Press Box Ejections: MiLB Umpire Mario Seneca Orders DJ Removed From Single-A Cubs Game

"HP Umpire Mario Seneca ejected Daytona Cubs DJ Derek Dye for playing 'Three Blind Mice' after a close call at first base, #MiLB A Advanced," so read the SportEjections twitter feed's most recent (and most favorited + retweeted) tweet at 6:38 PM on August 1.

File: Professional Baseball (MiLB) Umpire Mario Seneca

With none out and none on in the top of the 8th inning of Wednesday's Florida State League contest between the Fort Myers Miracle and Daytona Cubs, Miracle batter Andy Leer hit a ground ball off of Cubs pitcher Scott Weismann to shortstop Tim Saunders, who threw low to first baseman Taylor Davis. After Davis attempted to snare the dirt-bound ball, which at some point fell out of Davis' glove, 1B Umpire Ramon Hernandez ruled Davis had bobbled the ball, resulting in a throwing error charged to Saunders and batter-runner Leer arriving at first base safely.

As Cubs manager Brian Harper visited Hernandez to argue the lack of possession call, Daytona Cubs deejay intern Derek Dye cued up a baseball organ version of "Three Blind Mice" to play over the Jackie Robinson Ballpark P.A. system. While Hernandez was engaged with Harper, his partner, umpire-in-chief Mario Seneca recognized the childhood tune and knew exactly what he had to do. (Video: Inappropriate Song Plays, Dye Tossed)

If only Dye—an intern from the University of Illinois—was a bit more experienced or versed in stadium entertainment audio operations, he would have known that "Three Blind Mice" was a baseball no-no, a discipline-worthy offense backed by nearly three decades of precedent and past practice.

Cue Seneca, who turned to the press box and authoratively stated, "You're done!" in the direction of Dye. Seneca had further instructions for the entertainment crew: "Turn the sound off for the rest of the night."

OBR Rule 9.01(b) authorizes umpires "to order a player, coach, manager or club officer or employee to do or refrain from doing anything which affects the administering of [the rules of the game], and to enforce the prescribed penalties," which includes ejecting or ordering the offender from the confines of playing field and ordering the offending audio amplification device to be powered down.

Seneca has the professional expertise and perspective to rule on this peculiar situation. A graduate of the Duquesne University School of Law, Seneca, like MLB umpire Dan Bellino, holds a juris doctor—"the lawyer degree"—and is the Second Vice President of the Association of Minor League Umpires.

For any student of law, the concept of "precedent" is absolutely vital to deciphering the present and in this case, Seneca's actions are backed by the past actions of many fellow umpires, all of which have been supported by the League Office or President in charge.

» In 1985, also in the Florida State League, umpire Keith O'Connor ejected Clearwater Phillies organist Wilbur Snapp after Snapp played "Three Blind Mice" in protest of a controversial call.

» In 1988, umpire & crew chief Tony Maners ejected Omaha Royals organist Lambert Bartak for playing "derogatory music" after a close call went against Omaha. Bartak had keyed the "Mickey Mouse Club" theme song during a fifth inning intermission. Intriguingly enough, Maners had not even been involved in the debated call; instead, Royals catcher Larry Owen and manager Glenn Ezell both argued with the umpire who had made the call, HP Umpire Angel Hernandez.
» » Maners claimed he had previously ejected another organist in the International League for  similar actions.

» On August 7, 2001, MLB plate umpire Angel Hernandez (the same one) ejected Cubs 7th inning stretch guest singer & former Bears player Steve McMichael after McMichael impairedly (and with a beer in his hand) stated over the Wrigley Field P.A. system, "I'll have some speak with that home plate umpire after the game... boo!" after a close call the previous half inning.

That brings us to August 1, when Seneca, not involved in the argued call, protected his partner by ejecting the rules offender, who just happened to be in the press box. The only difference, in this day and age, is that offender Dye was not an organist, he was simply a deejay who chose to repeat history by playing a previously banned organ tune, "Three Blind Mice," a piece of music that, considering the context with which it is played, may be ample grounds to invoke Rule 9.01(b) and eject or remove the offender from the ballpark.

survey service

Wrap: Miracle vs. Cubs (Class A Advanced), 8/1/12
Video: Seneca ejects Dye for playing offensive song
News: Umpire tosses music intern in Daytona