Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien, pitching coach Mike Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy were not around for the end of Thursday’s loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Umpire Ramon De Jesus saw to that.
With the Rangers trailing 3-2, Semien came to the plate with one out and a runner on third base in the bottom of the seventh inning. After working the count full Angels pitcher Chris Devenski, Semien initially offered at the 3-2 pitch, but tried to check his swing.
Only, when the play was appealed, De Jesus, the first base umpire, ruled that Semien went around. Dontrelle Willis, doing color commentary for Fox Sports 1, acknowledged that while, as a former pitcher, he has his biases, he thought Semien checked his swing.
And for anyone curious, this is the call that sparked the argument(s). pic.twitter.com/IbYVi4csr0
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) June 16, 2023
In between innings, Semien, who had presumably gone to watch the replay of it, told De Jesus that the call was incorrect. That earned him an ejection.
And Semien would soon have company in the Texas clubhouse. Maddux came out to dispute the call and was promptly ejected himself. Finally, Bochy came out to argue and was quickly given the thumb.
Umpire Ramon De Jesus ejected three Rangers — second baseman Marcus Semien, pitching coach Mike Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy — in about one minute. pic.twitter.com/W3MUCO1b7N
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) June 16, 2023
De Jesus’ quick ejections earned him a lot of scrutiny from baseball fans.
https://twitter.com/J_Math23/status/1669536196597370881
Ramon DeJesus has had a terrible series. Did not have a good night behind the plate on Monday and tonight blew the check swing call over at 1st base and decided to eject just about everyone except Rangers Captain
— Mike Peasley (@PeasRadio) June 16, 2023
He’s also just generally bad at his job. pic.twitter.com/TkOyZpwGiW
— Tim Roberts (@21stCenturyTim) June 16, 2023
Moment was too big for de Jesus. He was overmatched. https://t.co/llh1CbiYhY
— Jamey Newberg (@NewbergReport) June 16, 2023
The call itself is close enough that it can be defended. But even if De Jesus’ call was clearly right, an umpire shouldn’t be so sensitive that he’s unwilling to hear a calm argument when the game is not even going.
And a good @MikeBacsik point. Semien’s conversation was not only calm and non-demonstrative—it was between innings during a commercial break. Fell below the line of showing an umpire up in more than one way. Semien is much better at his job than the guy who ended his night.
— Jamey Newberg (@NewbergReport) June 16, 2023
Earlier on Thursday, it was reported that robot umpires were unlikely for 2024. Hopefully that doesn’t embolden the umpires even more. Because moments like this should not happen, particularly as we get later in the season and the significance of games grows.
[Photo Credit: Bally Sports Southwest]
