HP Umpire Trent Thomas’ ejection of Canberra Cavalry batter Kelvin Melean after a strikeout during which Thomas didn’t grant Melean’s request for “Time” during Adelaide pitcher Ryan Chaffee’s delivery has produced online backlash. Article: The home plate umpire’s request to deny Melean’s “Time” was correct pursuant to Official Baseball Rule 5.04(b)(2) Comment, as an umpire shall not grant the offense’s request for time out after the pitcher has started his windup or come to set position—the rule is clear about this—but that’s not what this video is about…see related MLB Ejection 097 (Todd Tichenor/Jonny Gomes in 2013) for similarly textbook enforcement of this rule.
After the game, a handful of professional and semipro players took to social media to personally insult the umpire. For instance, player Zach Wilson referred to the umpire as “absolute trash,” Nathan Crawford added “dude’s f*ing trash,” and Travis Blackley posited that only one umpire in the entire ABL is “capable.”
Or, perhaps, we are overreacting, and the sportsmanship problem that has caused a critical shortage of umpires and referees throughout the world is really not that significant and the current climate of cyberbullying is far overblown.
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