Will Middlebrooks is fed up with MLB’s umpiring, and the former Red Sox third baseman believes he knows a remedy.
In the wake of Doug Eddings missing a season-worst 29 ball/strike calls in a game between the White Sox and Blue Jays, Middlebrooks offered a proposal in hopes of preventing similar performances.
Will Middlebrooks argues with umpires during Game 3 of the 2013 World Series.MLB via Getty Images“The umpires, they’re protected by their union,” Middlebrooks said on his “Wake and Rake” podcast. “They don’t have to answer to anybody. There’s zero accountability. If baseball players suck, they get sent to Triple-A. (Eddings) gets absolutely nothing. Doesn’t even have to answer to media — nobody — about how bad he sucked. That’s a problem. That’s not going to help them be better because it doesn’t matter. There’s no incentive to get better.
“… Give the best umpires more money. Give the best umpires more opportunities. Then, maybe guys will try to be better and not be so lackadaisical. It is a very hard job, but why does everyone else in the world have access to see if it’s a ball or a strike except for the one guy who needs to know?”
Needless to say, umpires don’t seem all too pleased with Middlebrooks’ suggestions. An Instagram account with the handle “lazd17” left an angry comment on the post; Middlebrooks, amongst others, believe the account belongs to Laz Diaz, an MLB umpire for 24 seasons who has been crewed for the World Series on three occasions.
“You are not an umpire & you do not know what goes on in the umpire world of life!!” Diaz allegedly wrote. “You as a player was supposed to be an outright superstar for Boston & you didn’t live up to that!! So it’s the umpire’s fault. Be real!!!”
Laz Diaz – or an Instagram account pretending to be him – did not take kindly to Will Middlebrook’s suggestion to shore up MLB’s umpiring. Getty Images Middlebrooks, Boston’s highest-rated prospect at the time of his 2012 MLB debut, hit .228 across a six-year career.
“Very professional of you, Laz,” Middlebrooks wrote back from his personal account. “If you don’t want me to talk about umpires, then maybe keep my name out of your mouth as well. Not once did I blame an umpire for not staying healthy or for not playing well. Good to know those rabbit ears still work.”
