LFTP: Ejection of Jean Machi

You need the sound on for this one because it's a good one.  Relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox gets ejected in the game between the Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays.  This game was a pitcher's duel with the score 0-0 through 6 innings.

Fast forward to the top of the 9th, the Rays are up 4-0 when the Red Sox brings in Jean Machi with one out to pitch to Asdrubal Cabrera.  With the count 1-1, Cabrera hits the next pitch out of the park for a home run.  Steven Souza Jr. is up next for the Rays; with the first pitch of the at-bat, Machi throws a pitch that sails over Souza's head.  Home plate umpire Bill Welke immediately ejects Machi.

Now that you are caught up, listen to the obnoxious fan in this clip.  Here what he's saying?  In case you missed it:

• "Come on Blue, get a grip will ya?"
• Hey Blue, get a grip.  We're losing, idiot!"
• "Hey Blue, wake up Blue!"
• "It's 5 to nothing!"
• "You suck, Ump!"

There's a couple things to learn here:

1. Ignore the fans.  Most of them don't know the rules or the responsibilities of being an official.
2. Do not let the score prevent you from calling the game fairly.

Fans are not responsible for knowing the rules, that is the job of the officials.  Fans are also not impartial; impartiality is the responsibility of the officials.  Bill Welke, "in his judgement", determined that Machi was throwing intentionally throwing at the batter, which is unsporting and resulted in the ejection.

On the hardwood, when A1 (Team A, Player 1) gets stripped by B1 (Team B, Player 1) and B1 is now on a fast break, keep an eye out on A1 for retaliation.  This can come in the form of a hard foul or even worse, a two handed push in the back.  Know the game situation and administer the game accordingly.

Also, keep a deaf ear to the fans.  Do not let them "bully" you into making calls or changing your call.  There's nothing worse than hearing "3 seconds!" being yelled from the crowd and then seeing the official blow a 3-second violation.  That damages the credibility of the officials.

Lastly, do not let the score prevent you from calling the game fairly.  When one team is up 25 points, it's easy to go into "cruise control" and try to get the game over as quickly as possible.  But do not forget what you are there for: to enforce the rules and prevent injuries.  Just because the game is a blowout, does not mean that the players are not playing their hardest.  If there is a hard foul...it still needs to be called.  If the officials swallow their whistles during a blowout, it's essentially telling the players to "have at it".  Remember we need to be an enforcer of the rules and we are blind to the score of the game.