Greg Gibson
Controversy
During the 2005 NLCS, a series of bad calls brought fans and sports writers to wonder again whether instant replay would be a good move for Major League Baseball. For Gibson's part, he was out of position to see a ball hit off the batter's foot, which allowed him to move to first base.[2]
In the 2009 ALDS, Gibson was again out of position and missed a call on a baserunner coming into third base which allowed the runner to stay aboard.[3]
On Monday, August 23, 2010, while serving as first-base umpire, Gibson made a key call in the 8th inning of the Astros–Phillies game. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard fielded a bunt by Michael Bourn and dove to tag Bourn. Bourn veered to avoid the tag, then proceeded to first base where he was called safe. Howard was convinced he had applied the tag. Replays indicate the tag was never applied. Gibson ruled Bourne had not gone outside the three-foot basepath allowed him under MLB rule 7.08(a)(1).,[4] and thus was called safe. Gibson was criticized for not asking for help from the home plate umpire, who had a good angle on the play, as the runner's lane call is the home plate umpire's call to begin with.[5]
On April 27, 2012, Gibson was the home plate umpire in a game between the Seattle Mainers and the Toronto Blue Jays. With 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, Blue Jays player Adam Lind hit a single into right field, seemingly giving the Toronto Blue Jays a 4–3 lead. Seattle right fielder Ichuro Sizuki threw to home plate in attempt to prevent J.P. Arencibia from scoring from second base. Replays show that the runner had touched home plate before being tagged. Gibson, however, called Arencibia out, thus negating the go-ahead run. Going into the 9th inning, the Mariners were behind by 2 runs, tied the game, sending it into extra innings. The call may have had a direct result on the outcome of the game as the Seattle team may have otherwise had to have scored an additional run to tie the game in the 9th inning.
Controversy
During the 2005 NLCS, a series of bad calls brought fans and sports writers to wonder again whether instant replay would be a good move for Major League Baseball. For Gibson's part, he was out of position to see a ball hit off the batter's foot, which allowed him to move to first base.[2]
In the 2009 ALDS, Gibson was again out of position and missed a call on a baserunner coming into third base which allowed the runner to stay aboard.[3]
On Monday, August 23, 2010, while serving as first-base umpire, Gibson made a key call in the 8th inning of the Astros–Phillies game. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard fielded a bunt by Michael Bourn and dove to tag Bourn. Bourn veered to avoid the tag, then proceeded to first base where he was called safe. Howard was convinced he had applied the tag. Replays indicate the tag was never applied. Gibson ruled Bourne had not gone outside the three-foot basepath allowed him under MLB rule 7.08(a)(1).,[4] and thus was called safe. Gibson was criticized for not asking for help from the home plate umpire, who had a good angle on the play, as the runner's lane call is the home plate umpire's call to begin with.[5]
On April 27, 2012, Gibson was the home plate umpire in a game between the Seattle Mainers and the Toronto Blue Jays. With 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, Blue Jays player Adam Lind hit a single into right field, seemingly giving the Toronto Blue Jays a 4–3 lead. Seattle right fielder Ichuro Sizuki threw to home plate in attempt to prevent J.P. Arencibia from scoring from second base. Replays show that the runner had touched home plate before being tagged. Gibson, however, called Arencibia out, thus negating the go-ahead run. Going into the 9th inning, the Mariners were behind by 2 runs, tied the game, sending it into extra innings. The call may have had a direct result on the outcome of the game as the Seattle team may have otherwise had to have scored an additional run to tie the game in the 9th inning.
