Umpire Tensions on the Rise: Part 2

Years ago, umpires could get away with making unfair calls toward managers and players who disrespected them. Nowadays, this would get noticed and the umpire would face possible punishment by the league. Managers realize getting a late inning ejection isn't costly to their team's success; they can watch the game on TV from inside the clubhouse, and have runners relay their late-inning decisions to the acting manager in the dugout. If anything, the only effect of the home team manager getting tossed is that is pumps up the fans, and gets the players' adrenaline going. 

The power of ejecting the players is more meaningful, as this has a direct impact to on-field play. Players are wary of this, which is why the managers often to the arguing for them. The home managers turn the umpires into a target for the fans to jaw at and boo, while making their case regarding the man in blue's call. Everyone has witnessed, or watched at least a few famous outbursts, such as the rather amusing ejection of Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman that was made famous by Sportscenter. Around since the dawn days of baseball, these tirades are an aspect of the game that makes it so amusing to the fans.

However, they are increasing at a rather quick pace, so much that there is now an Umpire Ejection Fantasy League, which has received a few Sportscenter shout-outs as well. Links to more notable/entertaining ejections are below.

- Nationals minor league prodigy Bryce Harper
- Remember Jose Offerman? Here he is getting banned by a Dominican Winter League after this tirade.
- South Georgia Peanuts manager Wally Backman goes overboard. *Warning, explicit content.
- And, of course, Lou Piniella, and his famous Wrigley meltdown.

Part 3 in a few days.

Umpire Tensions on the Rise: Part 1

It's been an issue for over a century. Baseball players, managers, and umpires have simply not gotten along very well. Childish player outbursts that are generally condemned in Little League have become commonplace in the Major Leagues. In the eyes of the players, arguments should be permitted on any call they disagree with. The problem is, players expect calls to be 100% correct. The umpires appear ignorant to fans watching the game at home or in the ballpark, and are not held in high regard by the players, either. The men in blue, well, they seem perfectly fine with tossing players and coaches who yell at them, and don't think twice about it.

In practically every major sport, the athletes have a problem with the men that make the game possible, the guys enforcing the rulebook. Fact is, fans and players take the umpires for granted. A perfect game for an umpire is one where they go unnoticed. The only attention they receive is negative. And sure, umpires make mistakes; they're human. But the good calls they make can seem wrong as well, to the 40,000 home fans that all think they can call the game better.

Part 2 tomorrow.