ButlerBulldog

I remember when Jim Joyce blew the call that cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game. The very next day, he met Galarraga at homeplate and, while fighting back tears, shook his hand and apologized. Today, Joyce is remembered as a good umpire in part because of the way he handled that situation. It’s too bad Hunter Wendelstedt doesn’t have even a fraction of Joyce’s humility or self-awareness. This is going to bite him in the ass bigtime.

This whole thing would go away if Hunter said three sentences: “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Instead, he’s being an obtuse jackass because the unofficial umpire code of egotism demands he double down on his position. I’m genuinely curious as to whether he’ll be allowed to work the remainder of the Yankees-A’s series. MLB has historically protected umpires, but in this instance, the video evidence is damning. They have to do something.

And probably at the expense of someone who was a better fit. It will never cease to amaze me how many people equate experience with competence or ability, especially in the case of someone like Lindy, who’s proven time and again that he’s not a very good coach.

Here’s the full Jomboy breakdown.

One thing I realized looking at teams’ schedules: because the Mets get back from their West Coast trip later this week, it’s entirely possible Hunter will be bringing his act across town for the Cardinals series.

How funny would it be—okay maybe it’s actually not funny—if Fitz’s plan of offering Green a job is derailed because of Lindy? He might start crying all over again.

So he admits that Boone didn’t say anything but believes an ejection was still warranted? How does that work? It must be nice to have a job with no expectations or accountability.

I just hope he decides to hire his old staff away from the Devils (not you, Sarge) so that none of them has a chance of being the next head coach.

Probably Matt Rempe on a burner account.

How does this guy keep getting jobs? Was no one paying attention to what happened to the Devils this season? I hope Holtz—if he’s still wearing the black and red, that is—has a hat trick every time he plays against the Sabres.

It’s rare to see Soto look that overmatched, but even a team like the A’s has a few legitimately good players. I’m sure the under-25 crowd will be out in force, proclaiming that the season is over, but I’m not going to cry about 15-8. There’s plenty of baseball still to be played.

Although not today, perhaps. Judge struck out to end the game, and and scattered boos were heard.

He was hearing boos over the weekend, so I’m sure the fans will be all over him if he doesn’t make it happen.

Yes, bringing Judge back after 2022 was definitely a risk, and it’s also a decision that might cost the Yankees Soto if his asking price ends up being more than they want to pay him given their long-term commitments to other players. In any event, I think Judge will figure things out and wind up with close to his usual numbers. People tend to overanalyze statistics skewed by small sample size, but the swings and misses Judge is having now will likely even out before season’s end.

Judge’s Spring Training at-bats were limited due to injury, so I’m not surprised that he’s rusty, but what’s concerning is that he’s chasing pitches low and out of the zone, something I thought was behind him. A few folks from the chicken little crowd have suggested that his being moved out of the two-hole is affecting him, but I don’t buy that at all, as he asked to hit third, and I wouldn’t mess with Soto given the way he’s swinging the bat.