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Umpire CB Bucknor's performance in Game 2 of Rays-Yankees on Tuesday night is already the stuff of legend
There’s nothing in the world we love more than a pissed-off Yankees fan. Sure, sure, they’re obnoxious, self-righteous, and entitled to the point of delusion. They’ll dump a $13 beer on your head just because. But you grin and bear it because it usually means that, for once, they didn’t get the rub of the green. For once they didn’t get all the players and all the headlines and all the damn Commissioner’s Trophies (27 according to fact, 28 according to them.) And folks, this morning—a beautiful, sunny October a.m. here in New Yahk, New Yahk—there are A LOT of pissed-off Yankees fans
Why you ask? Well because of umpire CB Bucknor, who turned in all-time dud behind the plate of the Yankees' Game 2 ALDS loss to the Rays on Tuesday night. If this isn’t a sight for sore eyes, maybe you need glasses.
But not only was Bucknor robbing the Yankees of calls, he was giving them right back to the Rays. A veritable baseball Robin Hood, you might say. Here’s Yankees’ starter JA Happ vs. the Rays Jin-Man Choi . . .
. . . and here’s Rays starter Tyler Glasnow vs. the Yankees’ Gary Sanchez. You unironically love to see it.
Obvious personal grudges aside, however, this is what we in the industry refer to by the very scientific term “bullsh*t.” This is the MLB Playoffs, not your slow-pitch softball league (RIP.) Dudes literally risked their damn lives to play baseball this year, the least Manfred’s front-office cronies can do is put adults with two functioning corneas and no documented bouts of vertigo behind home plate. But alas, we’re stuck with CB Bucknor and Angel Hernandez—who is literally suing the MLB and still working games right now—down the stretch. Here’s hoping every game they get is a Yankees one . . . if only for the content.