Surely, you and your friends haven't able to stop talking about it: Umpires Bob Davidson, John Hirschbeck, Jim Joyce, and Tim Welke are all retiring prior to the 2017 season. If you're currently trying to remember why any of those names sound familiar, it's probably for one the following slots of Phillies history into which each man wedged himself.
"You think I wanted to block his ass?! What the hell are you yelling at?!"
--Umpire Bob Davidson to Charlie Manuel
The relationship between a manager and an umpire is a special, coarse, profanity-laced affair in which both parties are seen chuckling and having a good time together or absolutely having meltdowns basically on top of each other.