Umpire really wants to call strikeout, resists at last moment

Yes, Derek Lowe's pitch was very nearly a strike, but I don't think that's why home-plate umpire Bill Miller was so close to ringing up Carlo Villanueva on Thursday.

In a gig where you have to wear all black during the summer, make split-second decisions with only the naked eye and get yelled at by overly theatrical managers, calling strike three is a rare opportunity for emotional release.

The pitch tracker shows that the 0-2 pitch was low and Miller was correct in rethinking his initial impulse. Ultimately, it didn't matter -- Villanueva struck out swinging on the next pitch, rendering the whole affair moot.

But hey, we'll always have the GIF.

-- Dakota Gardner / MLB.com