extra pitch to left field for a RBI single.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
The next batter, (very) short time Dodger and now Rays catcher Travis d’Arnaud, flied out to Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger, allowing Rays pinch-runner Johnny Davis to tag up and score the game-tying run from third base, thus forcing a bottom of the ninth instead of a victory formation on the mound for Jansen.
Despite a bottom of the 11th inning RBI single by replacement third baseman / left fielder Edwin Rios, the Rays would go on to win on Jansen’s eighth blown save of the season when recently-called-up Dodgers right-hander Josh Sborz gave up a solo home run, a double and a sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th in a game that was actually decided on a blown call in the top of the ninth by home plate umpire Adrian Johnson – a name that every Dodger fan now knows and will never forget … along with those of Ángel Hernández, ‘Country’ Joe West and Laz Diaz.
The worst part about all of this, however, is that neither Major League Baseball nor the Major League Baseball Umpires Association will do anything about it because there is no umpire accountability.
Play Ball!
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Time for a robot strike zone. It only takes one blown call to cost a team a game. If that happens in the playoffs, that’s asking for sharks to sniff for blood. The technology exists. Umps could even “customize” the strike zone before a game, as in maybe a little wider, or higher, lower etc. As long as a ball clips the zone it could be a strike, or maybe the whole ball has to go over the plate. As long as it’s consistent (robots wouldn’t be biased) it could work. Just have a buzzer in the umps pocket to go off for strikes and null for balls. Those “gift” pitches seem to have an awful tendency of finding grass. Time to get into the 21st century.
Well stated, Drew.
Being a longtime die-hard old-school baseball fan (i.e. old), I have been very much opposed to the mere thought of ‘robo umps.’ Unfortunately, it has gotten so bad that I no longer feel this way.
Bring on Arnold!
exactly my feelings and it is only because they have no desire to do better. i had truly hoped that when the old union was broken, MLB would have more authority to ensure quality umpires. although they did remove (not hire) a few bad apples, they did little to lay ground work to improve or correct going forward. there are many umpires that almost appear to revel in the attention and control of the game. the replay system is a farce. using the good ole boy system of oversight is little oversight at all. the MLB review in NY should be comprised of non umpires (MLB execs who know the rules and can see well) and use a simple frame by frame analysis. most of the calls they cant overturn, we see in a frame shot on blogs the next day as clear evidence.
Well stated, Drew.
Being a longtime die-hard old-school baseball fan (i.e. old), I have been very much opposed to the mere thought of ‘robo umps.’ Unfortunately, it has gotten so bad that I no longer feel this way.
Bring on Arnold!
Why does that appear very familiar?
It was infuriating last night. The ump was ready to call the batter out and changed his mind at the last second. He blew the call and probably changed the result of the game. He also blew several calls on D May but May recovered and struck out the batter anyway.
It is time to have robot
Umps for balls and strikes
Couldn’t agree more.
What’s really infuriating is that because there is no accountability for MLB umpires, such blatantly blown calls will continue unchecked.
Clearly a missed call. But it remains only a footnote to another blown save by Jansen. That’s eight this year. Way too many. Way too many hits. Way too many walks. And way too many HRs. And it is wearisome to be told every other week that he has turned a corner.
Jansen is no longer a dominant or elite closer. It is doubtful that the Dodgers can prevail in the post season without one. Hopefully there is a “Plan B” and the Dodgers will be bold enough to utilize it when push comes to shove.
If Jansen gets the correct call, it isn’t a blown save.
Runners on 1st and 2nd. It wasn’t a blown save yet but any pitcher is obviously in trouble with runners on. “Go ahead and make a bad call, I’m still gonna get this guy out, I won’t let the umpire beat me” but sadly no, I’ll give up a solid line drive on the next pitch. Walk next to the edge and you increase the chances of falling in,which is what Kenley does waaay to often. He’s just not pitching the way he used to.
Bellinger’s home run was in the 8th inning, not in the 11th, as you erroneously report in this article, which gave Jansen an extra run to play with, which makes this blown-save much more egregious since he had a two-run cushion to save the game.
Notwithstanding, Johnson’s blown call was huge, yet Jansen still had the responsibility to get the outs needed and didn’t make the pitches. Blown calls are a part of the game and, until Arnold makes the scene, that’s what we deal with. Jansen is not the same pitcher he once was but, I’d rather him in the game at this point due to the fact that he is STILL one of the most dominant closers in today’s game.
The Blue didn’t “need” this game but, they definitely lost the immediacy of the outcome. The best record in baseball was on the line. Now, with 11 days left, they can hope to seal best record in the NL and that’s about it.
They have to make up two games on two teams (maybe three on the ‘stros. I don’t know how they stand on tiebreakers). Too close to be giving up.
One of the toughest losses to take after that terribly blown call by an umpire. Just have to let it go.
Letting it go is exactly what Adrian Johnson wants you and everyone else to do and is counting on. It is also exactly the type of apathy that allows this misfeasance to continue.
Unfortunately baseball has become completely unwatchable without a robot umpire. The strike zone is not subjective, and yet I just watched this umpire specifically decide the outcome of rockies@padres with his terrible calls. I’m not alone in being completely out on baseball until the games are no longer rigged.