MLB Tribune

Ump Joe West Out of Control

by Scooter on 05/27/2010 in MLB News, MLB Rants

In a game last night between the White Sox and Cleveland Indians, umpire Joe West was absolutely out of control. Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen lashed out at Joe West following Chicago’s win over the Indians (5-4). The included the ejections of both Guillen and Buehrle for protesting a pair of balks in the first three innings.

Joe West has been vocal this year, and it all started when he made a statement about the pace of the Yankees and Red Sox games. He called both teams a “disgrace to baseball.”

Ozzie Guillen always speaks his mind and he doesn’t pull any punches nor does he hold back words not suitable for TV in an attack on Joe West.

“Joe has been like that for a lot of years, and he’s always going to be like this,” Guillen said, dropping several expletives throughout a rant that’s certain to get a look from Major League Baseball. “I’m not going to change it, nobody is going to change it, but sometimes he thinks people pay to watch him umpire. He’s the type of guy that wants to control the game, and to me is one of the best umpires in the game, no doubt.

“But in the meanwhile, those years are on his shoulders and kind of heavy and showing people who he is. I deserve respect and the players deserve respect here, too.”

Mark Buehrle had a few words during a post game interview about Joe West.

“Once I got tossed I wanted to go say a few words and try to get my money’s worth and just kind of find out what did I do wrong to balk?” Buehrle said. “I think he’s too worried about promoting his CD (West is a country music singer and song writer with his own website) and I think he likes seeing his name in the papers a little bit too much instead of worrying about the rules.

“I’d like to find out what he called a balk on me. Your knee can cross over the rubber. I know your foot can’t and I didn’t do that. I watched the replays trying to see what it was called a balk and I have still have yet to see what I did.”

West said Buehrle balked both times.

I watched the game and there was no way Buehrle balked both times. It was Joe just being Joe.