Mariners at Cubs June 13th/ Umpires

I wanted to post this yesterday but I was unable to log onto wordpress.  All problems have worked out and I’m happy posting again. 

The Umpires in baseball are really getting out of control.  This is not in direct response to Ted Lilly getting throw out (although I’d be liar if I didn’t admit it was inspired by it.)  It seems umpires the last few years prefer to make a scene any chance they have.  At lot of times you won’t even know an argument is happening and the home plate umpire will rip off his mask and yell at the pitcher and thus making a scene.  The less we notice umpires during the game the better.  It seems today’s umpires are trying to get themselves in the game more and more.  In all fairness, I think umpires have done a wonderful job on calls.  They usually make the right call.  For the most part they are willing to get together to discuss a play if they didn’t get a good look at it. 

Lets look at the Led Lilly encounter a few days ago.  Lilly-gate was preceded by Soriano hitting three homeruns and then getting drilled on the first pitch the next day.  Soriano was hit near the head and it was pretty obvious the pitch was intentional (although I don’t think he wanted to hit him in the head).  This is where the umpires really messed up.  They warned both benches immediately and did not give the Cub’s a chance to even the score.  If the umpires don’t warn the benches immediate the Cubs likely drill someone later that evening and this whole thing is over with.  Instead, we fast forward to the next game.  Ted Lilly strikes out the first two batters and then throws one high and inside to Renteria.  I have no idea if it was intentional we’ll assume for the moment it is.  The umpires then throw Ted Lilly out of the game for hitting Renteria.  Once again the Cubs are denied a chance to handle the situation on the field and move on.  To make matters worse, Renteria than stole second and slide in hard (spikes up and late) into Cub’s rookie Mike Fontenot while also giving him a forarm to nose.  Renteria is not ejected or thrown out of the game for an obvious attempt to injure.  I found this to be the most cowardly part of the whole ordeal.  Renteria knew that if the Cubs were to throw at him again for his slide they would be ejected.  Now, normally I would not have had a problem with Renteria’s slide.  However, it is a little unfair to let Renteria give forarm shivers on the field and yet eject a Cub’s pitcher when he hits a batter without warning.  The umpires have to either let both teams settle it on the field or be consistant and give Renteria the boot for his actions as well.

The Bottomline is, if the umpires let the Cubs plunk a hitter after Soriano was pegged this whole thing is over.  Instead, the umpires got involved when they shouldn’t and made a situation much worse.

I must say I really gained a lot of respect for a few players during this ordeal.  I gained a lot of respect for Mike Fontenot for taking the forarm shivers and not making a big fuss out of it.  He could have gone after Renteria and made a big scene, but he didn’t.  I also gained respect for Alfonso Soriano.  After he was hit, he just walked to first.  Unlike some players, he didn’t make a scene he just took his base.  I know he had some words for Hudson, but if the commentators didn’t mention it, we would have never known.  I lost a lot of respect for Renteria.  One, he made a huge scene when he was hit.  He claims he didn’t charge the mound because Barrett told him it wasn’t intentional.  Yet, he still slides in and gives Fontenot a cheap shot.  I would have had a lot more respect for him if he charged the mound.  Instead, he took the coward’s way and sucker punched a guy who had nothing to do with anything.  Classy.. 

 Tonights Lineups

Miguel Batista (6-4, 5.56) VS Sean Marshall (2-2, 2.08)

Mariners (Vs Marshall)

Ichiro Suzuki CF (No History)
Jose Lopez 2B  (No History)
Jose Guillen RF (.000, 0-1)
Raul Ibanez LF (No History)
Richie Sexson 1B  (No History)
Kenji Johjima C  (No Hisory)
Yuniesky Betancourt SS  (No History)
Willie Bloomquist 3B  (No History
Miguel Batista P

Cubs (Vs Batista)

Alfonso Soriano LF  (.105, 2-19, 1 RBI)
Felix Pie CF  (No History)
Derrek Lee 1B  (.250, 4-16, 2 RBIs)
Cliff Floyd RF  (.400, 8-20, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
Mark DeRosa 3B  (.200, 1-5)
Ryan Theriot SS  (No History)
Mike Fontenot 2B  (No History)
Koyie Hill C  (No History)
Sean Marshall (No History)