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Joe West suspended for calling Adrian Beltre a complainer

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The most villainous umpire in baseball gets three days off for bad-mouthing the most beloved player in sports

By ghostofErikThompson
/ new
Seattle Mariners v Texas Rangers Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Remember when Joe West maybe jokingly/maybe seriously took time out of one of his usual unpleasant interviews to call Adrian Beltre the biggest complainer in baseball?

Well, MLB decided that offering up an opinion on that subject was enough for the veteran umpire to get rung up.

Two things:

  1. I would be mad if Adrian Beltre was suspended for giving his opinion on Joe West because Joe West is an adult hall monitor slathered in mayonnaise that is routinely and loudly bad at his job.
  2. If Adrian Beltre were to call Joe West an adult hall monitor slathered in mayonnaise that is routinely and loudly bad at his job, he would get suspended or fined.

Therefore, it’s only fair that Joe West gets the heave-ho for issuing anything other than a “no comment” on his opinion on a player that could be seen as baiting the player to respond even if he meant it in jest (which he probably didn’t).

Of course, suspending an umpire is a very rare event and the airtight umpire’s union isn’t happy about it. However, their defense appears to be “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Cowboy Joe West!”

All I know is now Joe West will be sitting at home the next three days and there’s nothing he can do about.

You’d better watch your back, Gerry Davis.

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