I guess if your home plate umpire for an MLB game is going to be Phil Cuzzi, you should know that his strike zone is, uh, generous, to say the least.
Because we once again saw a display in which the ump called some VERY questionable strikes in the San Diego Padres’ 5-0 win over the Chicago Cubs, one in which Cubs manager David Ross got ejected for arguing with Cuzzi. Why?
Because, partially, his pitcher Kyle Hendricks hit the same spot that Padres counterpart Blake Snell had and wasn’t given a strike call.
Fans reacted to all of this on Twitter:
Fans and announcers were NOT happy
Here's a sequence of some of the strike calls/non-calls that David Ross argued with Phil Cuzzi about: pic.twitter.com/CKTp6B3NQC
— Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) June 6, 2023
Not hard to see why Ross got tossed for second time this season when looking at the called strikes Snell has been getting the first two innings.
It's one thing when both teams' pitchers/hitters are working with the same zone.
A look at Snell's called Ks vs. Hendricks' balls: pic.twitter.com/YcTIsg7MNM
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) June 6, 2023
Blake Snell's 5Ks thru 2.
[Technically, Phil Cuzzi has 3 of them.] pic.twitter.com/c1jkyPiNWV
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2023
If Phil Cuzzi is giving, Blake Snell is taking. pic.twitter.com/gNazdWNitn
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) June 6, 2023
The Cubs won’t lose BECAUSE of Phil Cuzzi, but Phil Cuzzi CHANGED this game.
His garbage let Snell off the hook. Allowed him to settle in. Nobody had a higher WPA in this one than Cuzzi for the Padres. https://t.co/m7QQFbzUxf
— FullCountTommy (@FullCountTommy) June 6, 2023
Phil Cuzzi pic.twitter.com/KZd8vRGp3L
— Chief Cub (@ChiefCub) June 6, 2023
Phil Cuzzi in the post game presser… #Cubs #Padres #mlb pic.twitter.com/DTepePCQq5
— Mark McMain (@jimithing5150) June 6, 2023
Phil Cuzzi…. pic.twitter.com/OP4sH2qcEz
— Bennie Mac – What are we doing? (@BenMcC1908) June 6, 2023
Good on Rossy for getting tossed tonight. Phil Cuzzi is an embarrassment to Major League Baseball
— Josh Mundt (@mundtdog16) June 6, 2023
Phil Cuzzi the new Angel Hernandez
— Dubs (@MikeDubsRadio) June 6, 2023