One would think that with MLB seriously considering a switch to robot umps, the humans currently doing the job would show a little urgency and at least try to display why they’re better suited than a machine. Case in point, Friday night at Dodger Stadium when Cody Bellinger was given a standing ovation by the fans that rooted him the first seven years of his career. That would seem an apt time to read the room and let the pitch clock slide, right?
Wrong.
If you’re wondering who the jackass behind the mask is, it’s Jim Wolf. He started working in the bigs in 1999 and has overseen a ton of historic moments. Maybe the return of a two-time All-Star and World Series champion didn’t meet his criteria of notable. Perhaps he didn’t want to set a dangerous precedent that no fan base is above the game. Or it could’ve been some passive-aggressive shot at the league for making him work harder.
I have no clue. You’d like some explanation though because Andrew McCutchen was on the receiving end of a welcome home in Pittsburgh as he’s a Pirate again and that went off without an ego trip.
Let’s try logic here for a second. Were the fans going to do this for every Bellinger at bat? Probably not. If that was the situation, then start handing out violations. More than one is superfluous, but I think the league office would let it slide if it’s within reason.
What’re we going to ring up the 3-4-5 hitters after Aaron Judge breaks his own home run record this year because Roger Maris Jr. is on the field again, sobbing uncontrollably? Whenever a human being does something so inexplicably dumb — like dumb criminals dumb — you just have to shake your head and laugh in awe. It’s shit like this (and Rob Manfred’s affinity for fan service) that has MLB thinking that C-3P-ump might be a better route forward.
A vacuum has the cognition to recognize something different was happening when Bellinger came up to bat. So, yeah, congrats to Jim Wolf on his nomination for Idiot of the Month.