The Ump Show hit town early in Chicago on Wednesday after Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach Guillermo Martinez was ejected before the game even started. Martinez went out to hand over the Blue Jays' lineup card to the umpire crew but didn't make it back to Toronto's dugout before getting thrown out of the game, via Sportsnet.
Guillermo Martínez was ejected during the lineup card exchange before today's game. #NextLevel | @BlueJays pic.twitter.com/MCnd6O8kzQ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 22, 2022
It's unclear precisely what Martinez said that saw him ejected before first pitch, but it likely has something to do with the questionable performance from the officiating crew on Tuesday night. Both teams felt the umpires did a poor job of calling the game on Tuesday night, and it seems Martinez was still upset over that.
Rather than have a mild-mannered conversation with the officials, it appears Martinez blew a gasket while exchanging the lineup card, prompting his early expulsion from the game. It's certainly a bizarre situation, given that Martinez is not typically the one designated to exchange the lineup cards in the first place.
The Twitter account Umpire Auditor indicated that home plate umpire Doug Eddings made 29 incorrect calls in Tuesday's game, providing a horrendous accuracy rate of 86.2%. Martinez was livid over the lackluster performance of Eddings, and was quick to take it out on the umpiring crew on Wednesday.
*NEW SEASON HIGH*
Umpire Doug Eddings missed a season high 29 calls in the #BlueJays #WhiteSox game for a correct call rate of 86.2%. This included 6 blown strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/UljFJn2I1A
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) June 22, 2022
Martinez may have gone a bit overboard when confronting the officials, but he's well within his rights to be furious over the pitiful showing from Tuesday night. If MLB isn't going to properly punish its umpires after a historically bad evening behind the plate, Martinez was more than willing to take actions into his own hands.
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