MLB Ejections 033-034: Hirschbeck, B Welke (1, 1; ATL)

[Lindsay]

3B Umpire John Hirschbeck ejected Braves 1B Freddie Freeman for arguing a check swing call in the bottom of the 5th and HP Umpire Bill Welke ejected Braves bench player Jonny Gomes for Unsportsmanlike-NEC in the bottom of the 7th inning of the Nationals-Braves game. In the 5th, with two out and one...

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[Thunderheads]

I've met John .........and he was nothing but first class, great guy!

However, ....this is a bait-job, plain and simple

[UmpJeff]

I don't think he (Hirschbeck) needed to drop the F-bomb (...and I don't mean Freeman...) in this situation...

[Welpe]

Eh. They're all big boys there. Not going to hold him to the same standard we would our fellow amateur umpires.

[johnnyg08]

Eh. They're all big boys there. Not going to hold him to the same standard we would our fellow amateur umpires.

​Agree.

[Thunderheads]

Eh. They're all big boys there. Not going to hold him to the same standard we would our fellow amateur umpires.

​Agree.

​Naw ....doesn't matter the level .......... if you're going fishing,....you're going fishing

[Welpe]

I think it absolutely does with both actions and language. It is well known what is acceptable at that level. Hirschbeck was having a "teaching moment" between a veteran umpire and a young professional ball player. You'll never catch me emulating it but I'm not going to condemn it.

[UmpJeff]

I understand that they're "big boys".  The fact that Hirschbeck dropped the F-bomb on Freeman, in my mind, only added fuel to the fire. "That's enough!" is a whole lot less confrontational and red-ass than "Are you talking to me??  You better shut your f---ing mouth!" while at the same time getting your point across.  The end result was the same...Freeman got dumped.

I agree with @Thunderheads.  The bait was cast...

 

[johnnyg08]

And it's likely very acceptable at that level.

[scrounge]

It may be acceptable, but I'm not sure it is as much as it used to be in this era of constant and pervasive video, Deadspin, and a legion of wannabe Bleacher Report warriors just dying to take stuff out of context. This kind of thing may be as outdated as the FU pitch and other things. At best, it's...unhelfpul.

[johnnyg08]

It may be acceptable, but I'm not sure it is as much as it used to be in this era of constant and pervasive video, Deadspin, and a legion of wannabe Bleacher Report warriors just dying to take stuff out of context. This kind of thing may be as outdated as the FU pitch and other things. At best, it's...unhelfpul.

​Tough to disagree there.  You certainly won't get anybody to go on the record confirming that it still happens. 

[BillKen]

Hirschbeck has earned the number on his sleeve...that pup hasn't and could have just as easily walked away as John.  They are both guilty...but the difference is about respecting your elders and people who have earned their stripes.  Even if JH missed the call, if he tells you to shut up, you probably better do it.  He hasn't ejected a player since 2013...because he is respected.

[johnnyg08]

Hirschbeck has earned the number on his sleeve...that pup hasn't and could have just as easily walked away as John.  They are both guilty...but the difference is about respecting your elders and people who have earned their stripes.  Even if JH missed the call, if he tells you to shut up, you probably better do it.  He hasn't ejected a player since 2013...because he is respected.

​

Nicely said! 

[UmpireFever]

Probably one of the most unprofessional ejections I've ever seen. If JH is so "respected" I doubt he has to tell a player "you better shut your fu--ing mouth."

 

If Bob Davidson isn't aloud to get in a shouting match with Charlie Manuel, I'm sure the MLB won't condone what Hirschbeck did. Especially with ESPN and MLBN blasting it on repeat. 

Edited April 29, 2015 by UmpireFever

[BillKen]

Yeah...he's gonna get the Joe West treatment.  A 1-game suspension and a World Series!

[Thunderheads]

Hirschbeck has earned the number on his sleeve...that pup hasn't and could have just as easily walked away as John.  They are both guilty...but the difference is about respecting your elders and people who have earned their stripes.  Even if JH missed the call, if he tells you to shut up, you probably better do it.  He hasn't ejected a player since 2013...because he is respected.

​........he didn't umpire last year.....that's why............

[Thunderheads]

​........he didn't umpire last year.....that's why............

​CAVEAT:  I'm not saying he isn't respected, don't get me wrong.  One of the oldest Vets on the roster ...just saying, he had no EJ's because he didn't umpire last year.

[UmpJeff]

​CAVEAT:  I'm not saying he isn't respected, don't get me wrong.  One of the oldest Vets on the roster ...just saying, he had no EJ's because he didn't umpire last year.

​He didn't umpire because his son's untimely death.  He lost two sons...one at 8 and one at 27.  Sad and tragic experience to have to endure.

[Welpe]

Wow I didn't realize his other son with ALD had passed. How horrible.

[BillKen]

Yes...now that you mention it, I saw the documentary about that.