Joe West calls two balks on Mark Buehrle and then ejects him, a breakdown

May 28, 2020 1.8M views 3:14
MLB Baltimore Orioles 2020

What Happened

In a 2010 game between the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs, veteran umpire Joe West makes a series of controversial calls that ultimately lead to the ejection of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and starting pitcher Mark Buehrle. The tension begins in the first inning when West calls a balk on Buehrle, despite the pitcher's standard pickoff motion appearing legal to the naked eye. Buehrle protests the call, drawing a line in the dirt to illustrate his delivery, but West takes offense to this and warns the pitcher not to show him up. Guillen then comes out of the dugout to defend his player, but West quickly ejects him, ignoring Guillen's pleas that he was not arguing the balk call itself. As the game moves to the third inning, West calls another balk on Buehrle and this time the pitcher reacts angrily, slamming his glove to the ground in frustration. West wastes no time tossing Buehrle from the game as well, with the White Sox manager and pitcher both being ejected within the first three innings. Throughout the heated exchanges, West is seen grinning and basking in the attention, seemingly enjoying his ability to exert his authority over the players and managers. Fellow umpire Angel Hernandez even comes over to defend West, telling Guillen to "leave Joe West alone" and praising the veteran's leadership. With both the White Sox manager and ace pitcher ejected, the game continues in a tense atmosphere, the players and fans clearly frustrated by West's handling of the situation. The umpire's actions draw heavy criticism, with many feeling he overstepped his bounds and let his ego get the better of him on the field. Ultimately, West's controversial performance in this game leads to him being fined by Major League Baseball, perhaps a sign that his behavior had crossed a line. The incident serves as a prime example of how an umpire's personal agenda can overshadow the game itself, sparking debates about the appropriate role and conduct of officials in professional sports.

Full Transcript

Click timestamps to jump to that moment

we're going back to 2010 and this was

peak Joe West pretty Madonna mode he was

doing radio shows he was calling the

Yankees and the Red Sox pathetic he was

giving his opinions to the public like