Umpire Blows Double Play Call To End Game, Confirm Own Blindness

Laz Diaz needs to get on Aetna Navigator and find a good optometrist.

Via wapc.mlb.com

Just another game-ending double play last night between the Pirates and Nationals — or so umpire Laz Diaz would have you believe. *cue ominous music*

Soooooo, did Neil Walker actually tag Wilson Ramos there? Because if he didn't, the game should not be over and the Nats have the tying run at the plate. Sure looks iffy from this angle. What else we got?

And there we go. Walker clearly whiffed at Ramos' back as the Nats catcher rushed on toward second.

Even when Walker is at full extension, not even that close.

Laz Diaz, meanwhile, didn't even hesitate to make the out call. Maybe Ramos was blocking his view? Maybe Diaz has an undiagnosed cataract? The guessing could haunt us for days if we allow it.

Via mlb.mlb.com

To their credit, even the Pirates broadcasters didn't think Walker applied the tag from the moment it happened.

Via mlb.mlb.com

The Nats announcers were just slightly more incredulous.

sportsillustrated.cnn.com

When asked for comment, umpire Tim Tschida (who made this very similar craptacular out call in the 1999 ALCS) could only mumble, "Ehhhhhhhhh, not that bad. Good effort there, Laz-y."