Mark Wegner Holds Game Hostage

Possibly the worst homeplate umpiring in the history of organized baseball took place today as Ed Wegner decided on a sub zero day to take the strikezone captive. Much to the chagrin of Phil Hughes and Brian Bannister, Wegner's obtuse and inconsistent K-zone yielded eight walks and skyrocketing pitchcounts.

Ed Price, who is at the game, had this to say about Wegner:

[]

That's the size of Mark Wegner's strike zone today.

Through three innings, there have been eight walks. Pitch counts: for Brian Bannister, 39 strikes and 32 balls; for Phil Hughes, 43 strikes and 36 balls.

Hughes was far from sharp, but the 3-2 slider to Tony Pena Jr. was a perfect pitch that somehow became ball four and not called strike three. As a result, Hughes threw 20 some-odd pitches more than he should have and it became a turning point as the Yankee starter was gassed afterward. Wilson Betemit dropping a strike that should have ended the inning on a caught stealing did not aid Hughes either.

Regardless of the final score, this is a game to be shrugged off for Hughes and, for Wegner, investigated by Major League Baseball. If not an optometrist.