Stop Blaming the Umpires for Everything

Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar reacts after third base umpire Todd Tichenor calls him out for not checking his swing in the ninth inning of the Phillies’ 4–2 win in NLCS Game 3.

Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports

Bad calls live on forever. Some of the most infamous examples:

• Don Denkinger in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series.
• A.J. Pierzynski’s reaching on a dropped third strike that wasn’t in ALCS Game 2 in 2005.
• Kent Hrbek’s pulling Ron Gant off first base and tagging him out in Game 2 of the ‘91 World Series.
• Derek Jeter’s game-tying homer in Game 1 of the ‘96 ALCS because of Jeffrey Maier’s fan interference that wasn’t called.
• Liván Hernández’s 15 strikeout performance, thanks to a load of generous calls, in Game 5 of the ‘97 NLCS.