Jeff Nelson blew another call behind the plate and threw out Toronto Blue Jays skipper Charlie Montoyo over it for good measure.
In a tie ballgame late between the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays, home plate umpire Jeff Nelson botched a call and tossed Blue Jays skipper Charlie Montoyo in a power-hungry double-down of epic proportions.
On a full-count, Athletics right-hander Dany Jimenez’s offering was a good four-to-five inches off the plate. It could have fooled most hitters, but Lourdes Gurriel Jr. did not bite on the breaking ball. Too bad Nelson thought it must have painted the slightest of edges of the corner of the plate so that he could punch out Gurriel. Montoyo offered some criticism for Nelson, so he got tossed.
Oakland would win the game when Cristian Pache’s big fly plated two runs in the top of the ninth.
Jeff Nelson doubles down on bad call and throws out Charlie Montoyo
While some people are pounding their fists through the table at this point to get robotic umpires into the game of baseball, how about some accountability for the zebras and the blues of the world first? Players, managers and front office executives can get the ax if they are mediocre to deplorable at their jobs. Yet for some reason, umpires are like team owners and can do whatever.
Though the world could use a little less automation and a few less cyborgs, baseball cannot have umpires missing calls this badly, especially on those where they cannot be challenged. Being able to challenge certain plays is a big boost for baseball. While umpires are simply disgusted by having to address the home crowd when a team decides to challenge, just take a look in the mirror, gang.
Is it a bit much to go apoplectic over one poorly officiated game of 162? Maybe a bit, but keep in mind that Toronto has serious postseason aspirations this year. What if this game has the Jays finishing third or, god forbid, fourth in the tight AL East. One game may prove to be the difference between Toronto chasing a third World Series title and the Jays missing out on the AL postseason.
It was a total power move by Nelson to toss Montoyo after making his GOB Bluth huge mistake.