‘MLB is straight madness right now.’ The night umpires had pitchers take off their pants
Things got weird in MLB Tuesday night.
Maybe that’s a good thing? Nothing like a little dramatic flair to enliven interest, right?
Perhaps we got a little too much weirdness, however, and not just during the Texas Rangers’ 13-6 loss to the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Field.
While the Rangers were falling behind big early to the A’s — it was 4-0 after the 1st and 9-0 after the 3rd — things were getting freaky in Philly where the Nationals were playing the Phillies. Max Scherzer, with his belt unbuckled, was being interrogated by umpires after Phillies manager Joe Girardi repeatedly asked for the right-hander to be checked for sticky substances including between batters in the fourth inning.
Scherzer, of course, was not happy and gave Girardi a death stare as he walked back to the Nationals’ dugout. Girardi took it as a challenge to his manhood and made a few “let’s rumble” arm gestures as he left the dugout. It didn’t last long, however. Girardi was quickly ejected.
Meanwhile, in Arlington, after A’s reliever Sergio Romo pitched the seventh, he was surveyed for illegal substances by umpires as he headed back to the dugout. Romo quickly offered up more than the umpire wanted to see. Romo unbuckled his belt, pulled it from his waist and pulled down his pants a little below the waist.
It wasn’t clear if the umpire requested the pants inspection, or Romo was just feeling frisky.
The league announced last week that it would attempt to crack down on pitchers using illegal substances on baseballs, including sticky material that helps increase spin rate on pitches.
Jung on the farm
Top Rangers prospect Josh Jung made his debut in Frisco for the Rangers’ Double A team on Tuesday. Jung went 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in the RoughRiders’ 7-2 win. Jung joined the team on June 15 after recovering from a spring training injury. He has two homers and six RBIs in six games.
