I’m all for bringing on ED-209 and the other robot umpires, but if we did replace the men in blue we wouldn’t have fun stories like this one from Zack Meisel at MLB.com. He spoke with umpires who talk about those times when managers come out to argue, but don’t actually argue as opposed to merely try to make it look like they’re arguing.
The whole managers arguing with umpires angle of the game is something we all accept because it’s something we notice almost as soon as we start to figure out what the game is all about. But man, when you think about it, it’s really strange.
One such circumstance arose when Terry Collins was leading the Angels in the late 1990s. After a questionable call, Collins sought out Scott and told the umpire, “You know what, Dale? I know that was the right call. But we [stink]. You have to run me.”
Scott told Collins he needed him to display more emotion and conviction to warrant his dismissal, so the manager flung his hat and Scott pointed him to the exit.
The whole managers arguing with umpires angle of the game is something we all accept because it’s something we notice almost as soon as we start to figure out what the game is all about. But man, when you think about it, it’s really strange.
