Gary Darling's Crew Continues to Make Terrible Calls

The Oakland A's were lucky to pull out the 3-2 victory against the Chicago White Sox after another terribly called game by the same crew that stirred up controversy after blowing calls during the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers series.

Bleacher creature Andrew Nuschler did a very good job detailing at least five plays that the umpires "blew" during that series.

Well, in this weekend's series finale, the clowns that Major League Baseball employs turned a pathetic excuse for a properly officiated game.

While some White Sox fans may shake their heads, I believe the officiating crew got this questionable call right.  With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Rajai Davis hit a shallow fly ball to left center field.  Scott Podsednik missed the ball but Alex Rios backed up the play, rifling the ball to second base.  

The throw beat Davis to second base, but Jayson Nix missed the tag, not once, but twice, after Davis overslid second base.

Todd Tichenor came over from third base to make the call because Gary Darling had to determine whether Podsednik caught the ball when he slid in the outfield grass.  

Ozzie Guillen came out to argue, but he wasn't very heated about the call.

John Danks, the White Sox starter, was then relieved by Octavio Dotel, who got Kurt Suzuki to strike out before giving up a game-tying RBI double to Scott Hairston.

Now here's where the fun begins, the top of the ninth inning.

Nix hit a Bailey offering deep into the whole, where short stop Bobby Crosby made a tremendous catch and throw that easily beat Nix to the bag. Replays confirmed that Nix was out but first base umpire Paul Emmell called Nix safe when the play wasn't even remotely close.

On the steal attempt, Bill Hohn missed a strike call as well. So, I would consider that as the third bad call made by this umpiring crew.

Finally, the last missed call, one that got Bob Geren ejected, was simply a terrible call at second base by Darling.

On a 2-1 pitch to Posednik, Nix tried to steal second. As Crosby leaned down and held his tag, Nix slid past second base.

Darling should have called Nix out, ending the threat and the inning. Right?

Nope. Darling signaled that Crosby had pushed Nix off second and that is why his hand came off the bag.

It's hard to imagine how Darling got the job as crew chief, but, with the recent slew of missed calls by his crew, he needs to be either stripped of his crew chief duty, or, if Darling refuses the demotion, he should be fired.