Frustrated Chipper calls out umpires

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By CARROLL ROGERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/04/07

It might be the frustration of the Braves' dwindling playoff hopes or just a plain bone to pick, but Chipper Jones fired off at major-league umpires following the Braves 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, saying they "ought to be ashamed" and calling Friday night's home-plate umpire Rick Reed's strike zone "a joke."
He argued on behalf of Braves hitters — whose frustration culminated with a third-strike call on Yunel Escobar in the ninth inning that sent towels flying in the Braves dugout and got bench player Brayan Pena ejected. He argued on behalf of pitcher Buddy Carlyle, who felt like he was getting squeezed.



"We throw a pitch right down the middle to [Ryan] Howard that's called a ball, next pitch is a homer — that's frustrating," Jones said. "We get balls called on us in our batter's boxes, seven inches off the plate. That's frustrating. So you're seeing a lot of frustration being taken out out there on the field, and you're going to continue to see it from now on as long as the officiating is abysmal. Major League Baseball ought to be ashamed. It's abysmal. It's awful. Not all of them, but some of them. It's awful."
He was putting into words the frustration he felt as he threw his helmet into the ground running to first base on a groundout in the seventh inning that stranded a runner with the Braves trailing 4-2.
"The first pitch that was called on me in a very important at-bat was seven to eight inches off the plate," Jones said. "Seven to eight inches. The first pitch to me with the bases loaded [in the fifth inning] was in my batter's box inside. Now you tell me how I'm supposed to hit that. It's abysmal. It's awful."
Jones, who homered and drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the Braves' only two runs Tuesday, added a plea to get QuesTec at Turner Field.
QuesTec is the electronic camera system used at about a dozen ballparks around major league baseball to evaluate umpires. It has been used since 2001 and had its share of critics. Jones, for one, is not one of them.
"We have got to get QuesTec here in this ballpark," he said. "Got to. Umpires have got to be held accountable. That's Little League World Series stuff right there. It's a joke, and I'm tired of it. Baseball can fine me whatever they want. I do not care. Somebody's got to say something. I got more walks than strikeouts in my career. I know what a strike is. ...
"I think in certain ballparks, they know they're not going to be graded, plain and simple. So why not try and get the game over with as quick as they can? They have planes to catch on getaway day just like we do."
He added: "They're not allowing us to do our job, all we ask is a fair fight. Give us a chance to do our job. The stinking catchers are back there chuckling. It's a joke."
 

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