I Would Call It Interference

Okay, this is ridiculous:

CLICK ME

For those of you who don't want to click through, just know that it links to a story about the necessity of an MLB umpire to tackle a fan as he was running around on the field.  Wait.  An umpire?  Shouldn't security have done that? 

When I go to a baseball game there are at least five security officers on each side of the field, standing there, looking mean and tough and supposedly, threatening enough so people don't jump on the field.  If you did manage to read that article, you would see that this is the fourth time that a person has run onto the field at Camden Yards in Baltimore.  The fourth time!?!?!??!?!?!  Where is security??  And don't you think that after the second time their boss would have had something to say about the lack of effort on the security team's part?  Or maybe after the third time?  I applaud the umpire for taking the drastic step in confronting the fan since security was having so much difficulty.  I think, however, that Major League Baseball should have a talk with the Baltimore Orioles ownership and determine a real solution to the problem - perhaps more security.

People can do crazy things when they are drunk and even when they aren't.  These crazy fans that like to run out onto the field are dangerous, not just to the players, coaches and umpires, but they are becoming a danger to themselves.  By running onto the field, they could get hit by a ball, run into a player or cause other damage to the field.  There's no need for them to do that.  Players, coaches and umpires are told in no uncertain terms that if a fan runs onto the field that they are to stay away.  But when security doesn't seem to be doing its job, I suppose it was up to someone to do it for them.

Again, I applaud the umpire for making the move, despite the fact that he himself could have been injured.  I think that the city of Baltimore needs to seriously look at their efforts to keep players and other fans safe at the ballpark.


Until tomorrow.