MLB ump Randy Rosenberg ejects J.T. Realmuto for no actual motive

Take a have a look at the face of MLB umpire Randy Rosenberg within the picture above. If that’s not the face of somebody who’s slowly realizing that they could have *barely* overreacted, I don’t know what’s. However earlier than we get into it, please take a second to view Rosenberg ejecting Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto yesterday within the fourth inning of a Spring Coaching sport in opposition to the Blue Jays. Observe:

I noticed this video for the primary time yesterday, and whereas I shook my head in disgust and mumbled “Robo Umps Now” beneath my breath, as I’m wont to do, I hadn’t deliberate on commenting a lot on it past that.

However then I stewed about all of it night time — even selecting up my telephone round 2 a.m. to look at it once more. Outrageous! Even extra outrageous than I remembered it being the primary time. Then I began fascinated by retired ump and longtime jackass Joe West and all of the instances my groups had been jerked round by umpires with an ego and, effectively, right here we’re, banging away on the keyboard.

It appears for all of the world to see as if Realmuto requested Rosenberg for a brand new ball and assumed he was going to toss it to the pitcher. Probably he obtained distracted between the time he requested for a ball and the time Rosenberg tried to place it in his glove. The ball falls to the grime. And the query I’ve is…SO?

Worst case state of affairs, Rosenberg thought Realmuto did a “psych!” factor and pulled his glove away on the final second, with the intention to…what precisely? Present him up? Who cares should you get proven up in a Spring Coaching sport that nobody is watching? Look, we’re in a strictly run-out-the-clock state of affairs right here. We’ve obtained two extra days earlier than showtime, everyone seems to be simply making an attempt to make it to Opening Day. Relax. And anyway, the entire concept of “getting proven up” is a part of the identical silly poisonous baseball tradition that claims it’s okay to throw at folks as a result of they didn’t run the bases quick sufficient after a house run and makes guys like Steve Blass determine they hate Javy Baez.

Deliver on the robo umps

Each time I deliver up robo umps, I get the usual, “however it’s a part of the sport! What in regards to the human factor? Received’t somebody consider the kids???” (“Intercourse cauldron?”) traces. However look, is that this the sort of human factor you need in baseball? Unpredictable umpires who would possibly toss your beginning catching as a result of he thinks one thing occurred that didn’t and even simply because he awakened on the fallacious facet of the mattress or obtained ghosted on Tinder or spilled espresso down his pants? No thanks. I spent most of my life watching Joe West, a person who was satisfied folks present as much as Main League Baseball to see the umpires, and I don’t ever have to see it once more.

However not like the Southland Convention, who suspended an ump for a name so egregious that it introduced the complete web collectively in horror, there are by no means any actual penalties for MLB umpires. No less than not publicly. Which implies one more season of seeing this sort of rubbish repeatedly.

My plea for the 2023 season is that this: Can we not begin the common season with umpires who have already got a chip on their shoulder and are satisfied of their very own infallibility and victimization? Can we’ve individuals who act like professionals behind the plate? Who don’t consider each participant is secretly sneering at them behind their backs? Who’ve a hair set off in the case of ejections? My God. Sufficient already.

Deliver on the robo umps.