Article:When Umpires Decide They Are More Important than the Game......

Last night in the Mets/Mariners game we saw an abomination. The Mets were getting slammed, as they have done a lot this year. It has been a tough year for the team, a lot of high hopes that have not been fulfilled, and losing a manager mid-year. They don't need any help with losing or screwing up. They certainly don't need an umpire looking for an excuse to eject their manager and star player.

During last night's game, Carlos Beltran took a called strike that he felt was low and out of the strike zone. He didn't like the call and did say some things to the umpire, Brian Runge. We will never know what he said, but look at the tape, he isn't agitated, he isn't even looking at the umpire. But instead of ignoring him and allowing the game to play, Brian Runge steps out in front of Beltran, under the guise of cleaning home plate, clearly looking for Beltran to say more.

New manager Jerry Manuel steps out of the dugout and steps in, just so their won't be a problem with his star player. What does Runge do? He bumps the manager! Watch the tape, he clearly initiated contact. And then he runs him!. The umpire initiates a confrontation and then ejects the manager. I don't know about you, but I love to see when umpires initiate ejections(sarcasm abounding.)

And then what happens? Beltran gives his opinion for starting a fight with his manager, calls it a "weak" thing to do. Then Runges throws him out! So the ump got what he wanted, a chance to eject the best player on the field and the manager.

MLB really needs to take a look at this tape, because the ump deserves a suspension for his actions. Umps need to police and control the game, but not initiate confrontations.