Major League Baseball’s never-ending umpiring woes reached an alarming low as Larry Vanover, a veteran umpire with years of experience, set a season-high record for missed calls in Tuesday’s Rays-Red Sox game.
The Rays won the game on a dramatic walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning – but it was Vanover’s incompetence that was the story of evening.
In what can only be described as a cringe-worthy spectacle for the league, Vanover astonishingly missed a staggering 29 calls while stationed behind home plate during the high-stakes matchup.
Umpire Larry Vanover missed a SEASON HIGH 29 calls in the #RedSox #Rays game and was the day's lowest rated umpire. pic.twitter.com/Ifw8IbdjhE
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) September 6, 2023
Both teams found themselves on the receiving end of Vanover’s erratic calls, leaving them in disbelief as the game unfolded.
Video footage of Vanover’s missed calls circulated widely on social media, drawing sharp criticism from the entire baseball world. The compilation of erroneous calls serves as a stark reminder of the need for accountability within the league’s umpiring ranks.
Should MLB turn to robot umpires?
Personally, I’m against that – but the quality of umpiring MUST improve DRAMATICALLY.
Unfortunately, there’s wayyyyy too much of this happening.