04/16/24
August 02, 2015
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
If anyone wants a lesson on how NOT to umpire a game, Jim Wolf gave a masters class during the Blue Jays/Royals game today.
Second batter of the game, Donaldson, gets plunk in the numbers.
Wolf immediately issues a warning to both benches, which is bad news for the Jays because they have knuckleball pitcher (Dickey) starting the game, and by definition the knuckleball is supposed to be "wild". So if one of them goes off course and lightly plunks a Royal, he's gonna get tossed (as the warning indicates that any hit-by-pitches will result in an immediate ejection for the pitcher and the manager).
The next time Donaldson comes to the plate, the same pitcher then throws the ball at his head. Donaldson dives out the way, and the umpire immediately steps forward and...does nothing.
Fast forward a few innings, and now a Royal relief pitcher is in the game. He's pitching to new Blue Jays player Tulowitzki...and hits him. The home plate umpire leaps into action and...does nothing. Despite the warnings, the umpire decides not to eject the pitcher. Understandably, the Blue Jays (and their manager, John Gibbons, and their fans) go apeshit. After Tulowitzki is examined and goes to first, the next batter up is..Donaldson.
Guess what happens? The pitcher throws another one at his head. Donaldson bails out, hits the dirt, jumps up...but Gibbons has already run out of the dugout to yell at the umpire. He gets tossed.
The very next half-inning, the relief pitcher for the Jays (Aaron Sanchez) throws a pitch down the middle...for a ball. Two pitches later, Sanchez throws a ball at the feet of the batter, hitting him. Jim Wolf, in a sense of fairness not seen this side of Nero, tosses Sanchez from the game. Both benches empty as everyone on the Blue Jays side loses their fucking minds at that decision.
posted by grum@work at 06:00 PM on August 02, 2015
Well, it's one means of getting away from sharks, I suppose.
posted by owlhouse at 01:27 AM on August 03, 2015
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez, manager John Gibbons suspended after tense game against Kansas City Royals....and nothing for the Royals.
posted by tommybiden at 04:18 PM on August 04, 2015
The postgame of the FA Community Shield was entertaining. Jose Mourinho came out to accept the tiny runners up trophy, vigorously greeted every Arsenal player as he walked past, but he and Arsene Wenger both gave each other the cold shoulder. Mourinho then left the field, dodged a thrown water bottle and tossed the trophy into the crowd!