The outside strike almost always isn't really. The umpire gives the star pitcher the benefit of the doubt. I maintain that the umpire, from where he sits, can't see the outside part of the plate, and judges his call on the motion of the catcher. If the catcher sets up outside, and the pitcher hits his mitt, it's a strike. Now, here's the batter, trying to decide whether or not to swing at a 95 mile an hour fastball that he likely won't be able to hit anyway, and the pitcher is getting a bonus, wide of the strike zone.
Umpires do a great job on some plays in baseball.
On the bang bang play at first, the umps are usually right in their calls. They can generally tell when an outfielder has trapped a ball against the grass. They really screw up the safe or out calls at second base, whether on attempted steals or the neighborhood out on double plays. But there is no call in professional sports botched by more game officials than that outside strike. And it seems to be worse in the World Series.