News Story - Umpires blow call, again

Umpires blow call, again

By JAY COHEN,

NEW YORK (AP) There was another blown call by the postseason umpires in the seventh inning of New York's 3-1 victory over the Phillies on Thursday night.

With one out and runners on first and second, Johnny Damon hit a smash to Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard. Umpire Brian Gorman, standing behind the Howard, immediately threw his arm up to indicate the ball was caught in the air, but TV replays indicated it bounced into Howard's glove.

Howard took a few steps toward first before throwing to shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who tagged Jorge Posada to complete the inning-ending double play. Posada stood on second for a few moments before bounding off the base to protest the call, and manager Joe Girardi came out of the dugout to argue.

The umpires gathered in the infield after the players returned to their dugouts, but the ruling stood.

A series of umpiring mistakes during the playoffs has led to calls for expanded use of instant replay, but commissioner Bud Selig said before the game he still thinks it's not necessary. Selig did promise more discussion of the topic.

TOP SPOT: Ruben Amaro Jr. was one of Pat Gillick's top lieutenants when the Phillies won the World Series last season.

This time, he's in charge.

Amaro took over as general manager when Gillick retired following last season, ascending to the top spot after 10 years as an assistant in Philadelphia. The club hasn't skipped a beat under his leadership, winning the NL East and the pennant for the second consecutive year.

"What is really pretty cool about this being here right now is the fact that it's the big stage, it's New York," Amaro said before Philadelphia's 3-1 loss in Game 2. "It's the history and we're playing clearly one of the best teams in baseball, in our minds the best team in the American League.

"To be able to match up with this storied franchise and to be in this situation is pretty gratifying. It's pretty neat."

Amaro made a couple of shrewd moves during the season to help the Phillies get to this point. He acquired left-hander Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco from the Cleveland Indians for four prospects and signed free-agent righty Pedro Martinez.

Lee struck out 10 in a dominant performance in Philadelphia's 6-1 victory in the Series opener. Martinez went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts in the regular season and pitched into the seventh inning in a sharp outing in Game 2.

Amaro, 44, joined the Phillies immediately after his playing career ended in 1998. He worked under former GM Ed Wade for seven seasons and the last three with Gillick.

"I've had a chance to learn from some very, very good GMs in my mind," Amaro said. "They each had some pretty interesting qualities to kind of feed off of."

MIC CHECK: The World Series is back in New York - without its voice.

Longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard, who recently turned 99, is missing his first World Series since he began his career behind the Yankee Stadium microphone in 1951. Sheppard worked 121 consecutive postseason games, including 62 in 22 Fall Classics, a stretch that ended with the 2006 playoffs.

"Frankly, I'm content to be out of the swing of things," Sheppard said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. "I couldn't do it anymore."

With his distinctive voice and the perfect diction that personified his player introductions, Sheppard said his memories of his time with the Yankees are "precious."

His favorite moments at Yankee Stadium spanned his long career.

"Yankee Stadium has so many memories, among them, of course, is the Don Larsen game. That might be near the top," he said. "Reggie Jackson's three home runs in a row. He was outstanding."

Larsen pitched the only perfect game in postseason history on Oct. 8, 1956. Jackson became Mr. October in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series.

And what memory did he cherish most from the Yankees' run of four World Series titles in five years from 1996-00: "They run together like slices of ham."

Sheppard has not worked a game since late in the 2007 season due to a bronchial infection, although he did record the lineups at his home for the final game at the original Yankee Stadium last September.

AP Sports Writer Howie Rumberg contributed to this report.

Updated October 30, 2009