C. B. Bucknor's questionable calls during Rays vs. Guardians clash spark outrage among fans - "He's giving Angel Hernandez a run for his money"

Fans left outraged as C.B. Bucknor ejects Rays manager Kevin Cash amidst controversy
Fans left outraged as C.B. Bucknor ejects Rays manager Kevin Cash amidst controversy

Umpire C. B. Bucknor's controversial decisions have once again taken center stage. In this past Saturday's game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays, tensions were running high.

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This matchup comes at a crucial stage for both teams. Cleveland Guardians are second in AL Central, behind the Minnesota Twins by only five games. On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Rays have started a late-season push for the AL East division crown. They are only two games behind the Baltimore Orioles.

Umpire C. B. Bucknor was under scrutiny due to questionable calls. He had a 78% accuracy rate for called strikes, with thirteen of the sixty called strikes being true balls.

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Tempers flared as Rays pitcher Zach Littell was penalized for a questionable pitch clock violation. As per the rules, the batter should be ready to face a pitch by the eight-second mark. However, batter Andres Gimenez wasn't ready by that time and the timer ran out before Littell could pitch. Bucknor immediately penalized Littell for the pitch clock violation.

After a heated conversation with Rays manager Kevin Cash on the matter, Bucknor proceeded to eject him promptly. The fans were left outraged by his umpiring:

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Is C. B. Bucknor the most controversial umpire in the MLB?

C. B. Bucknor's performance in the MLB has been repeatedly abysmal, with numerous players naming him as the worst umpire in baseball. The umpire is notorious for having a wide strike zone that can baffle batters. However, a larger strike zone has not been beneficial to pitchers either since Bucknor is wildly inconsistent with his calls.

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Bucknor's reputation as MLB's most controversial umpire is not unwarranted. Recently, his refusal to shake hands with St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol during a spring game raised eyebrows. Other umpires in the crew later apologized for Bucknor's behavior.

In March, Mariners catcher Tom Murphy launched into an expletive-filled rant against the umpire, after being penalized on a check swing. Two months later, Bucknor forgot the count in the ninth inning of a Cubs vs. Orioles matchup and had to delay the match. These incidents are just a few examples of his questionable decision-making in 2023.

As the playoffs approach, Bucknor's umpiring in the Rays vs. Guardians match could play a pivotal role in determining the fates of both teams.

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Edited by Krutik Jain
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