MLB fans berate umpiring after Milwaukee Brewers balk challenge leads to ejecton: “The umps had trouble counting, pretty pathetic”
Milwaukee Brewers' Craig Counsell has become the latest manager to get ejected. The situation that led up to the skipper getting the boot has elicited quite a reaction from fans online.
The Milwaukee Brewers were in San Francisco taking on the Giants on May 6. Coming into the affair, Counsell's squad had dropped five straight, including a sweep at the hands of the Colorado Rockies.
During the fourth inning, with the Milwaukee Brewers already down by a score of 3-0, Giants pitcher Alex Cobb was called for a balk after disengaging from the mound momentarily. After the balk was called, Counsell saw red and began arguing, a move that ultimately led to the 52-year-old being ejected from the game.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell has been ejected after an argument over how many times Alex Cobb disengaged from the mound https://t.co/Is077tyJgi
"Brewers manager Craig Counsell has been ejected after an argument over how many times Alex Cobb disengaged from the mound" - Jomboy Media
Under new rules, pitchers can "disengage" from the batter twice per at-bat. This means that pitchers can only pickoff batters, fake a pickoff, or step off the rubber just once. Although the umpire thought that Cobb has disengaged twice, Counsell was adamant that Cobb had exceeded his alloted limit.
@JomboyMedia The application of these new rules is a mess. There is nothing wrong with MLB making adjustments during the season. These include both the clock and the concept of disengagements. The stolen base thing has become a joke. At least up the pitcher to 3 throws over, given that the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
@JomboyMedia Ironically the argument took 15 times longer than the disengagement
Fans are on high alert after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred hired a special committee that recommended the clock. Under the new rules enacted this season, pitchers now only have 15 seconds to deliver their pitch, or 20 if a runner is on base.
@JomboyMedia Pathetic umps
@JomboyMedia And you wonder why baseball is failing as a sport?
@JomboyMedia The umps had trouble counting... pretty pathetic
The clock, which came amid other new regulations, has ignited a fire in the minds of many fans. Increasingly, MLB umpire crews are receiving the brunt of fan dissatisfaction for having to enforce the groundbreaking new regulations that change basic functions of the game.
@JomboyMedia awful umpiring
@JomboyMedia @Baseball4Ever99 Another day another umpire confrontation. MLB is so unprofessional
The Milwaukee Brewers lost the game 4-1 to the San Francisco Giants, representing their sixth straight loss. On account of the drastic slide, the Brewers now have a record of 18-15, placing them 1.5 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the NL Central's top spot.
@JomboyMedia I wanna see the apology note @MLB sends to Counsell after this one
Milwaukee Brewers' disengagement fiasco reveals a deeper schism
For years, the concept of the league's head office enacting rules that shifted the very premise of the game was unthinkable. Now, with so much changing all of a sudden, fans feel confused and slightly disoriented. As we have already seen with plenty of examples, it will take some time before teams and managers become completely comfortable with these new rules.