They say that when you go to a baseball game, you might see something you’ve never seen before. As it turns out, that’s still an accurate statement in 2023.
During an MLB Spring Training game between the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, something absurd happened.
The Pirates, leading 7-4 at home, desired to continue the game with the Orioles anyway into the bottom of the ninth inning. The umpires, however, left the stadium. So the teams just decided to play without the umpires!
As you can imagine, this hilariously absurd moment drew significant reactions around the baseball world.
“Hoop idea,” tweeted NBA writer Dave DuFour.
https://twitter.com/DaveDuFourNBA/status/1630686859797069827
A Giants fan suggested that they do this during the regular season. “You know what? Maybe even let the losing team have another half inning and give them a fighting chance. What are the umps gonna do eject every single player?”
One fan joked that the umps were just “trying to round up the fellas to leave the bar.”
trying to round up the fellas to leave the bar https://t.co/TieqdOjqsb pic.twitter.com/JIlAUgPzWd
— josh, online (@OnlineJosh_) February 28, 2023
Cespedes Family BBQ, who provided the initial tweet, also provided hilarious highlights of the umpire-less inning.
Ramie Makhlouf probably spoke for many when they said, “A game without umps? We should all be so lucky!”
“Finally a change to the game everyone can get behind,” wrote another fan.
finally a change to the game everyone can get behind https://t.co/EV3oDyGuZ1
— katie dzwierzynski (@kdzwierzynski) February 28, 2023
Ryan Nanni said, “You better believe I would start PLUNKIN.” Hey, what are they gonna do?
Alex Kirshner wrote, “Have to respect it on the part of the umps. Clock in, clock out. Don’t stay past closing just because some weirdo customers won’t leave.”
Have to respect it on the part of the umps. Clock in, clock out. Don’t stay past closing just because some weirdo customers won’t leave https://t.co/7sZk7LxtmJ
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) February 28, 2023
Sickos Committee tweeted, “Of course the unofficial Sickos baseball team, the Pirate, are involved in a spring training game without umpires.”
Mitch Sherman pointed out a long-lost fact, “If the coaches can’t double as umps, you can usually find a player’s dad in the bleachers who is willing.”
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022