"At what point do we just say 'f**k off, I’m taking my base anyway'?" - Twitter fumes after MLB umpire deals a horrendous strike-three call against the Detroit Tigers
Every day the MLB inches one step closer to robot umpires. Angel Hernandez looks like his usual self this season, as he's been the center of attention several times for terrible ball and strike calls. Umpire Dan Bellino also made headlines earlier this month when he antagonized and then ejected Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Maddison Bumgarner.
Fans want consistency when it comes to making calls at the plate. Most broadcasts overlay a small box over home plate on their feeds, indicating where each batter's strike zone is. Most umpires get a few pitches wrong that are either just on the plate or just off it. That's expected.
But others call balls several inches out of the zone as strikes, and vice versa. That's what happened in the fifth inning of today's game between the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers. Tigers catcher Eric Hasse had a full count and watched a pitch almost in the dirt. He started walking toward first base when the umpire called him out on strikes. That's when Twitter erupted.
Twitter fumes after MLB umpire deals a horrendous strike-three call against the Detroit Tigers
The popular Twitter and YouTube outlet Jomboy Media was the first to share a replay of the call. They called it the "worst strike three call of the season."
Pretty sure this is it. The worst strike three call of the season https://t.co/jmCay1Lvmv
"Pretty sure this is it. The worst strike three call of the season" - @ Jomboy Media
Fans jumped on the video right away. This one shared a video of a different, equally poor strike-three call.
@JomboyMedia Lots of choices in this shitshow of a season for Umpires. twitter.com/gifs_baseball/…
"Lots of choices in this s**tshow of a season for Umpires." - @ CentralJerseyDoesn'tExist
This user didn't just go after the umpire. He went after Twins catcher Gary Sanchez, as well, calling him "one of the worst recievers in baseball."
@JomboyMedia Not only was it not even close, but one of the worst receivers in baseball is behind the plate lmao
"Not only was it not even close, but one of the worst receivers in baseball is behind the plate lmao" - @ Jackson Mitchell
Angel Hernandez was made some bad calls, but this user thinks even he would've called this pitch a ball.
@JomboyMedia That's so bad I don't even think Angel Hernandez could make a worse call. Thats said, he will try....
"That's so bad I don't even think Angel Hernandez could make a worse call. Thats said, he will try...." - @ Paulie Walnuts
This user is done with human error behind the plate. They're wondering when players will start ignoring bad calls and making up their own.
@JomboyMedia At what point do just say “fuck off, I’m taking my base anyway”?
"At what point do just say 'f**k off, I’m taking my base anyway'?" - @ Jeremy Secules
Robot umpires would put the human ones out of a job, but this user thinks they're trying to get them as quickly as possible.
@JomboyMedia I'm starting to think MLB umps WANT the robo umps ASAP. They can't just go out there and say it so they're tanking their jobs
"I'm starting to think MLB umps WANT the robo umps ASAP. They can't just go out there and say it so they're tanking their jobs" - @ The Mangulorian
In slow-pitch softball, pitches that hit the ground in the zone are considered strikes. But that's not the case in professional baseball. In the MLB, those are what you call balls.
@JomboyMedia You can't even say that's too close to take. Catcher's glove almost hit the dirt
"You can't even say that's too close to take. Catcher's glove almost hit the dirt" - @ Billy J
This user trolled Angel Hernandez, saying that he "approves" of the call.
@JomboyMedia Ángel Hernández approves this call.
"Ángel Hernández approves this call." - @ Jesus Eugenio Perez
It's calls like these that support the argument for robot umpires in the MLB.