Umpires wearing white wristbands in protest of 'escalating verbal attacks'
The World Umpires Association, the union for umpires in Major League Baseball, released a statement Saturday announcing their officials will be wearing white wristbands in protest of "escalating verbal attacks" against them and their objections to how the commissioner's office has handled them, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman.
The release specifically cites Monday's incident between Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler and umpire Angel Hernandez and notes the officials will wear the garments until the issues are addressed, Sherman adds.
After being ejected in the middle of his at-bat during Monday's contest against the Texas Rangers, Kinsler sounded off on Hernandez the following day, telling reporters he felt the umpire "needs to find another job." Kinsler was reportedly only served with a fine, however, and escaped without a suspension.
Veteran umpire Joe West, who was handed a three-game suspension earlier this season for referring to Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre as the biggest complainer in the league, could be seen wearing the white wristband on his left arm in Saturday's game between the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays:
