Boone Logan just hit home plate umpire Brian O’Nora in the throat with a pitch. The pitch was up, and Chris Stewart appeared to miss it. The throat flap took the brunt of the impact.
Many years ago I was talking to the GM of an independent team during a game. The home plate umpire was hit by a pitch. The GM told me that one of the toughest problems they had in the league was the level of umpiring, which was poor. He pointed out to me that the catcher allowed that umpire to be hit, due to his bad calls. Could the Yankees have waited for an opportune moment to get back at O’Nora for not ejecting Ryan Dempster after hitting Alex Rodriguez? I doubt it, but you never know.
The Yankees lead the Red Sox 8-6 in the top of the eighth.
Update: Brett Gardner just got hit by a pitch. Why wasn’t the Red Sox pitcher and manager ejected?
I’d say the non-tossing of Dempster goes right into the pile of obvious bad/biased calls by umpires this season. I’m not usually one to complain about umpires ’cause they have a hard job, but this year they seem to be missing a lot… that HR call in Cleveland & the spitballer in Miami, among others. I’d clump this right in with them. I definitely welcome the expanded replay we’ll get next season. This stuff is game changing in ways that PED’s and gambling only wish they were.
This is different.
When umpires miss a tag play call, or a ball or strike, I actually feel a little sorry for them. But this was disgusting. I have no respect at all for O’Nora.
I do *not* want to see Ortiz or Pedroia get hit in retaliation. Much as I would love to see either of those guys be *embarrassed*, they were no part of the bullsh*t last night. Too bad nobody can be Farrell or Dempster. They’re safe. Must be a nice feeling.