Umpire’s gaffes frustrate Jays’ catcher Martin
The complex subtleties of Russell Martin’s job can be enough to get the better of him some nights, especially during games when the frustration rises to unhealthy levels.
At the top of the list for the Toronto Blue Jays catcher is managing his pitchers and calling a game that will keep opposing batters guessing. Then there are his own responsibilities at the plate — especially important for a team that has been starved for offence too often this season.
But when the umpire behind him makes inconsistent calls on balls and strikes, as the 34-year-old believes they did in Toronto’s two most recent games in Anaheim, Calif., against the Los Angeles Angels, things can get a little complicated.
“I try to keep my cool. I try to talk to them,” Martin said. “Some are harder to talk to than others. I don’t think anyone really enjoys being told they made a mistake and I still haven’t learned how to let an umpire know that he’s made a mistake without him getting ticked off.”
Martin was particularly fired up with the work of home plate ump Toby Basner in Monday’s 2-1 loss to the Angels, which evened the four-game series to a 2-2 split.
A called third strike on Martin that was well outside caused Jays manager John Gibbons to get ejected for a second consecutive night.
“When my pitcher is throwing a pitch over the plate that’s getting called a ball and I get a pitch that’s a ball and called a strike, that’s frustrating,” Martin said. “Those things just keep adding up.”
Meanwhile, for Tuesday’s game in St. Louis against the Cardinals, to shake things up for the Jays, Martin started at third base before moving behind the plate. The Jays won 6-5 in 11 innings to inch their record up to 6-14, still the worst in the majors.