When the specter of a potential rainout is hanging over a game that has not yet reached official status is in play, umpires are tasked with juggling two goals. One, continue calling balls and strikes in a fair and reasonable fashion. Two, speed things along so the 4.5- or 5-inning mark can be realized and get things in the books. Laz Diaz was faced with this conundrum as he worked behind the dish of Tuesday's soggy Texas Rangers-Tampa Bay Rays tilt.
And with the Rays leading 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, he choose the latter initiative with Tampa's Jake Mangum at the plate. A 1-2 breaking ball that was decisively outside was ruled strike three by Diaz, much to everyone's surprise. It was an objectively bad call—but one perhaps made for the greater good.
