Manny Machado got called out on a third strike to end the first inning. Why? He failed to be in the batters box ready to hit within 8 seconds. He says he was trying to call time out. The ump says he did so too late. Machado decided to jaw at the ump over. One can’t argue balls and strikes with home plate ump, so he got tossed.
I’m sure there will be complaints that nobody pays to watch the umps. The counter point is nobody pays to watch Machado fidget with his batting gloves either. They pay to watch him hit. Also, the Padres pay him, handsomely, to hit.
Without him, the Padres lost to the Diamondbacks 8-6.
Mr Machado: Don’t like the rule? Tough. Eight seconds is plenty of time to get in the box and get set. Get over it.
Fan Interference 