Alan Greenwood

Officials in all sports vigorously dismiss the notion that there is any such thing as a makeup call.

For instance, a batter swings and misses at strike 3, but the umpire claims the batter fouled it off. Then seeing the misjudgment on a huge HD video board, calls the next pitch a strike though it was about a foot outside.

Anyone who made it into the 11th inning of Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday night will recognize this scenario. It is how plate umpire Cory Blaser finished off the Yankees.

Gary Sanchez was called out looking on the 10th pitch in the top of the inning, stranding runners at first and second.

Blaser’s preservation of the 2-2 deadlock allowed Astros shortstop Carlos Correa to drill the first pitch he saw from New York’s J.A. Happ in the bottom of the inning into the right-field seats.

(Forgive the old-school reference to the word “drill.” The launch angle and exit velocity were, as always, ignored here.)

What could have been had the first botched call on Sanchez not been followed by the second? Well, that’s what makes for great barroom debates.

At least that is how shameless supporters of make-up calls would respond.

There is little reason to detail the view that one bad call does not warrant another. Those who are convinced that two wrongs make a right won’t listen, anyway.

TIME TRAVEL: Oct. 15, 1974 – “The Nashua High cross country team placed third in the Merrimack Valley High Invitational Meet held here recently.

“Paul Dufour was the first man to cross the finish line for the Gate City runners, coming in 13th with a time of 13:25. Following on Dufour’s heels were Eddie Gagnon, 16th at 13:30; John Desmarais, 17th at 13:32; Dave Boucher, 21st with a time of 13:45; and 22nd was Tom St. Lawrence, 13:48. According to coach Dave Clements, St. Lawrence was not running up to par because of problems with the course.”

HOW ABOUT THESE NUMBERS: As absolute proof that fundamental statistics do not need to be dissected to the point of tedious trivia, Baker Mayfield’s premature ascension to the rarified air of premier quarterbacks stands completely shattered.

After Sunday’s Browns loss to the Seahawks, Mayfield had five touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.

He also has a deer-in-the-headlights look every time he takes a snap.

The insurance company for whom Mayfield stars in commercials doing various chores around the Browns’ stadium may want to assess the bang they are getting for all those bucks they forked over to the struggling quarterback.

Contact Alan Greenwood at 594-1248, agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_AlanG.com.

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