I knew I didn't like you.

Thanks, Kevin.

Now maybe you can explain the concept to the Sox...

Sox or Angels are just going to lose to the Cardinals anway, so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

I still don't like you.

I'm sorry, but I have to get this off my chest. Apologies to those who don't know (or care) what I'm talking about...

(I'm trying avoid the "White Sox won so it was the right call" attitude, but I understand that I am clearly biased...

Kudos to Baseball Tonight for going back and playing the clip of the play A.J. Pierzynski referred to in his interview (when he clearly dropped a third strike while playing for S.F. but failed to throw to first, allowing the opposing pitcher to reach base).

What is annoying to me is that they are so convinced that the umpire in this game somehow did something wrong or confusing by pumping his fist, they neglected to point out that the ump in that clip DID THE EXACT SAME THING. He clearly pumps his fist to indicate the strike, yet obviously the batter wasn't out that time, either. It would seem that the pumped-fist is a common signal for a third strike, out or not.

Also, the focus on the ump's "confusing" signal misses the point that the Angels catcher DIDN'T EVER SEE IT. He's so sure of himself that he tosses the ball back to the mound before the ump makes any signal at all.

If it's true that the ump verbally called the batters out all night, then the fact that he didn't for the critical at-bat should have clued the Angels catcher in, just as it did A.J. As they say in (American) football, "Play to the whistle."

Personally, I think the ump was wrong -- the catcher seems to have gloved it before the ball hit the dirt. But at full speed I can see why he might interpret it differently. (And according to at least one conspiracy-minded Netizen, there is another angle that clearly shows the ball hit the dirt, but ESPN refuses to show that angle ever again because "they love controversy".)

I'm sorry, but even if it's a missed call (which it appears to be), it would have been a simple matter for the Angels to correct -- tag the batter or throw to first. Instead, they made an assumption, and, well, you know what that leads to.

Besides detracting from Mark Buerhle's exceptional pitching, the worst thing about this is that it may result in the abomination of instant replay coming to baseball.

Okay, so baseball isn't quite as stupid anymore.

Go Go White Sox.

Ah, so what. On this side of the pond, we missed breakfast...