Every baseball fan knows the words: For it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the old ball game. But during the dramatic, 10-inning Game 5 of the World Series in which the Houston Astros eventually beat the LA Dodgers Sunday night, some fans thought that home plate umpire Bill Miller seemed a little eager to call those strikes.
New York Met Cody Decker tweeted out a screenshot of a called strike to Dodger Enrique Hernández that seemed especially egregious.
Oh, also, this is a ball.... pic.twitter.com/7nLS1VPjYj
— Cody Decker (@Decker6) October 30, 2017
I see it on the black! #pitchers
— Peter Moylan (@PeterMoylan) October 30, 2017
The black of......?...... The plate?.... maybe a tectonic plate.... But certainly not the plate at Minute Maid.... https://t.co/jxvXfQ0EFC
— Cody Decker (@Decker6) October 30, 2017
One fan pitched a montage that offered specific examples of Miller's interesting definition of a strike zone.
Just a mini montage I assembled of some of the horrible called strikes by the home plate up bill Miller during game 5 of the World Series pic.twitter.com/HR2k6C2Fcr
— Horrible Stats (@horriblestats) October 30, 2017
I can't update this montage of examples fast enough bill miller the home plate ump for game 5 is calling the worst strike zone this is crazy pic.twitter.com/Yor1XJSeaU
— Horrible Stats (@horriblestats) October 30, 2017
While Miller has been known to have a generous strike zone for years, fans couldn't keep themselves from firing jokes at the ump.
Live look at Bill Miller's #WorldSeries strike zone tonight... pic.twitter.com/ar4lZVI4JZ
— Shawn Ferris (@RealShawnFerris) October 30, 2017
HP Umpire Bill Miller calling strikes like he has a dinner reservation in an hour. #WorldSeries
— Jason Martinez (@10NewsJason) October 30, 2017
Honest question: With every hitter screaming at him, does Bill Miller ever stop and think, "Hm, maybe they have a point?"
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) October 30, 2017
Bill Miller called this a strike pic.twitter.com/qN0P7O3sMq
— Halloween cAndy (@DodgersAndyInPA) October 30, 2017
Game 1
— Trevor Vernola (@tvern16) October 30, 2017
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
The Bill Miller Show
Game 6
Game 7
Bill Miller making the most of his World Series TV time. pic.twitter.com/YQcdZbTYSF
— Jp Arencibia (@jparencibia9) October 30, 2017
So many mysteries in the world. Sasquatch, Loch Ness monster, Bill Miller's strike zone.
— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) October 30, 2017
Bill Miller out here trying to be Frank Drebin tonight.
— Jorge Sedano (@SedanoESPN) October 30, 2017
Everyone here to see... ME! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/55aaToNRhR
Turn Jose Altuve sideways and you have the width Bill Miller's strike zone.
— Trevor Vernola (@tvern16) October 30, 2017
If Bill Miller is one of the six best umps in #MLB then the automated strike zone cannot come soon enough.
— John Perrotto (@JPerrotto) October 30, 2017
Bill Miller drive like this!! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/WG910aj0iw
— Slic Flair/PooHefner (@I_Gambl3) October 30, 2017
MLB has data that shows Bill Miller among top 5 umps at calling balls out of zone a strike. So, you know, lets put him behind plate for G5
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 30, 2017
Imagine how long it would take to play this game if Bill Miller didn't call every pitch a strike.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) October 30, 2017
This strike zone's so bizarre, I'm guessing home plate umpire Bill Miller redraws Congressional districts in his spare time.
— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) October 30, 2017
several years ago a called ball ran over Bill Miller's family dog and he has made it his life's work to eliminate them from existence
— Jeff Sullivan (@based_ball) October 30, 2017
“What’s your definition of a proper strike zone”
— Johnny Soto (@jesoto44) October 30, 2017
Bill Miller: #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/H82ycF6fbH
If some of the cracks about Miller's eyesight and judgment seemed familiar, you may have seen them being tossed around last month. That's when boxing judge Adalaide Byrd was one of the few people in the world who felt Canelo Alvarez beat Gennady Golovkin in a much-awaited Las Vegas fight.
Young sports buffs, take note: If you've got thin skin, best to stay out of umping, reffing or any other kind of sports judging in this age of social media.
Game 6 will be played on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. That's Halloween, but it remains to be seen if batters will be tricked or treated.