Miguel Cabrera Thrown Out Batting with the Bases Loaded as MLB's Umpire Show Continues [Video]

Miguel Cabrera was ejected from Sunday’s game with the Phillies while batting with the bases loaded in the third inning. Cabrera took a called second strike and looked in the direction of home plate umpire Chad Fairchild, who took exception and promptly tossed the best hitter in baseball. (And Detroit manager Jim Leyland for good measure.)

This is clearly, stress clearly, what the paying customers at Comerica Park came to see on a Sunday afternoon in July. Who doesn’t want to see the umpires work their special brand of magic? Everybody who went to downtown Detroit likely kept their fingers crossed they’d see an ejection rather than Cabrera swinging the bat with runners on base.

Sarcasm aside, if the players can be suspended for arguments the umpires ought to face a similar penalty — or some penalty for their continual prickly behavior and general incompotence. Fairchild leads all Major League umpires with eight ejections in 2013. Well done, sir. You get a gold star.

The Tigers won 12-4, minus Cabrera.