Copycat Beaners?

It appears we have a pandemic on our hands of pitchers and catchers conspiring to throw 70mph+ pitches that directly hit umpires. This time it's a little closer to home!

Story.

The chaotic sequence of events started on the first pitch of the seventh, when McFarland pitcher Cory Schuchardt threw a fastball that struck home plate umpire Rich Fronheiser in the chest protector and knocked him back a few steps. Fronheiser immediately ejected McFarland catcher Pete Patten; Fronheiser said Tuesday that he felt Patten had intentionally let the pitch pass so it would hit Fronheiser.

"His glove was knee-high, center of the plate, and he never moved it," said Fronheiser, who was lined up just over Patten's shoulder on the pitch.

Fronheiser said he had no doubt that Patten had intentionally missed the pitch. The two had exchanged words an inning earlier after a disagreement about Fronheiser's strike zone.

"His only comment to me after I ejected him was, 'You can't prove it. You can't prove I did it intentionally,' " Fronheiser said.

Don't laugh at me...but I actually have an source close to this (ie...a guy who plays in the same Home Talent League). Here's what he had to say about this:

"The two umps in that game are pretty much hated by everybody. They’re terrible umps and they’re always on a power trip. They’re very confrontational to players, coaches and fans. Shit always escalates because they start arguing with people when they could just shut up and ump the game and nothing would happen. It doesn’t surprise me at all that they were the ones involved in this."

Wait a minute...is my source implying that a baseball umpire could be an arrogant, egotistical, sun-glassed wearing prick? I've never heard of that before from baseball umpires! They are usually friendly, warm, cuddly sorts.

Anyway...just a laughable story that will probably never be solved.