Twitter Reacts to Lance Barksdale's Awful Strike Zone in Game 5 of the World Series
Lance Barksdale is having an awful Sunday. The umpire is in the middle of a complete meltdown behind home plate during Game 5 of the World Series. The Washington Nationals appear to have gotten the worst of the deal, though the Houston Astros haven't exactly seemed thrilled with him either.
The corners have given Barksdale a problem all night. In fact, his calls on the corner have been absolutely absurd. And the Internet noticed, oh did the Internet notice.
Here are a few examples:
Ump doesn't call strike three. Tells Gomes he was taking off on him. Gomes replies 'Oh it's my fault?"
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) October 28, 2019
Then Martinez kindly asks the up to wake up because its the World Series. pic.twitter.com/iRUr349bQh
Victor Robles was just the victim of another blown call by Lance Barksdale#WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/IwhFS5JWag
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) October 28, 2019
That's a tiny sampling. Twitter was quick to react, ripping Barksdale's performance repeatedly. Check out some of the responses below.
Home plate umpiring these last 2 games has been as dreadfully incompetent as NFL officiating most of the season. That last pitch Cole threw was so far off the strike zone that umpire should be downgraded for it.
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) October 28, 2019
What a godawful call by Lance Barksdale on strike three. (6) pic.twitter.com/ShGtLutG1H
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 28, 2019
Via https://t.co/74A2QGSpW3, not a good night at all for home plate ump Lance Barksdale, especially on the outer edge of the zone to righty hitters (plot is from the ump's POV) pic.twitter.com/jpqwDYa8tS
— Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) October 28, 2019
Plate umpire Lance Barksdale took an awful lot from the Nationals dugout between innings. In the regular season there likely would have been an ejection, though Barksdale, according to some quick research, hasn't ejected anyone since Aug. 2018. Not known to have much of a trigger
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) October 28, 2019
That's not a good call by Lance Barksdale. Yikes.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 28, 2019
Umpires should never be the story, part of the story or even mentioned in the story. Yet on the biggest stage at the most important time Lance Barksdale inserted himself into the narrative
— F.P. Santangelo SR (@FightinHydrant) October 28, 2019
HP ump Lance Barksdale does his bit to improve MLB by moving the sport just a little closer to electronic ball-strike calls by ringing up Robles on 3-2 pitch which is two ball-widths outside. Would've been 2 on, 2 out, tying run at bat for Nats in 7th. (Fans chant "Lock HIM up.")
— Thomas Boswell (@ThomasBoswellWP) October 28, 2019
Ump should change his name from Barksdale to Bell because of how little he cares about having a handle on the corners
— Frank Firke (@ClownHypothesis) October 28, 2019
Trying to understand Lance Barksdale’s strike zone tonight. Failing.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) October 28, 2019
Lance Barksdale with a horrendous inning of umpiring
— Brett Anderson (@_BAnderson30_) October 28, 2019
Victor Robles just tossing his equipment literally at Lance Barksdale and NOT getting ejected...means ol' Lance knows he blew that one. Tough break for #Nats.
— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) October 28, 2019
Lance Barksdale should be shown these pitch graphs and have to answer to them afterwards
— Pete Medhurst (@PeteMedhurst) October 28, 2019
If Lance Barksdale were a police officer, I’m worried he might issue a DUI to anyone driving past a liquor store.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 28, 2019
There has NEVER been a bigger case for robot umps than this game. Lance Barksdale is supposedly one of the best umps in the game (though how did he get this assignment when he graded out as #17 of the umps this year?). And he fucks things up this bad?
— Aaron Oster (@TheAOster) October 28, 2019
Robot umps. We need robot umps like yesterday.