McMichael v. Hernandez in the 7th

[NetShrine]

Anyone see the look HP Ump Angel Hernandez gave Steve McMichael at the Cubs game yesterday? I cannot blame him at all. I hope MLB does something to the Cubs for allowing that to happen.

[NetShrine]

McMichael Ejected During 7th Inning
.c The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) - Harry Caray never caused this much commotion during the seventh-inning stretch.

Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael was ejected from Wrigley Field on Tuesday night when he criticized an umpire after singing ``Take Me Out to The Ball Game.''

Before leading the crowd of 40,266 in the song, McMichael yelled out, ``I'm going to have to have a talk with that umpire down there.''

Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez - the subject of McMichael's criticism - appeared steamed by the comments and signaled for McMichael's ejection. According to Cubs officials, Hernandez asked crew chief Randy Marsh to call to the press box and ask that McMichael be removed.

McMichael was upset by an apparent blown call by Hernandez in the sixth inning of Chicago's 5-4 win over Colorado.

Ron Coomer tried to score from third when Denny Neagle's pitch hit off Colorado catcher Adam Melhuse's glove. Melhuse recovered and threw to Neagle. Hernandez called Coomer out although replays appeared to show that Coomer slid in before being tagged.

The Cubs have been using guest singers during the seventh-inning stretch ever since Caray, their longtime announcer, died before the 1998 season.

AP-NY-08-08-01 0519EDT

[BuzzBuzzard]

I recently saw a clip of Barney (yes, the purple dinosaur) doing the 7th inning routine at Wrigley. Could you imagine the uproar if Barney got ejected?

[NetShrine]

If you saw the clip of McMichael, you could surmise that he was loaded. Cubs should do a better job at determing if the guest is in any shape to be granted an open mike.

He is pretty big 'tho - maybe they were afraid to say no go?

[satchel]

That's absurd. Do umpires even have jurisdiction to eject people who aren't on the field or in the dugout? Ridiculous.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by satchel
That's absurd. Do umpires even have jurisdiction to eject people who aren't on the field or in the dugout? Ridiculous.

I've see umps eject fans before. They can do it - yesindeedee.

[Lester]

Yes the umps have the authority to do just that. One time several years ago I was tossed BETWEEN games in my summer league. It was a brutal hot day, the first game went forever largely due to the umps postage stamp sized strike zone. I went to the umps and asked how much time between games and the home plate ump replied 1/2 an hour or so...I said come on your killing us here (usual time is 15 to 20 minutes in our league) can't we speed it up a bit? And the ump said well I have to read up on my strike zone according to both teams....and I said well since you mentioned it, it was a bad zone today you had.....zzzzzzaaaaappppp! #13 you are gone! Never had that happen before. Or ever again...yet but there is always time.

Umps get out of control with their authority at times I think. In this case I agree with what the ump did to toss McMichael but not how he did it. Instead of turning around and giving McMichael the satisfaction of acknowledgement, the ump should have kept his back turned and took care of the issue in a casual manner.

[NetShrine]

Great story Lester! :cool:

Sounds like a classic Earl Weaver!

Agreed, umps today need to learn how to keep their back turned and how to walk away.