BTW, in the heat of this discussion I think I've failed to point out that I think that Josh Paul (the Angels third string catcher) totally ****** up, and is also an idiot. Even though he obviously caught the ball, and the ump called the batter out, he should've definitely done what every other catcher in the majors does when there's even the slightest hint of question - just tag the batter in the ass while he's standing right next to you. Sure, the ball was caught. But it's momentum did barely push Paul's mitt into the dirt, so it's best just to play it safe and not rely on the ump to make the correct call.
Players in any sport should never rely on the ump/ref/whoever to make the right call, if there's something they can do just to make sure he can't screw it up. Like in the NBA when an opposing player has clearly hit a ball that is going out of bounds, don't just let it go out of bounds if you can grab it, since you just never know what kind of bizarre **** is going through a ref's mind. Play it safe and take the call out of his hands, if possible, which is what Josh Paul should've done in that game regardless of the fact that the batter was already out.
Scioscia screwed up badly by having Paul in there in the first place. Sticking a journeyman third-string catcher into his first ever playoff game like that in the bottom of the ninth is just dumb. But before Dressell comes charging back in here to explain exactly how and why that move transpired, again, I'm well aware of how Scioscia got to the point that he felt the need to stick him in the game. Granted me saying that "I'm well aware" of something actually means that I have no idea what I'm talking about, according to Dressell, so who knows what nonsense he'll come up with next...