We’re still early into the 2022 MLB season, and it’s already seeming like players have lost patience with umpires. It’s gotten to the point where even borderline calls are leading to blowups between players and umpires.
That’s exactly what happened on Monday night with Javy Baez, and we were able to hear what happened thanks to some hyper-sensitive microphones.
Baez was called out on strikes in the ninth inning against the Oakland A’s, and he immediately turned to home plate umpire Nick Mahrley to voice his displeasure. And while it appeared that Mahrley’s strike call was borderline, Baez was furious and went off on an F-bomb-filled tirade. (Warning: NSFW language).
Honestly, if MLB won’t give us robot umps, I’d happily accept on-field microphones like that. That was just compelling TV.
Overall, though, Mahrley had a decent night behind the plate. He missed a call earlier in the game with Baez at the plate, which could have played a part in the ninth-inning outburst.
Both Baez and manager A.J. Hinch were ejected for the argument. The A’s won, 2-0, and MLB fans had thoughts on the whole ordeal.
This was how Twitter reacted
But as long as umpires are given a two-inch buffer zone for calls, there’s not going to be any real evaluation of umpire performance. That’s only going to lead to more heated exchanges, and MLB seems OK with that.