A similar thing happened to Jimmy Rollins last year in a game when I was there. Joe West absolutely blew a call at first...the throw was bounced to first and the first basemen made a nice pick. The umps typically watch the runners feet and listens for the ball to pop into the glove...the only thing I can think of is he heard the ball bounce off the dirt and he thought it was the sound of it going in the glove. Rollins was safe by more than a step (it was very very obvious).
Whatever it was I gave West hell (all in good fun, bellowing "You blew it Joe!" over and over). I was 11 rows up on the first base side and I know he could hear me. At one point he actually looked (leered) over. I settled down so as not to get tossed myself.
