Madison Bumgarner and Joe West Had a Tense 17-Second Staring Contest
By Kyle Koster
Madison Bumgarner was unhappy with umpire Joe West’s strike zone last night in San Diego. West, who is unhappy when anyone else is the center of attention, noticed. The result was a tension-filled stare-down. It lasted 17 seconds but felt like 17 minutes.
There should be no surprise. Both parties are known for being a bit stubborn out on the diamond. What’s truly important here is that Major League Baseball is doing all it can to improve pace of play!
While the war of non-verbal communication may have ended in a tie during the game, Bumgarner took the decision post-game with this quote.
“Joe was behind the plate?” he said. “I don’t pay attention to the umpires. I didn’t even realize he was back there.”