The home plate umpire for Sunday's Nationals-Reds game was Laz Diaz. Diaz is slightly more decorated than Larry Vanover, the previous subject of this semi-regular feature. Diaz has worked four postseasons, including the 2007 World Series, and two All-Star games exactly ten years apart since becoming an MLB umpire in 1999.
Let's take a look at his strike zone, shall we? The first at-bat below the jump belongs to Jay Bruce, who came to the plate against Ross Detwiler with two on and two out. (Note: never mind that the half-inning should have been over but for first base umpire Mike Everitt's equally poor call on what should have been a ground ball to short.)
Yup, that would be not one, but two balls that should have been called strikes. The inning should have been over, and there should have been no score.
Next man up: Ryan Ludwick. The count: 1-2. The pitch: number 5 on your chart below.
Two pitches later, this happened. Enough said.
Charts via Brooks Baseball.