The Marlins tonight won their 59th game of the season, over the Phillies, no thanks to this call at first by umpire CB Bucknor. If this weren't a senioritis game between two also-rans, it would definitely go down as one of the biggest botched calls in recent memory. Heck, this was a meaningless game in the last week of September, and it still might.


Bottom of the seventh, tie game, two on, two out. Christian Yelich chops the 0-1 down the first base line and looks sure to leg it out before reliever Cesar Jimenez can reach it. First baseman Kevin Frandsen sprints in toward the ball, scoops it up as Yelich passes, and flicks the ball to Jimenez, who's late to cover first. The left-hander can only catch the ball and mime a tag with his non-glove hand toward Yelich. The runner appears to block the ump's view of the play. Still, he's safe by a mile.

But Jimenez curls around behind Yelich and waves his glove toward Bucknor. Somehow he sells it. Bucknor — whose resume includes being voted the worst ump in the Majors in at least three different years — punches Yelich out. The Phillies hustle off the field before the boos can even rattle the clay. Robbed? Miami fans know from getting robbed. And this? Yeah, this was definitely that.


Better Know An Umpire: CB Bucknor Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have… Read more

[FOX]