Astros pitcher Zack Greinke. (Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports)
Houston Astros pitcher Zack Greinke was all in favor of this terrible strike call from home plate umpire CB Bucknor in the first inning against the Orioles.
Zack Greinke’s Astros are in first place in the AL West by 1.5 games, and they hope to add to that tally on Wednesday night.
It would help if their pitchers knew what to expect from CB Bucknor’s strike zone.
The home plate umpire made so many questionable ball calls in the first inning, Greinke sarcastically applauded Bucknor for finally calling a strike, even if it was miles outside.
You can hardly blame him. Of all the strikes Bucknor could have called, that one wasn’t close.
Zack Greinke sarcastically cheered CB Bucknor’s terrible strike call
As a professional athlete, all you can ask for from officials is consistency. Apply the same rules interpretation to both sides and keep things predictable. It shouldn’t take a guessing game to decide if a ball is a ball and a strike is a strike.
Bucknor is the opposite of consistent. His strike zone for Astros pitcher Luis Garcia was incomprehensible.
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Garcia ultimately gave up four runs in four innings while walking three and striking out five. The first inning was a nightmare, thanks in part to Bucknor’s questionable calls. All of Garcia’s walks and runs were conceded in that frame. All three walked batters scored.
The Orioles are sitting at the bottom of the AL East standings, but they have had the Astros number so far in the series. Baltimore won the first meeting 9-7 while taking the second meeting 13-3.
Houston has lost three in a row and four of the last five. The team is trying to get back on track, but that first inning barrage certainty didn’t help their hopes of doing that.