Ump that blew call against Braves may have just ended Joey Votto’s career

Remember the umpire who called a foul ball a passed ball when the Braves were playing the Cubs? He's just ejected Joey Votto from what may be his final game with the Cincinnati Reds, and maybe the final game of his career.

In the 1st inning of the final game between the Cardinals and the Reds, Joey Votto struck out on a foul tip. He wasn't happy with the strike before, however, with good reason.

Votto didn't immediately complain after the at bat, and even fielded his position in the bottom of the 1st. However, in the second inning, once he saw how bad the strike two call was by Shane Livensparger, he wasn't going to let it slide.

The Reds legend must have seen the video of the call and came charging out of the dugout to confront Livensparger over how bad the call was. Livensparger promptly threw him out of the game.

This has not been a good week for the umpire, who missed a clear foul ball that led to a run when the Braves played the Cubs just four days ago. While Umpire Scorecards grades him as an average umpire, he clearly struggles to make the big call, as his leverage grade puts him in the 30th percentile.

Joey Votto is in the final guaranteed year of the 10-year contract extension that he signed back in 2012. The Reds have a $20 million option for 2024, but all signs lead to the team declining it and paying the $7 million buyout instead.

Votto, who is now 40 years old, hasn't made a decision about his playing career, either.

In a game where the Cardinals gave Adam Wainwright a proper send-off for an incredible career, the umpires, Shane Livensparger specifically, may have just given the rudest send-off for a potential Hall of Famer in major league history.