The Padres And Nationals Were Ready To Resume Play, But Three Of The Umpires Were Nowhere To Be Found

Umpires often like to say they're doing their jobs when no one notices them. But Tony Randazzo, Alan Porter, and Larry Vanover weren't trying to prove themselves when they literally disappeared for a moment yesterday at Nationals Park.

The Padres and Nationals endured a rain delay in the top of the first inning, but almost as soon as the field was cleared—and before the grounds crew could even roll out the tarp—the showers suddenly stopped. Home plate ump Brian Gorman decided to resume play almost immediately, and after the grounds crew had a chance to tidy things up for a few minutes, everyone was ready to go. Well, everyone except Randazzo, Porter, and Vanover, though no one seemed to realize it until just before an actual pitch was thrown.

[ MLB]