JUSTICE SERVED PART 4: Phil Cuzzi With A Heroic Balk Call

Think you'll try a funky windup to throw the hitter's timing? Not on Phil Cuzzi's watch!

On Sunday, Phil Cuzzi stomped the yard and issued a balk to Astros pitcher Matt Gage. You gotta respect the way he handles this type of thing and doesn't draw attention to himself, he's such a pro about it. Everyone knows it's a shame when the Ump Show takes over and the players get upstaged, nobody wants to see that happen. This time, Phil was simply demonstrating why the balk was called and flipping it into a teaching moment for a young pitcher. Really quite thoughtful of him.  

Y'all remember Phil Cuzzi, right? 

He's the ump who tossed Max Scherzer last month for having a case of the sticky hands. Scherzer swore up and down that his hand was mega tacky from a mixture of sweat and rosin. It was a good try by "Max" to pull the wool over his eyes, but Phil wasn't phooled. Not his first rodeo and he's something of a sticky stuff expert, maybe the foremost official in all of MLB. After some quick forensic testing, Phil made the call and exercised his umpire rights. Scherzer was ejected and received a suspension. Justice served once again.

The foreign substance ejections are rare - there were zero last season and just two the year before when the rule went into effect. Phil Cuzzi was responsible for both of those ejections in 2021. It seems as though his personal radar for this kinda stuff is highly sensitive and he can sniff out foreign substances from anywhere on the diamond.

Consider the integrity of the game safe under Phil's watchful eye. 


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