T’d Up is a weekly column that runs on Fridays selecting, in our humblest of opinions, the biggest sports Tool of the Week.
It was a glorious day for baseball in Philadelphia yesterday. The birds were chirping, the soft toilet paper commercial clouds were rolling by, and newcomer John Lannan would be making his major league debut for the Washington Nationals.
Everything was going great for the Nats, Lannan was pitching a respectable game through 4+ and had even notched a strikeout. It was the day the kid always dreamt of playing catch in his back yard… That is, of course, until umpire Hunter Wendelstedt could get his fat, greedy, spotlight stealing hands on it.
More LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME after the jump.
In the top of the 5th, Lannan hit Chase Utley on the hand to put men on first and second. The next batter up… Ryan Howard.
Holding onto a slim 3-2 lead, man in scoring position, and 500 foot power hitter Howard stepping into the box, Lannan probably got a little nervous.
The pitch hit Howard in the back.
The bitch tossed Lannan from the game.
Yes. Hunter Wendelstedt ejected John Lannan from the ballgame. Major league debut. One run game. Ejected.
After the game, Utley (who is now on the DL with a busted hand) came to Lannan’s aid.
“I don’t think he was trying to hit me. It got away from him,” Utley said.
Manager Manny Acta was subsequently tossed for defending Lannan (Acta’s first career ejection). The last time someone was ejected in their debut, Aaron Boone in ‘97.
It sounds to me like Wendelstedt and “Blind” Bruce Froemming should become fishing buddies, rent a canoe, and go sit on a lake where they can trade back-pats and discuss each others greatness in peace and quiet… all the while leaving MLB in better shape.
Wendelstedt, for ruining the afternoon of the Lannan family (Lannan’s mom baked a cake and the icing said “congratulations son, we’re so proud of you, don’t get tossed, it will kill your father”), for being one of many many men to touch lips with Ozzie Guillen, and for not letting me on the field after game 4 of the 06 ALCS (I just wanted to give Inge a high five, jackass) you are hereby fat, and….
October 31, 2007 at 9:21 pm |
I WATCHED THAT GAME, AS A PHILLIE FAN. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT UTLEY, BUT I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THE ROOKIE WAS RUN. THE UMPS ARE TO FULL OF THEMSELVES. NOBODY BUYS A TICKET TO WATCH THE UMPS.
May 29, 2008 at 10:29 am |
why would you put his families name on there? get over it bro
August 8, 2009 at 11:09 am |
Wendelstedt is a bitch. He’s got a bigger head than ARod. What a piss poor umpire. I know this article is old but I just watched another one of his debacles from last night’s Twins Tigers game. I know I’m biased because I’m a Twinkies fan but the dude blows.
August 8, 2009 at 11:25 am |
I will second the fact that Wendelstedt is terrible. He blew two calls last night in Detroit, Tigers go on to win by two. Two wrong calls at home, neither of which was this professional umpire in a position to make any other call than “safe” for the Detroit baserunner. He stayed in a spot where he can’t see the play.