Or something like that. The study, authored by Kyle Anderson of Indiana University's business school and David Pierce of Ball State's sports administration program, turned up several examples of officiating bias:

* The probability of a foul being called on the visiting team was 7 percent higher than on the home team.
* When the home team is leading, the probability of the next foul being called on them is about 6.3 percentage points higher than when the home team is trailing.
* The larger the foul differential between two teams, the greater the likelihood that the next call will be made against the team with fewer fouls. For example, when a home team has three or more fouls than the visiting team, the probability that the next foul call is made against the visiting team is more than 60 percent. When the foul differential is as high as five, then that probability rises to 69 percent. The researchers also observed this trend when they looked at neutral-court games.

The authors go on to draw some weird conclusions — namely that referee bias offers an untoward incentive for "aggressive play," which is probably true but so what? And because this is the age of Gladwell, everything, even an otherwise compelling study about referee bias, has to be reduced to an insipid management-consulting parable. "In terms of a management setting," Anderson explains, "it might be the slacker who benefits from the situation involving a manager who might not want to appear biased." (What?)

But this is valuable work anyway, if only because it further corrodes the wishful notion that referees can operate on some sort of frictionless plane where the normal human weaknesses don't apply. Tim Donaghy was saying roughly the same thing, only with fewer footnotes.

Study looks at officiating in college basketball, finds patterns that reward aggressive play [IU News Room]

Baseball's general managers, meeting in Chicago right now, chose not to vote on replay. From the Associated Press:

"We talked about the mechanics behind instant replay. We talked about the structure. We talked about where it's housed, the umpires' procedure," said Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office. "But it was all confined to the current instant replay system that we have."

Commissioner Bud Selig opposes widening the use of video review.

"I know there are some who have talked off line about the expansion of instant replay," Solomon said. "Right now, the commissioner doesn't see any reason to consider it."

Selig's in the wrong, of course, as he often is. One day, rest assured, baseball will clean up its umpiring. But unfortunately that won't happen until the game first rids itself of the human element known as Bud Selig.

GMs pass on expanding instant replay [AP]

While not quite as egregious as some of the earlier gaffes from this postseason, the two mistakes only take us one step closer on the march to full instant replay reviews. It was a close, bang-bang play but TV showed that Chase Utley was clearly safe at first on the back end of an eighth-inning double play. (Even blatant Yankee fans say so.) A correct call by first base ump Brian Gorman would have given Philly runners at first and third for the next Ryan Howard strikeout, but it still affected the way the later innings played out.

The first goof was a much tougher call, but it did appear that Johnny Damon's line dive skipped off the dirt before landing in Ryan Howard's glove in the seventh. I say "appear," because even though most commentators* agreed with that take the umpires would not admit they were wrong (Gorman was out of position to see it, but could have been overruled by another ump) and the replay was close enough to leave some doubt. That is the great fallacy of instant replay, of course. In the sports that do have it, referees still botch calls on a regular basis—even after looking at the video tape—so the idea that replays will get everything right is laughable.

So both teams got screwed and it probably wouldn't have changed the final outcome, but an expansion of instant replay in baseball is now inevitable. Enjoy that.

Umpires miss two calls in Game 2 of Series [ABC]
Enough is enough with these blown calls [Yahoo]
Umpires botch 'close' call to end eighth [NY Post]

* * * * *

*The only people who saw no problem with these calls were the Baseball Tonight crew, who suddenly became apologists for bad officiating. First of all, why is Berman even there? Karl Ravech owns the sport all year long, but then Fat Head McGee decides to show up for the World Series to annoy us all to death. (I would never use the word "hate" about another human ... but man do I hate that guy. Like a sickness.) Listen as he, John Kruk and Bobby Valentine pretend there's no reason whatsoever to dispute these calls.

"As good as a call" as he could have made? No, actually I can think of a better call. Like the correct one. Jackasses.

Tim McClelland—who has been a Major League Umpire for 26 years—admitted after last night's ALCS game the he botched two calls. The most egregious one was the should've-been double play, where Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada were both caught stranded off third base, but only Posada was ruled out. McClelland came to the press room afterward to explain himself and said that he was expecting both players to tag the base and he thought Cano was touching third when he was tagged. Oops.

His explanation for the earlier gaffe is a little less solid. McClelland said that "in his heart" he believed Nick Swisher left third base early on a sacrifice fly and called him out on appeal. Even though replays appeared to show that he was wrong, McClelland said "I'm not sure I believe the replay of the first one." I think more umps and referees should use that excuse: The heart wants what it wants! And his heart wants Nick Swisher to be out. How you gonna argue with that?

By the way, McClelland's Wikipedia page was locked late last night so don't bother trying to convince people he's a known goat fucker or anything. (Sadly, the line about him being a Michigan State grad is not vandalism.)

Bill Klem Would Be Ashamed [ESPN]
Umpire Tim McClelland makes the worst call of all time [Big League Stew]
October 20 - Tim M cClelland [ASAP Sports]

There's already been talk of expanding instant replay to more situations beyond home run calls, but as Jonah Keri of the Wall Street Journal points out shouldn't we be able to get rid of the umpires altogether? The technology used at major tennis tournaments has pretty much put line judges out of business (although they still let them sit in those prime seats so Serena Williams has some to talk to), so that solves all those fair/foul questions. Balls and strikes are even easier to handles since every Major League park already has the "Pitch-f/x zone evaluation system" that the league uses to assess their umpires' ability at the plate. If the Pitch f/x machines are the ones telling the humans what is and isn't a strike, then why do we need the meatbag standing behind the catcher? Just cut out the middle man.

All that's left is tag plays and force out on the base paths. That's simple—radio-transmitting baseballs and pressure activated base alarms that will determine if the ball hits the glove before the foot hits the bag. (Also works for trapped fly balls in the outfield.) And for the occasional rundown, pickoff play, or hit batsmen, we just make everyone wear those Laser Tag sensors. We've had the technology since 1986. What's the hold up?

Or we could just make sure that the best people umpires work the biggest games and also fire those that suck at their job, but that seems a lot less fun. The robots are going to enslave us anyway, so what's the use in fighting it?

Does Baseball Need Umpires? [Wall Street Journal]
Palermo wary of more replay in baseball [Kansas City Star]
Blown calls in playoffs? 5 ways to break ump slump [AP]

Outside of calling balls and strikes, you would think that being an umpire is pretty simple. It requires almost no physical effort and there are very few "judgment" calls that require interpretation of some vague rule during split-second action. (Was that pass interference or incidental contact? Did he establish position before that charge?) Most decisions on the baseball field are very black and white and in the playoffs you get two extra guys so that's even less responsibility for some, yet somehow these guy keep screwing up the most basic umpiring functions.

Let's see if we can find them all....

AL Central Tiebreaker: With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 12th inning, Brandon Inge is hit by a pitch. (Clothing counts!) Home plate umpire Randy Marsh says he wasn't. Inge grounds out, the Tigers fail to score and lose in the bottom of the inning.

Red Sox-Angles ALDS, Game 1: On two different plays, first base umpire C.B. Bucknor—once voted by players as the worst umpire in Major League Baseball—calls Howie Kendrick safe, even though replays showed 1B Kevin Youklis applied the tags to get Kendrick out. In both cases he fails to score, but the Red Sox lose anyway.

Yankees-Twins ALDS, Game 2: In the top of the 10th inning, Twins catcher Joe Mauer hits a line drive that bounces off Melky Cabrera's glove and clearly lands in fair territory before bouncing into the stands for what should have been a ground rule double. However, left field umpire Phil Cuzzi—who is at the game specifically to call fair balls down his line—rules it foul. Mauer later reaches on a single, but the Twins fail to score and lose in the bottom of the inning.

Rockies-Phillies NLDS, Game 3: With the game tied in the top of the 9th, Chase Utley hits a weak ground ball in front of the plate, but hustles down the line and is called safe at first when the throw is offline. However, replays show that not only did first baseman Todd Helton have his foot on the bag, the batted ball hit Utley while he was in the batter's box and should have been ruled a foul ball. As a result of the play, a runner on base moved to third and later scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly.

Did the ball hit him or not? Did he step on the base or not? What's that white line for? These are pretty basic questions for an umpire and those who are called upon to work playoff games are supposed to be the best of the best. So how have they botched these plays so spectacularly? Are we headed toward another Don Denkinger moment, when a egregiously blown call blatantly costs one team a game—and maybe the World Series?

We better hope not, because if that happens (and even if doesn't, the way things are going) then instant replay review will become a staple of Major League games and the slowest sport in the world will ooze to a molasses-like stalemate. Then you'll see some REALLY bad calls.

Umpire's Gaffe Fuels Talk of Expanding Replay System - washingtonpost.com [Washington Post]
MLB umps battling Letterman for October goat honors [USA Today]
Some players cry foul against umpires at Fenway Park [LA Times]
Umpires continue playoff slump, blow call twice on Utley single [Big League Stew]
Nothing But Complaints [WEEI]

Left field umpire Phil Cuzzi made one of the great all-time blunders last night when he called a ball that landed nearly a foot inside the baseline a foul ball even though he was standing just yards away and had the perfect angle on it.
(Click the photo to enlarge.) That turned a ground rule double into a strike and arguably cost the Twins a series-tying game against the Yankees. I say "arguably" because Mauer still reached base, the Twins still loaded them up with nobody out, and they still managed to not score a run. So who knows? It's kind of hard for me to get exercised about this, because there have been far worse crimes perpetrated on behalf of both the Yankees and the Twins. I'm over it, just don't look here for sympathy.

Still, what a terrible call. That's like NBA-level bad.

Got an image you'd like to see in here first thing in the morning? Send it to tips@deadspin.com. Subject: Morning crap.

* * * * *

So we've got a full day of college football, more playoff games, and if you behave yourselves—maybe some WNBA talk. (Or not.) Grab some breakfast and then get comfortable. We've got a lot to cover.

Joe Girardi and Derek Jeter, with tears streaming from their blotchy red eyes, remembered painful days of their youths yesterday when Yankee Stadium accidentally hired the guys who were supposed to be working the summer league game next door. Problem was, though, that no one informed the players — silly Mr. Steinbrenner — and they naturally assumed they were dealing with professionals.

When Jeter stole third base in the first inning and got in under the tag, he expected to remain there. Because he was safe, you see. But, umpire Marty Foster told Jeter, the ball had beat him to the base, so the tag wasn't necessary. Yer out! Jeter argued. Girardi argued. The skipper was tossed by Foster, even though Jeter had beaten him there.

"Getting the play right is one thing," said umpire crew chief John Hirschbeck. "But how you handle it and what you say is equally important. It used to be if the ball beat you to the bag, you're out. But it's not like that anymore with all the cameras and replays. You have to make a good tag. You can't just lay your glove down in front of the base."

That's not what they told Foster, who continued to umpire the game, collected his $50 and escaped to the car before angry parents could accost him for his egregious error — not the erroneous call, but the rationale. Every umpire makes mistakes. Some are worse than others, but in the first inning of a July game, the sting of the brainfart would have proven fleeting. Foster's folly, rather, was his juvenile excuse.

All he had to do was tell the truth. My bad, Jeet, get you next time, when you swipe that phantom tag in the ninth inning. Make up a dirty lie. I don't care what you felt, he tagged you, so get back to the dugout. Try to distract him. Hey, who's that sitting next to Kate Hudson in the front row?

That, sir, is a Little League softball coach. You'll be seeing more of her type soon.

Umpire told Jeter he didn't need to be tagged out [Star-Ledger]
Jeter's running error leaves him at odds with Girardi [Daily News]

Rio Americano High found itself in just such a position last Friday, against league rival Bella Vista, near Sacramento. Rio's Pierce Burton tried to close the gap on a layup and was blocked and lost the ball. He then went Jeff Van Gundy on Bella Vista's Justin Haley trying to pull him to the ground. Burton received an intentional foul and was ejected from the game, but there was no shoving or yelling and no punches were thrown. The players even shook hands afterward, to show that it was all good. It all seems pretty non-eventful on the video, right?

Well, the refs conferred to sort it all out and then totaled up the damage. Bella Vista received eight free throws. (Two for the foul, plus three technicals.) Rio Americano—the team that committed the foul in the first place—received eighteen free throws. One Rio player made 17 of the shots and his team ended up winning the game by six points.

The referees contended that players from both benches stormed on to the court after Burton's foul, which is true. Okay, maybe it was more like they wandered aimlessly away from the bench for a few feet. But Bella Vista coaches say that's not the case and even if it was, that doesn't mean you give out a technical for every single one. That sort of seems to make sense too. They're appealing the decision to the league, but I think at the very least, the kid who made 17 or 18 free throws should get a ribbon or something.

Bizarre finish to boys game disputed [Sac Bee]

UPDATE: The league appeals committee has overturned the referees' decision and given the game back to Bella Vista. I guess that means no ribbon. [Sac Bee]

I always find it laughable when people argue on behalf of instant replay by saying "the important thing is that we get the call right." Because from what I can tell, those clowns in the replay booth are even worse than the bozos on the field.

As every fan in America can tell you, referees are at best, incompetent hacks and at worst, evil henchman in a worldwide conspiracy to destroy fairness and accuracy. And why are they always out to get your team? That can't be a coincidence, right?

In 2008, they apparently got tired of just fixing games and destroying hope and switched to just straight up using physical brutality to attack and intimidate players. Sure, we try to fight back, but they are a craft bunch, with their little whistles and their balls and strikes counters. They're always plotting something, but we're on to them now.

At least bookies are able to benefit in some small way from all this awfulness. It's about time someone looked out for them.

*******

• In the land blind referees, Ed Hochuli is, of course, their king.

• And Tim Donaghy will forever be their Golden God.

• Although, Scott Foster did learn from the master.

• Olympics? Boxing? Corrupt? Well, I never ...

• Does Doug Eddings owe A.J. Pierzynski money or something?

• In the NBA, sometimes the game is not over, even when it's over.

• Hey, ref! What are you? Drunk? Oh wait, you are.

• This soccer ref probably wishes he was drunk. At least then he'd have an excuse.

• You know you made a bad call when the parents' lawyers get involved.

• Of course, it's not a high school playoff without inadvertent whistles and lawsuits.

• Do you blow your filthy, lying whistle to make your horrendous calls with that mouth?

• Even fake refs can't be trusted.

• We'll always have Duke.

• When all else fails, just don't even show up.

Game 3 of the ALCS is tonight, and you can expect the reception in Anaheim for umpire Doug Eddings to be, um, chilly. Anti-Eddings sites are popping up all over the place, including our personal favorite, Doug Eddings Is A Douche. But some of the best vitriol has come, not surprisingly, from Angels bloggers, specifically Halos Heaven, which is responsible for the poll question there. (If you're curious, "Bad Call" and "Fuck You" are currently tied for the lead. But it's early.)

Here's some of our favorite Halos Heaven un-heavenly Eddings-related riffs so far:

• "I'm coughing up blood."
• "Silver Lining: Imagine the 'Doug Eddings Game' going into the 14th or 15th inning before the liar behind the plate makes his Vegas bookie happy."
• "Josh Paul did nothing wrong, save punching Doug Eddings in the fucking face."

Meanwhile, Eddings had security escort him from the Santa Ana, Calif. airport to his hotel. He'll be in left field tonight. We suggest he bring a steel-fortified umbrella.

Halos Heaven [SB Nation]
Eddings Uneasy In The Spotlight [NY Times]

The disgust with Eddings appears to be less with the call itself and more with his signalling of the play, which made catcher Josh Paul think the batter had been called out. No matter what you think of the call — well, all right; it was lousy, and we all know it, let's not pretend — it's clear that Eddings isn't going away. People are digging into his past as a replacement umpire, pointing out that he's 36 and single and been blasted for being inconsistent and a liar (this argument, by Angels blogger Chronicles of the Lads, is rather convincing, actually). No matter what happens in this series, it seems obvious that Eddings will be the most lasting memory.

Fortunately for Eddings, the call went against the Angels rather than, say, the Red Sox. It's not like their fans can really get all that fired up. What, they're gonna go after him with ThunderStix?

Breaking It Down [Chronicles Of The Lads]
Bad Call In Chicago [Baseball Musings]
Doug Eddings, Replacement Umpire [AmericaWantsToKnow.com]