Japanese media also reported extensively on the referee's absurd remark directed at Lee Jung-hoo ('son of the wind'), an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants.
On the 18th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo appeared as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning with two outs and no runners on during an away game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While the ball count was 1B-1S, the third pitch was a sinker that came in low. Referee Phil Cuzzi called it a strike, and Lee Jung-hoo tapped his helmet. Referee Phil Cuzzi then gave Lee Jung-hoo a warning, misunderstanding it as him expressing dissatisfaction with the call.
Lee Jung-hoo reached first base on an infield hit, but the game ended without any further hits. San Francisco was caught by Philadelphia, losing 4-6.
In a post-game interview, Lee Jung-hoo noted, "As those who watch the game regularly know, I adjust my helmet every time I pitch. I do that with every pitch. So I told the umpire 'I can’t speak English,' and since the home plate umpire kept saying something, I just repeated 'I can’t speak English.' That's how this happened." It appears the home plate umpire responded sensitively.
The Japanese sports media outlet 'Tokyo Sports' reported, "Lee Jung-hoo, who is called 'Korea's Ichiro' for his excellent hitting, received a warning from the umpire just for tapping his helmet."
The outlet added, "According to current reports, it seems that when Lee Jung-hoo tapped his helmet, the home plate umpire misinterpreted it as expressing dissatisfaction with the call."
It also reported, "Major League Baseball has been piloting an automated ball-strike system since this spring training, where a batter taps their helmet when requesting a call. However, Lee Jung-hoo explained that he had no such intention."
However, contrary to Lee Jung-hoo's intentions, home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi reacted sensitively. The outlet reported, "San Francisco starter Jordan Hicks also expressed dissatisfaction as the opposing batter took too long to step into the batter's box. Phil Cuzzi responded sensitively, creating an atmosphere of tension in the stadium."
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