Nothing irritates ballplayers, managers, and fans more then bad umpires. Making the wrong call can take the game right out of their hands. And lately, with the lower then low strike zone, the calls have been getting worse. But now... now their getting dangerous.
Last night (8/7/99) Frankie Rodrigez drilled Knoblauch in the back, in an 11-8 game. Not assuming it was intentional, Knoblauch glared at Rodrigez, but jogged down to first base. Instead of leaving it alone, Rodrigez beckons towards the dugout. *Inviting the fight. ASKING for it. STARTING IT* Then, he runs and attacks on-deck hitter Joe Girardi, who had said NOTHING to him. He tackles him. He instigates the whole damn thing. In case this isn't getting through, it's HIS FAULT.
And of course, the umpires leave him in the game. No need to leave, Franky-skanky. Just because you attacked a player for no reason at all doesn't mean you should leave.
Well, now pitchers everywhere know added to the blindness and the utter stupidity is the fact that they're not gonna throw you outta the game if you bean somebody and then start a huge brawl. Well, that'll stop people from doing it.
I just hope that Bud Selig is smart enough to ban Rodrigez for at least eight games... (the same amount Stanton was slapped with for hitting an Oriole last year...no charging the dugout, no tackling people). My opinion of umpires --and mariners-- just sunk even lower.