Quote:What happened to the umpire? Couldn't watch the game. Where did Cabrera's class go?

 

I have been watching, playing, and/or umping baseball for most of my life. I've never seen what happened last night. Miggy was up with a 3-2 count and quarter-swung at high and inside pitch, but held up. From the only replay FSN Detroit showed, it looked like it hit Miggy's bat and then the umpire's mask. The umpire immediately took off his mask and was attended to for an injured chin/lip. After a minute, the ump gets escorted off the field. The problem is, he never made the call between Ball or Foul Ball. Miggy looked at the nearby Pirate fans and joked with them by putting both hands up and asking if he should go to 1st base.

 

He went to first base, but ended up going back to home plate to wait for the replacement up. For about 10 more minutes he conversed with the Pirate fans behind home plate before the replacement ump (who had been umping 2nd base prior) came out and made the call......ball 4, Miggy to 1st. It was a huge call, as the score was 1-0 in the top of the 9th and Miggy was the lead off batter.

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