Why Do Umps Think They Should Be Held To A Different Standard?

Honestly—like I wouldn’t be with you—I am sick of umpires. Now, I am not a fan of Aaron Boone by any shape or form, and certainly like anyone else, you should be mindful of your reputation out in the field, but umpires need to focus on calling the game, not engaging in extracurricular activities. Look we can all be hot headed from time to time. And fans pay a lot of money to enjoy the game and state or rather yell their opinions, but umps need to stay focused, like the London guards, unfazed by anything but doing their jobs. So, I ask you, sincerely, do umps think they should be held to a different standard?

“Major League Baseball is expected to look at the Monday incident involving Aaron Boone, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt and a fan sitting behind the Yankees dugout, a source told the Daily News. The source, granted anonymity so that they could speak freely, said that it is standard for the league to review “all ejections and unusual on-field circumstances.” They added that Boone’s ejection and “other circumstances would merit reviewing.”

In case you are late the party, and easily the game could have been missed, as the Yankees played a sneaky game on a Monday afternoon to kick off a series with the Oakland A’s, so I will recap. Boone got cranky about a hit by a pitch vs. swing at a pitch call that the home plate umpire called after confirming it with his first base counterpart. Boone was warned to shut his trap, or he’d be out. And if on cue a fan sitting directly behind the dugout chirped at the home plate umpire and guess what, without confirming it was in fact coming from the Yankee dugout, he just tossed Boone, who actually was quietly chewing his gum.

“Per MLB, Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt conceded postgame that Boone “probably, you know, is not the one who made the comment,” but doubled down on his reasons for the ejection. “I know what Aaron was saying, that it was a fan above the dugout,” he said. “That’s fine and dandy. There were plenty of fans that were yelling at me before I called a pitch until the end of the game … but Aaron Boone is the manager of the New York Yankees and is responsible for everything that happens in that dugout,” reported CNN. Oh, now Aaron Boone is not just responsible for his players, and his own behaviors and of course winning, but he is accountable for what fans say? That is simply ridiculous. And honestly, outrageous.

How about saying, you know what, I overreacted. I am wrong. Nope, umpires don’t have to apologize. And we have seen this time and time again. What makes them special? What makes them immune to being, you know, human and perhaps maybe even reasonable, professional and dare I say just kind? 

According to The New York Post, “Before Tuesday’s game in The Bronx against the A’s, Boone said he spoke several times to Mike Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, about the situation and was told he would not be fined.” In addition, the Post reported, “t is uncertain whether Wendelstedt will face any discipline. It is standard for MLB to review all ejections or unusual on-field circumstances, and this certainly qualifies. Umpires have to file a report within a day of a baseball operations department review.”

The YES Network mics have all the evidence needed to have MLB and the umpire association issue an apologize. Maybe Wendelstedt should be fined. Boone is certainly no saint. And his reputation proceeds him, but this kind of petty nonsense and unprofessionalism just takes away from the game of baseball. Own mistakes, focus on your craft and just ignore the pettiness. Players do. They clear the mechanism despite being scrutinized by fans, their opponents and the media quite frankly. Why can’t umpires do the same? Umpires need to be fined and penalized if they get things wrong. And this is just another example of why. 

–Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof