A majority of big-league umpires give players and managers a high threshold for what they’d tolerate before an ejection. They understand that emotions can run high in pro sports, and it usually takes a few magic words or personal attacks to send someone back to the clubhouse.
Umpire James Jean is clearly an exception to that rule.
During Sunday’s game between the Cubs and Marlins, Cubs infielder Patrick Wisdom was frustrated after striking out for the second time in the game. The strikeout call was correctly ruled a strike by Jean. But Wisdom reacted by tossing his helmet to the ground as the inning came to a close.
Jean took that personally and ejected Wisdom right there on the spot.
Patrick Wisdom was ejected because he threw his helmet after a strikeout but he didn't say anything to the umpire pic.twitter.com/skPC9rqOkf
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 25, 2024
Now, umpires do hate when players try to show them up, but Wisdom pretty clearly was reacting out of frustration with himself. He didn’t look at Jean or even say a word to the umpire. Yet, it was enough to get him ejected.
Jean needs to have more awareness than that.
