The Torrid Heat is Getting to Managers, Players and Umpires
By Tim Ryan
"“Over the past 10 seasons, umpires have ejected 11.4 players for every 100 games played with a recorded game-time temperature of 90 degrees or higher. And that figure drops with each 10-degree interval. In other words, there are about 10 ejections per every 100 games played in weather in the 80s and 8.6 per 100 played with a temperature in the 70s. The trend has held true this season. There have been 33 ejections thus far in July (through Wednesday) after 34 total ejections in June.”"
When you consider a frustrated manager emerges from the dugout to argue with an umpire knowing there’s roughly a 99% chance the call they’ve come out to argue will stand, combined with the fact umps are draped in black and gray and — depending where they are on the field — a freaking mask, it’s easy to see how a wave of unforgivable humidity could raise hostility levels and lower patience levels to the point everyone’s inner monologue is something along the lines of, “I’m not taking any crap, now get off my nuts.”
Thankfully, it’s much cooler in most areas today than it’s been over the past handful of days, so expect players, managers and umpires to find some common ground tonight. I’m picturing the Get-Along Gang but with bigger guts. Speaking of this evening, right about now is where we ask ourselves once again if the Pirates are for real. The Buccos begin a four-game set against the Braves at Turner Field before heading to Philly for the weekend. Huge, balls-on-the-table week for the Pirates.
By the way, if every few minutes you happen to find yourself excitedly hiking the pigskin to no one in particular, we all understand.
[via WSJ; photo via Getty]