Cowboy Joe West struck again last night tossing White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Rick Renteria from a losing battle with the Cubs in the ninth inning. After reviewing a play, West and Anderson seemed to move past the upheld call, but while Anderson back peddled to shortstop, West gave the old heave-ho for what appeared to be no reason.
Joe West is bad for baseball. #CrossTownCup #WhiteSox #Cubs https://t.co/0WtRPtVVmy
— Matt Enuco (@Matt_Enuco) September 23, 2018
This is literally ridiculous. West was out of line to run Anderson after it seemed things had been settled.
I’m not one to defend players against umpires too often, but I had virtually the same reaction that Anderson did in my living room. Unless Anderson uttered the unforgivable and forbidden phrase — “cocksucker” — there was no cause for an ejection.
Anderson responded to West’s actions after the game.
Anderson on the disagreement with umpire Joe West: "I don’t have much to say about him. Everybody knows he’s terrible. But I didn’t say much and he threw me out. It’s ok."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) September 23, 2018
More Anderson on the ejection: "I asked him a question and he kind of got (angry) at me. I asked him if he saw (Baez) reach for my leg in the replay. He asked me if I was going to argue that and I said, ‘No, I was just asking a question.’ …..
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) September 23, 2018
More Anderson: "…And after that I didn’t say anything else. He started barking at me. Kept staring me down. I gave him (the) 'Why you keep looking at me?' Did that twice and threw me out."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) September 23, 2018
West has been the subject of vitriol many times before and despite his folk status around Major League Baseball, his reputation as an official is starting to erode.
Known for ejecting players and managers with impunity, West’s austere interpretation of rules has reached a saturation point…or he’s just a Cubs fan. (Don’t worry Cubs fans. I know you agree that West is terrible.)
West confiscated a notecard from Phillies pitcher Austin Davis earlier this month citing rule No. 6.02 (c)7:
c) Pitching Prohibitions
The pitcher shall not:
[…]
(7) Have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance.
West justified his decision by saying,
“I told him we don’t allow him to carry anything on their glove, person or clothing, except in some cases where there’s a rain situation, we allow them to put a rosin bag in their pocket,” West, umpiring his 41st season, said. “Other than that, they can’t have anything on the pitcher.”
And after the game, West took a snapshot with his buddy Joe Maddon to memorialize the occasion.
Appears Joe West found a Flat Stanley in Phillies reliever's back pocket. pic.twitter.com/EsFUe6BJtg
— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) September 2, 2018
Sure, this was a joke, but the message is clear: Don’t fuck with Cowboy Joe West.
But West has been suspended in the past for brushes with players that have turned physical. Back in 2014, West tussled with Phillies’ closer Jonathon Papelbon and was docked one game for making contact with Papelbon.
At the time, Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, Joe Torre issued this statement.
“Joe West handled himself appropriately in ejecting Papelbon after the player’s lewd gesture to the fans,” Torre said. “I fully understand that Joe was reacting to a player who was acting aggressively and can understand his frustration with the situation.
“However, Joe knows that an umpire cannot initiate physical contact with a player, just as a player cannot initiate physical contact with an umpire. I spoke to Joe about the incident, and he admitted that there was a better way to handle the situation. I consider this matter closed.”
West has been a major league umpire for 40 years and is the longest tenured official in the game. But his ejection of Anderson on Saturday night was unequivocally outrageous. If he has become so sensitive that he can’t handle a little bit of questioning from players even after a review has been completed, he needs to hang’em up.
