Baseball Umpire Ejects Intern for Playing '3 Blind Mice' After Questionable Call

It turns out that baseball umpires at all levels are sensitive when it comes to blown calls. Just ask Daytona Cubs intern Derek Dye. 

According to a report from Danny Wild of MLB.com (via MiLB.com), during a High-A game between Fort Myers and Daytona on Wednesday night, home plate umpire Mario Seneca ejected Dye when he played "Three Blind Mice" throughout the stadium following a questionable call. 

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After a questionable play at first base, Harper argued the call with infield umpire Ramon Hernandez. Daytona first baseman Taylor Davis appeared to pick a ball in the dirt thrown by shortstop Tim Saunders, but it came out of his glove when he turned to toss it around the infield. Hernandez ruled Davis had bobbled the ball rather than dropping it on the transfer and declared Fort Myers' Andy Leer safe.

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Seneca wheeled, pointed to Dye in the press box and shouted, "You're done!" Ditto for the Cubs' public-address announcer.

"Turn the sound off for the rest of the night," Seneca could be heard yelling during the Cubs' broadcast.

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The cries for replay in Major League Baseball have gotten louder and louder this year as more and more blown calls get made. 

Umpires have never taken kindly to criticism of their work, though when there are blatant errors it is hard to have sympathy for them. All too often they want to become part of the show instead of calling the game. 

I have never heard of an umpire ejecting an intern because of a song. That just comes off as incredibly petty and furthers the notion that umpires can dish out punishment without being able to take it. 

Since a video of the incident is not online, I don't know how close the play was or if the right call was made. What I do know is that ejecting an intern and PA announcer because of a song is like kicking a kid out of a sandbox because he has a shiny new plastic shovel. 

Being an umpire is a thankless job, but that doesn't mean you have to go around looking for the spotlight or trying to free yourself from criticism when you make a mistake. 

Seneca made the whole situation worse by ejecting the intern and PA announcer. If he had just laughed it off, no one would care. Instead, we have more reasons to laugh at umpires.

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