There aren’t too many things that can get the players and the league on the same page these days, but when the umpires association puts out one of the more embarrassing tweets you’ll ever see, they are ready.
First, from the umpires, who were upset that Manny Machado was not more harshly dealt with for this:
Breaking: MLB has suspended #Padres 3B Manny Machado for one game for "aggressively arguing" and making contact with umpire Bill Welke in Colorado on Saturday. Machado will appeal the ruling. pic.twitter.com/ncksG4r8F7
— Troy Hirsch (@troyhirschfox5) June 17, 2019
Here’s the #response #from #the #umpires #lol #baseball:
#Disappointed #LeadByExample #NotAppreciated #Violence #TemperTantrum #Inaction #NotTolerated #MakeanExampleof #OneGameSuspension #RepeatOffender #Nonsense #MLBUA @MLB @Padres @Buster_ESPN pic.twitter.com/pkcW5O1SnB
— Major League Baseball Umpires Association (@MLBUA) June 18, 2019
When you definitely know what hashtags are.
The umpires got into more detail in their Facebook post:
The @MLBUA gets into more detail on its Facebook page, blasting @mlb for a 1 game suspension of Manny Machado: pic.twitter.com/6i7Mb1P2U9
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) June 18, 2019
It is a bizarre reaction, to say the least, and almost certainly informed largely by the fact that it was Machado involved, rather than almost any other player. I still haven’t really seen the physical contact referenced, and the bat chuck was nowhere close to anyone.
The players, and the league, were not pleased:
https://twitter.com/MLByahoosports/status/1141102158680477696
MLBPA executive director Tony Clark has issued the following statement in response to the umpires’ union tweet re: Manny Machado. pic.twitter.com/psSpesnHlK
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) June 18, 2019
I don’t understand how this tweet is permitted by the Umpires union or @MLB ? There’s a reason players don’t take to social media on a daily basis to bash umpires or call them out. It’s because it is simply not allowed and if a guy does it he gets fined. https://t.co/GVy7xpnC67
— Alex Wood (@Awood45) June 18, 2019
Never forget that this is the same self-important group of umpires who did this a couple years ago:
Umpire Joe West before taking the field today wearing white wrist band to protest escalating verbal attacks on MLB umpires! pic.twitter.com/a8TkW2JCip
— Major League Baseball Umpires Association (@MLBUA) August 19, 2017