What's your take on this?

[henks]

Should he have been granted time?

Ron Gardenhire was ejected for the second time this season on Sunday, but he hopes his actions get noticed around baseball. “Where’s the game going?” Gardenhire fumed after he was ejected for protesting Brendan Harris’ called third strike. “It’s embarrassing.” Harris took a strike and fouled off a pitch to open the eighth inning, then asked for time as Brewers reliever Guillermo Mota prepared to throw another pitch. He took a step back, then bent over as he set his feet again. Apparently following baseball’s recent directive to speed up the game, Mota was motioned to pitch. He did, a slider that Tim Runge called strike three. That had Harris and Gardenhire both steaming. “It’s a 3-2 game in the eighth inning, and the game hadn’t been dragging,” Harris said. “I don’t understand. You would think he would have a feel for the game and not try to impose his will. I guess that 30 seconds it speeds the game up is worth taking the bat out of my hand.” Gardenhire was incensed that Runge allowed Mota to pitch while Harris had his head next to home plate, and not watching the pitcher. “The speed-up stuff, that’s all good and fine, but if he gets hit in the head there with a pitch, not looking at it, what are we going to do then?” said Gardenhire, getting angrier as he spoke. “It’s going to lead to bad things. It’s going to lead to somebody getting hurt.”

[catman]

The ump was within his rights to order the pitch and not grant the time out. I disagree with what he did and think Gardy was correct to complain about it.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

I don't know, I think ordering a pitch is a bit above and beyond the umpire's discretion. I don't like that they are allowed to order a pitch to be thrown.

[Kingdom_of_Zito]

The ump was only following the directives.

It's no secret the MLB has been cracking down on this and trying to make baseball games shorter (it's baseball, you're not getting 2 hour games every week, this isn't college basketball). I have more of a problem with the front office pushing the agenda as strongly as it as, making umps unfairly the scapegoats. Gardenhire and Harris need to ***** out Selig & co.

[ljshorty89]

Technically, Harris is at fault, you can't assume time will be given. However, there was no reason for time to NOT be given. Mota wasn't in his delivery. The ump screwed up, but Harris should have given himself a chance to prevent that mistake from changing the course of the game.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Originally Posted by ljshorty89 Technically, Harris is at fault, you can't assume time will be given. However, there was no reason for time to NOT be given. Mota wasn't in his delivery. The ump screwed up, but Harris should have given himself a chance to prevent that mistake from changing the course of the game.

Actually Zito's right, the ump didn't really screw up. He was just following orders. But I actually don't have a problem with the length of games, and if shortening them means potentially endangering players like that, hell no. I agree with Zito, I don't like it at all that the management is pushing this so much.

[mntwinsfan]

Harris had his head down by the plate, to me that alone tells me you don't throw the ball. Harris did call time correct? If he did the pitch should not have been thrown untill Harris was ready.

I am sure if it was Arod or Pujols or even a more experienced player the pitcher would have waited.