Mis-Call, 5 Umps Banned for 9 Games

Eagles manager Han Dae-hwa. Happiness Found.

A curious happening in the KBO that is interesting from our point of view just for curiosity's sake and for how it highlights some wild differences between Asian and Western sports cultures.

At the top of the 9th in Wednesday's Hanhwa at LG game, Eagles baserunner Jeong Won-suk tried for a steal home on a 3 and 2 from LG closer Im Chan-gyu. There were 2 outs and the Eagles were down by a run. A run scored here would have taken the game into extras and a chance to win and move the orange boys to 6th place (which they did the next day).

Anyway, Jeong was declared tagged out at the plate much to the dismay of Han Dae-hwa, who got pretty steamed and started to protest. Han and others saw a balk on Im's part and with that the runners should have advanced, and the game should have been tied.

What happens when something like this occurs in a North American professional league. Like say last year when Armando Galarraga lost a no-hit bid because of a missed call. Pretty much nothing right?

Well this is the KBO, so a disciplinary meeting was held the very next day at 2 pm, well before the next day's games started. Pretty much all of the heads of the various KBO branches were in attendance and they decided that the 5 umpires in charge of the Hanhwa at LG game were to blame for this screw up and they would be suspended for 9 games each. And not only will they not be able to officiate in the KBO, they would not be able to work the KBO's minor league, Future's League.

And the KBO's offical statement on this matter?

"We apologize with our heads down for this missed call which caused disappointment for our fans. We promise to never have something like this happen again through thorough training and have our umpires reflect deeply on mountain ranges."

“잘못된 판정으로 야구팬 여러분께 실망감을 안겨드린 것에 대해 머리 숙여 사죄하며, 향후 이 같은 일이 발생하지 않도록 철저한 교육과 함께 연봉 고과 산정에 심판 성적을 엄격히 반영하는 등 재발 방지를 위해 최대한 노력할 것임을 약속 드린다.”

http://kjdaily.com/read.php3?aid=1307631600216786007

I'll just leave this matter at that and you can marvel in the awe.