This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.
Baseball is a beautiful game. Always has been, always will be.
It can also be really darn funny at times.
What happened in last night’s Marlins-Mets game is proof of that. If you missed what happened – Marlins pitcher Richard Bleier was called for a balk three times during one at-bat after never being called for a balk in his career.
I know what you’re thinking – what in the world makes this so funny, Andy? It’s a good question and I totally get it. I didn’t think much of it when I saw this post on it from last night.
But then I watched the replays and I was in tears.
Check out the balks right here:
Bleier, who has never been called for a balk in his career, has been called for two in less than an inning pic.twitter.com/2IAI2rPQME
— Shea Station (@shea_station) September 28, 2022
I’ve never seen someone balk three times in an inning. Wow. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/9aAcmesgW0
— GENY Mets Report (@genymets) September 28, 2022
Here’s what makes it so funny:
– Every time you hear the ump from out of the picture yelling BALLLLLK in the middle of the pitch I laugh. It only gets better after each one. I’m in tears.
– Every time Breier looks over at the ump with WTF(!?) hand gestures, the tears continue. Dude was in such disbelief each and every time. He in no way thought it was even possible to call him for a balk, especially since he’s never been called for one before. Suddenly now he’s doing it every pitch!? He can’t believe it! I love it.
– I also love how you can’t argue a balk and if you do it’s an immediate ejection. Like, why is that a thing? This isn’t arguing over balls and strikes, which is also an immediate ejection. This seems like something you should be able to have a discussion about. Don Mattingly came out to talk to his pitcher and clearly wanted to yell at the ump but can’t because baseball doesn’t want you yelling at the umps about this? So these adults had to try to contain their anger even though they wanted to body slam the ump? Tears.
– His third balk walks in a run and makes Breier lose whatever mind he had left. He balk’d in a run! After balking him around the bases!
– This official play-by-play is really funny, too:
Man, that was all just the best. I want to watch these replays all day long.
BALLLLLLLLLK!!!!!!
Quick hits: Braves catcher tries to fool ump… Dalvin Cook’s butt fumble… Fantasy football studs, duds, and sleepers… And more.
– Braves catcher William Contreras hilariously tried to fool an ump on a really bad pitch and MLB fans loved it.
– Vikings RB Dalvin Cook had an epic butt fumble in Week 3 that we all somehow missed.
– Cole Huff breaks down his Week 4 fantasy football studs, duds, and sleepers.
– Those creepy fans smiling behind home plate at MLB games… were a marketing play by a movie.
[listicle id=1966316]