Major League Baseball (MLB) has a lot wrong with it. From my point of view, the game began to commit suicide when the American League allowed for a "designated hitter (DH)" in 1973. The DH is a misnomer. Calling the player a "designated hitter" is ludicrous. The guy hits for the pitcher always.
In the early days of the DH, the position was filled either by some slugger who was all hit, no field, or by an aging star on his last legs as a player. They should have called the batter, "The Pitcher's Alternate." Anything but "designated."
Yes, I'm one of "those" baseball fans. I'm a curmudgeonly purist who thinks the game was perfectly designed by A.G. Spaulding, who published the first official rulebook in 1873. Minor adjustments, like a redesign of the baseball and the advent of the "infield fly rule," were fine. Why mess with perfection, however?
So imagine the near-third heart attack I suffered upon hearing that MLB had called up an umpire whose loins were cleft, not cloven. Jen Pawol, a female minor league umpire, will work the Saturday match-up between the Florida Marlins and the Atlanta Braves in a first for MLB.
The NFL has had female officials since 2012 and the NBA since 1997. The NHL has yet to give in to the trend, believing quite rightly that putting a woman in the middle of a hockey scrum is probably not a good idea. Female refs are okay for football and basketball. But baseball?
Major League Baseball is being destroyed from within. Don't get me started on new rules like limiting throws to first by the pitcher, or the "phantom" baserunner in extra-inning games who magically appears on second base without stepping to the plate. In fact, the phantom is rewarded for making the last out of the previous inning by being sent to second at the beginning of the next half inning, perhaps to score the winning run.
ARRRGHH!
Pawol will work the three-game Marlins-Braves series. As a replacement umpire, she will return to the umpire pool waiting for another shot.
Pawol has steadily climbed the umpiring ranks since beginning her pro career in Rookie ball in 2016. She reached Triple-A in 2023, becoming the first female umpire at that level in 34 years. She was the home-plate ump for the Triple-A Championship that September. In 2024, Pawol became the first female umpire in a Spring Training game since Ria Cortesio in 2007. She was a Triple-A crew chief in ‘24 and worked more Spring Training games in 2025.
“The Major League Baseball Umpires Association congratulates Jen Pawol on her historic Major League debut," the MLBUA said in a statement. "This moment represents more than a personal milestone for Jen; it is a groundbreaking step for our profession and for the continued advancement of women in sports. Jen’s achievement is a testament to her skill, dedication, and perseverance. We are proud to stand with Jen as she breaks this barrier, and we look forward to welcoming more women into the umpiring profession.”
When you think about it, can she be any worse than some of the jamokes they have now? That being said, the real question is, can she do a better job than every other male umpire looking for a shot at the majors? Is she really "next in line"?
“Baseball’s done a great job of being completely inclusive,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I’ll be watching. It’s good for the game.”
Roberts admits she probably didn't get the job because she was better than all the male candidates. She got the job because MLB wants to be "inclusive." What kind of sick nonsense is that?
Sports used to be the last bastion of meritocracy. It was fairly easy to see. If you hit over .300, hit 20 or more homers, and drive in a hundred runs, you were worth your weight in gold and a probable all-star.
Major League umpires are evaluated constantly, so we'll see if Pawol is the real deal or a sacrifice to wokeism.
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