i couldnt care less about attitude or respecting the game or what other players think (though i imagine many would publicly support bryce if it didnt risk pissing the precious umpires off) or any other old timey sentimental buzzwords, that one person with authority baiting confrontation and ejecting one of the most exciting players in the game right now cuz he hurt your feelings is a bad look for baseball. the fact that this isnt the first time an umpires done exactly that to harper and the nats makes it even worse.
there was a game in pittsburgh a few years ago where harper checked his swing, 3rd base ump called it a strike, bryce muttered something, and the ump walks down the line yelling at him. bryce took the bait, yelled back, got ejected. how on earth is that acceptable behavior from an umpire? why are they immune from criticism because harper doesnt respect their inflated sense of authority enough?
the baffled look on jim joyce's (not exactly a beacon of rational umpiring) face while hudson was puffing his chest out at harper and williams wednesday night said it all
