Pedro Martinez, a Hall of Famer, knows a few things about pitching. When it comes to umpires in today’s game, the former Red Sox ace thinks they “don’t know s–t about what they’re doing.”
He said as much during Tuesday’s “MLB Tonight” broadcast. A panel that featured Martinez was discussing Arizona Diamondback starting pitcher Luke Weaver, who has never been called for a balk throughout his MLB career. At the time, Weaver was in a bases loaded jam in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants.
While the bases were loaded, MLB Network analyst and former player Harold Reynolds wondered aloud why Weaver wasn’t called for a balk after he didn’t pause while moving into a set position on the mound. That’s when MLB Network host Greg Amsinger informed Martinez and the rest of the studio that Weaver had never been called for a balk in his professional career.
Martinez had an explanation as to why:
“Well, the umpires don’t know s— about what they’re doing,” Martinez said, to the amusement of his coworkers. “… I’m sorry, I apologize about that. What can I say?”
Weaver did end up walking in a run in the inning before wiggling out of the jam and just allowing one run.
Martinez explained why he felt Weaver had committed a balk that did not get called, and his ultimate rationale for the non-call was that “the umpire does not understand the kind of movement he’s (Weaver) making.”
You’d think that, as a former pitcher, Martinez would like when hurlers get the benefit of the doubt, but he clearly has some very strong feelings when it comes to this situation.
