MLB Twitter pokes fun at umpire crew delaying game to ask New York for help as they forgot the count: "Mr. Roboto wouldn't forget"
MLB umpire C.B. Bucknor did not have a good day at the office on Saturday. As he was behind the plate for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles matchup, he had a wildly inconsistent strike zone for both sides.
The cherry on top was him and the crew forgetting the count in the ninth inning while Austin Hays was at-bat. The game had to be delayed, with the crew calling the New York headquarters for help.
the cubs game was delayed because the umpires lost track of the count and had to ask new york for help https://t.co/X7ZSkSJ4pn
This is a huge step backward during a season where the league has hammered a faster pace of play. A game can't be delayed just because the crew forgot the count. It takes away the momentum the players have built up.
This is not the first time this has happened this season. Two weeks ago, the crew calling the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins game also forgot the count. This situation did not include calling New York, as the crew huddled together to get the call correct.
one fan tweeted - "Mr. Roboto wouldn't forget"
Mr. Roboto wouldn't forget. twitter.com/CodifyBaseball…
"That's embarrassing" - another fan tweeted.
that’s embarrassing twitter.com/codifybaseball…
@CodifyBaseball Just when I think I’ve seen peak bad umpiring, how do 4 umps and a player all lose track of the count?
@CodifyBaseball Counting is hard
MLB Twitter could not believe all four people forgot the count. Given how many umpires are on the field and the easily visible scoreboard in the outfield, fans found the incident bizarre.
@CodifyBaseball 🤣🤣🤣
@CodifyBaseball @MLB Good umpires u got lol.
@CodifyBaseball 🤡🤡🤡🤡
@CodifyBaseball These umps are trash
@CodifyBaseball Typical CB Bucknor
A few more situations like this, and fans are going to be screaming for robot umpires. This is not a good look for the league.
MLB umpires have been under fire this season
This has been a peculiar year for MLB and all those involved. Players, coaches, umpires, and fans had to get used to the slew of new rules this season.
Umpires have had a tough time implementing some of these rules, like hitters being ready at the eight-second mark. But as we get deeper into the season, everyone is adjusting.
One thing that has not changed this season is the umpire's attitude. There have been plenty of moments this season showcasing umpires losing their cool in situations they should not have.
One situation that pops up is umpire Jerry Layne's interactions with Jeremy Pena at the end of May. Pena disagreed with a call causing Layne to blow a gasket. Instead of letting the comment go, he stepped into the box to mix words with Pena, leading to Alex Cintron's ejection.
No baseball fan is paying money to come to see umpires. They want to see their favorite team and players, and stuff like this does not help the game.