More often than not, it’s not a good sign for an umpire — in any sport — if they’re being frequently talked about after a game.
Well, it’s safe to say you’re going to be hearing the name Laz Diaz quite a bit over the next few days.
Diaz made his presence felt in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. The veteran umpire operated with a questionable strike zone throughout the contest, which concluded with Houston claiming a 9-2 win and evening the best-of-seven series at two wins apiece.
Just how bad was Diaz? By the count of ESPN’s Jeff Passan, he had 23 missed ball-strike calls, the most of any umpire this postseason.
Diaz, of course, isn’t solely responsible for the Red Sox dropping Game 4, as Boston let plenty of opportunities go by the wayside. But the call Passan highlights in his tweets — the missed ninth-inning strike-three call on Jason Castro — was a legitimate game-changer.
