MLBUA out of line with statement on Machado’s punishment

The MLBUA released a statement condemning MLB’s disciplinary action against Manny Machado after he argued balls and strikes on Sunday.

On Sunday Manny Machado was ejected from the San Diego Padres game against the Colorado Rockies in the 5th inning of the 14-13 Padres win. Major League Baseball responded by suspending Manny Machado one game and fining him for “aggressively arguing and making contact with umpire Bill Welke.” This prompted a statement on by the Major League Baseball Umpires Association (MLBUA) condemning the suspension.

Machado appealed his suspension and will not serve it until his case is heard as he disputes making contact with Welke.

I’ll be honest after watching the incident I don’t see the contact between Machado and Welke.  If anything he brushes up against the umpire as he starts yelling in his face about what he felt was a bad call.

In response to the announced suspension, the MLBUA released the following tweet:

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Let’s dissect this tweet.  First of all, I have an issue with all of the hashtags, the world needs to cool it on all the hashtags.

Second of all this is completely inappropriate of the MLBUA because the players’ union can’t and shouldn’t comment on disciplinary action taken by the league.

Thirdly the tweet mentions workplace violence.  Again I have seen the video and feel that if that is workplace violence there may be quite a few people out there who have to be careful about bumping coworkers.  He brushes up against the umpire, if at all.  It is a gross overstatement by the UA.

Again this is a gross overreaction to something that happens frequently.  Players have always argued balls and strikes and will continue to do so for as long as the game exists.  The human error on both sides is a vital part of the game.

While Machado had a case that the pitch was a ball, the umpire had been consistently calling those pitches strikes against both teams.  It was also completely within the umpire’s right to throw him out, but he did it pretty quickly.

I think if he would have let Machado bark for a few more minutes he would have gone back to the dugout, incident over.

This is just an example of how much control umpires have over the game and could lead to adverse consequences for them.  Almost everyone on every talk show sided with Machado, that he was thrown out too early and that he didn’t make contact with Welke.

This is a situation I will be paying attention to very closely as it plays out to see what happens to both parties.