Umpire refuses to call a strike, a breakdown
What Happened
Jomboy breaks down a sequence from Japan's NPB involving pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (the video mislabels him at points as Yamaguchi). After what looked like a strike was called a ball, the pitcher apparently showed up the umpire, and the umpire went into what Jomboy calls 'stubborn mode,' refusing to give him anything in the zone. Several pitches that appear to catch the heart of the plate get called balls, running the count to 2-0 and 3-0. The catcher eventually comes out to tell the pitcher it's not on him, and the pitcher is left baffled.
Why This Matters
Umpire-pitcher friction over the strike zone exists at every level of baseball, but the unwritten rule here is simple: don't show up the man calling balls and strikes, because he controls the next 100 pitches and you don't. Jomboy's larger point lands because of the subject. Sugano isn't a fringe arm. He posted a sub-2.50 ERA in seven of nine full NPB seasons and was widely expected to get posted for MLB clubs that winter. That makes the squeeze stand out, since established aces usually earn the benefit of the doubt on borderline calls. The aftermath off the field mattered more than the at-bat itself. Sugano was indeed posted after 2020 but did not sign with an MLB team that offseason, returning to the Yomiuri Giants before eventually reaching the majors years later.
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Key Moments
Who / What Is Involved
Players: Shun Yamaguchi.
Key Terms Mentioned
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentpitch number one is on the way it looks
like it's right in there called the ball
now apparently
the pitcher reacted to this and the
umpire didn't like his reaction so he's
about to go into stubborn mode
now it's a 1-0 count batter's ready
hands out i like this little thing the
pitcher does where he twists his body
and then throws it
another right down the middle pitch not
called he's like
what the hell's going on this isn't
fair so i mean is that a little high
maybe did it come down i mean you can
say it's borderline i think you get that
call a lot especially if you're an
established pitcher
which this dude sugano is
a little magic blow for the next time
try to get the ump on his side they call
for an off speed pitch or breaking pitch
2-0 because this dude
is an established pitcher sugano learn
the name because he's getting posted and
going to come to the u.s
look at these stats i mean in one two
three four five six
seven of his nine full seasons he has an
era
below 250 and he's got a bunch that
start with one
and he pitches 20 plus games a season
and eats a lot of innings
so this guy's coming to the us he's
being posted learned the name
sugano is how i have found to pronounce
it so he's not like
a rinky dink reliever that the ump's not
going to give him a call this is
one of the premier pitchers in the
league it should be getting calls i know
people don't like that you should call
striker strike these are strikes that's
another one that looks
right down no no no no no come on man
i mean that that pitch is the most
strike of all the strikes
that's just a strike so now it should be
strike one two three instead it's ball
one two three
they go outside fastball like all right
let's see if he chases maybe he'll call
a ball
a strike the batter doesn't chase
because why would you swing
if you're the batter and then the ump
doesn't call it and the catcher comes
out and says
sorry man that's not me shouldn't have
had that second serving of eggs but you
know we'll just go get him he's like
what the [ __ ] does that mean
what