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Major League Baseball, as has been mentioned over and over the past several years, has a real problem with its umpires.
Ump shows are sprouting up in big league ballparks all over the country and they are seriously detracting from the games. (Don’t get us started on the uniforms and all of the arm injuries.)
The latest example of umpires negatively affecting the game occurred Wednesday night at the end of the contest between the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels.
With the Orioles up 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth, the Angels’ Luis Rengifo stepped in to face Orioles’ closer Craig Kimbrel with Jo Adell on first base after a walk.
Rengifo took the first pitch he saw, a 94 mph fastball, while Adell attempted to steal second base and put himself into scoring position.
The umpire’s call on the field was that O’s catcher James McCann had successfully thrown out Adell and the game was over.
However, Los Angeles challenged the call and replays clearly showed that Jo Adell had beaten the tag by Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson and should have been called safe by the umpires.
He wasn’t. Game over.
Angels announcers Wayne Randazzo and Mark Gubicza immediately went ballistic after hearing the blown game-ending replay review call.
“If this call goes the way we think it should… crowd is chanting ‘safe,'” Randazzo said on the broadcast.
Home plate umpire Lance Barksdale then announced, “After review, the call on the field stands. The runner is out.”
“That is absurd! That is absurd!” Randazzo responded.
“That’s unbelievable,” Gubicza said.
““That’s a joke. That’s a joke,” Randazzo continued. “Absolutely ridiculous! It is clear on the replay that Adell was safe and it is a ridiculous way to end this game. That’s garbage! The Baltimore Orioles end up with a 6-5 win. Could not have been any clearer on the replay that Adell hit the bag before the tag from Henderson.
“We’ll show it again.”
“His foot is on the base,” Gubicza said as the replay was shown. “Foot is on the base and then the tag.”
“I don’t know what else you need to see there,” said Randazzo. “Hits the bag. The tag not there yet.”
“This is unbelievable,” said an exasperated Gubicza.
He’s not wrong.
"That is absurd."
"That's unbelievable."
"That's a joke. Absolutely ridiculous. It is clear on the replay that Adell was safe and it is a ridiculous way to end this game."
Wayne Randazzo and Mark Gubicza were heated about the game-ending call.pic.twitter.com/7SVOb6emAN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 25, 2024