He said, he said
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Sep 13, 2009 
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As is usually the case with these sorts of matters, there are two stories being told about Alex Rodriguez’s ejection in the fifth inning.
First, a timeline:
Bottom of the fourth inning: A-Rod strikes out looking on a 2-2 pitch to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. Replays showed the pitch was off the outside corner of a plate but not egregiously so. Umpire Marty Foster calls it a strike.
Top of the fifth inning: Alex plays third base, Baltimore goes in order. He then goes into the video room next to the Yankees dugout to review the pitch. Returns to the dugout and starts yelling at Foster.
Bottom of the fifth inning: As Hideki Matsui steps to the plate, Foster ejects Rodriguez. Joe Girardi flips and is ejected too.
Now the comments:
A-Rod: “I knew it was a ball and then when I went inside and confirmed it, I got more upset. It’s just one of those things. It was a big game for us. We wanted to get back in a winning form. It’s a 2-2 pitch, bases loaded and it’s a not a good pitch. He took the bat out of my hands.
“He kept chatting with (Baltimore catcher Chad) Moeller all through my at-bat. He kept talking to him prior to the inning starting and I said, ‘Yeah, keep talking to him.’ No warning, he just threw me out.
“No warning. I thought in that situation when we need a win today, for him to take it into his own hands with no warning, I thought it was very unprofessional. I just said. ‘Keep talking to Moeller” in frustration. I was upset, I was upset at the situation. I didn’t think I put myself in a situation to get thrown out.”
Marty Foster: “He was ejected for arguing pitches from the dugout. I let him argue at the time. Nothing to get ejected for there, I calmed that down. During the next inning, he argued from third base then right before the (bottom of the fifth) inning started he was screaming from the dugout. He was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. I let him go, I let him go, but there has to be an end of it. I can’t let him argue with me all day.”
Joe Girardi: “To me these games are extremely important to us. I just thought he could have warned him. He could have said, ‘That’s enough. If you say another word, you’re gone.’ I don’t think what Al said warranted getting throwing out of the game. He just told him where the pitch was, a couple of balls outside. I just think in the game of baseball there’s a lot of emotions. When I came up, players always got warned. You know? They always said, ‘That’s enough, say one word, you’re gone.’ Today he tossed him what I thought was prematurely.”
So Girardi confirmed Foster’s side of the story. Obviously Alex did argue balls and strikes from the dugout. But it does seem that Foster acted rashly.
Foster looks bad here because he made that bad call against Derek Jeter in July. But Girardi said he didn’t think that was a factor.
Bottom line: Alex needs to stay in that game. You can’t give the umpire the opportunity to throw you out. But Foster did get carried away.
It all worked out and the Yankees won. No big deal. But it wouldn’t surprise me to see Girardi suspended for a game. He had a five-star nutty there, throwing his hat and getting physically restrained from going after Foster. MLB won’t like that too much. General Joe has been ejected four times this season.
Did Foster have an itchy trigger finger? Probably. But to say he should’ve given more leverage because “it’s an important game for us” or “we needed a win” is silly.
not totally surprised. A-Rod is a self absorbed, image-obsessed pathological liar.
*crickets*
Bottom line: It’s all ARod’s fault.
What a surprise.
Marty Foster has no credibility. That went out the window with Jeter-Gate.
He should have given him a warning. It’s not like Alex has a bad rep with umpires.
Let him take his lying, incompetent act to another location. I think we’ve all seen enough of Marty Foster this year.
World Series
Game 7
8th inning
Down 1 run
Close pitch
Called strike
In my esteemed opinion should that situation arise Girardi should get himself tossed out.
If he does we’ll win the WS.
Whatever it takes.
the umps have been screwing with the yankees all year. im surprised they didnt flip out sooner. probably because they are winning.
yankees win. this is all bs
The pitch was clearly outside.
Everyone else seemed to know that right after it was thrown. Gameday confirmed it, as did replays.
The guy was trying to stick it to the Yankees. His agenda is apparent and Alex and Girardi are sick of it. That’s what they’re NOT saying, but what you certainly are free to infer.
Clare emerges to twist my words. I never used the word “fault” in the entire post. Not once.
I wrote that he needed to stay in the game, which is what he said and what Joe Girardi said. I suppose they’re wrong too, Clare? Are they?
Or just me as usual? Unreal. If you don’t like my blog, stop reading. I’m doing this to try to inform the good, reasonable people out there.
Actually, I should acknowledge that Alex alluded to the possibility that Foster operates on a bias basis:
“I don’t know what his deal is with the Yankees.”
I have to admire Alex’s no frills post-game comments – he obviously is in a healthier state of self-respect, which is good for him personally and great for the Yankees.
Will we pay for that candor, however? If we do, it will probably be telegraphed for all to see.
“Replays showed the pitch was just off the outside corner of a plate but just a touch. Umpire Marty Foster calls it a strike.”
put another way -
Replays showed the pitch was a ball and umpire Foster missed the call.
and
If umpire Foster had not missed the call, none of this would have happened.
On the MLB.com video, it sounds like A-Rod yells out, “You should be thrown out of the (blanking) game.” Which I thought was pretty funny.
LOL.
Alex is not that splenative. Obviously, he and the Yankees have zero respect for this guy.
Peter,
I heard your question to Joe, and he made it clear that he wasn’t blaming ARod for getting tossed there. Your immediate reaction, before anyone said anything, was that ARod was at fault for getting tossed.
I never said you said “fault.” But that was clearly the implication of your post. As clear as your opinion that I’m neither a good person, nor a reasonable one.
Since you don’t know me, I really don’t care what you think of me. But since you overreacted so severely to my post, clearly you care what I think of you, which I have made very, very clear: I think you have a personal bias against ARod that colors your perception, and your blog. I also think you are way too thin-skinned for someone who has been blogging as long as you have.
In other areas of significance, Bruney will be the last to be used in a playoff game and that’s if the team is holding a substantial lead and that’s provided he makes the playoff roster.
He’s not in the circle of trust.
I remember a couple of weeks ago the announcers (I think it was ESPN or FOX) saying that the refs are on a “credibility” system. Their calls are monitored and they have to be accountable to MLB for this. Also, if they get a certain high percentage of calls right, they get a bonus.
Does anyone know about this?
Georgia
September 13th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I remember a couple of weeks ago the announcers (I think it was ESPN or FOX) saying that the refs are on a “credibility” system. Their calls are monitored and they have to be accountable to MLB for this. Also, if they get a certain high percentage of calls right, they get a bonus.
Does anyone know about this?
—————
being that there are no ‘refs’ in baseball, i call BS
Marty Foster made the wrong call and the Yankees didn’t like it. Marty Foster also pulled the ejection trigger quickly on A-Rod which led to GI Joe going commando. It is hard to see this as a big mistake by ARod, considering Foster makes it clear that he never warned A-Rod in the dugout or tried to “calm him down” before he decided to eject him. Players chirp and chirp about bad calls earlier in games and don’t get tossed, so it does seem a little off that he would get tossed that quick.
if Girardi gets suspended for a game Foster should get 3 for escalating the arguemnt. Poor umpiring.
Seems to me they could have given him a warning before kicking him out, this ump is not liked by the Yankees that’s for sure. I bet Jeter buys Arod dinner tonight. lol
Maybe in a strange way it was good for the Yanks, they have been playing very sluggish last couple of days, maybe after effect of the Jeter thing. This sort of woke them up.
Another telling thing:
Girardi was extremely upset; there was no embellishment to get the team going, etc.
That was raw, genuine outrage coming from him, which is probably why he nearly lost control (although I don’t think he would have, ultimately).
The interesting, telling part was that Girardi, after having the chance to calm down, was not the least bit contrite when speaking to the media.
He did not apologize for Alex, he backed him 100 percent, and he did not anything remotely political. Girardi is fair minded and not stupid – he would have framed his comments differently if he felt there was over reaction on his part or on the part of his player’s.
He does not respect this umpire, and I would go so far as to say I can safely infer the Yankees feel he’s out to get them.
Come on people, it was barely off the plate where many outside corners are called strikes. The fact that it was headed down and out made it look worse than it really was.
I like the fire from Arod and Girardi probably wanted to stir up a team that had fallen into a bit of a lull. Seemed to work didn’t it?
A-Rod was absolutely correct and it’s no surprise that this blog post takes yet another opportunity to bash him. It wasn’t like it was Game 6 of the ALCS so to say A-Rod was irresponsible is a joke. Alex hasn’t been thrown out of a game in 5 years so it’s not like he’s a hot head. He knew he was right and Foster has an anti-Yankee bias.
Clare:
You saw only part of the press conference, not all of it. YES doesn’t televise everything. And I do care when people misrepresent what I write as this is my job.
As to what I think of you, I can’t express that here unfortunately. I do find it funny that Alex and Joe agreed with the point I made on the blog (which is why I made it), but I’m somehow biased against Alex. So I guess he’s biased against himself? Of course.
In my next job, I’ll do a better job of ignoring people like you I hope. That’s my plan. You and your ilk have taken the fun out of covering baseball.
If I suck so much at what I do, please don’t read.
off topic: I don’t care what Abreu’s stats are, THIS is why is why I’m glad he’s no longer here
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.....id=6601105
MORE WALL FAIL FROM ABREU!
Way to go Al!
btw, when did Alex become Al? Has he always been Al and we just heard Alex because that’s what Torre used to call him?
off topic: I don’t care what Abreu’s stats are, THIS is why is why I’m glad he’s no longer here
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video…..id=6601105
MORE WALL FAIL FROM ABREU!
———–
Advice to Gardner for the next Anaheim series: loft some high flyballs to RF!
There are plenty of constructive knowledgeable posters on this blog, that contribute regularly and have been loyal for years.
Maybe pay more attention to them and tune out the rest?
Just sayin’.
pete…enough with the arod cant get thrown out there…like it was a playoff game or a big moment
Tunnel Man
September 13th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Way to go Al!
btw, when did Alex become Al? Has he always been Al and we just heard Alex because that’s what Torre used to call him?
think cause Girardi needs his little pet names for everybody. Hughesy, Cokey etc. makes me gag when he refers to guys like that
Foster should get suspended. This isn’t the first instance with him and the Yankees. If MLB is to ever clean up the problems with the umpires they need to suspend umpires when they deserve it and publicize it.
The balls and strikes are bad enough, add to it the missed plays in far too many games on calls that should have been easy.
The fans should pound the commissioner’s office with mail about this stuff. That might get Selig to wake up from his usual stupor and have him do something.
I wonder how many times Torre has been ejected this year.
I remember his last year, 2007, he was ejected a grand total of once. He didn’t believe in working the refs, no matter how bad the call.
Pete.
Sorry that you feel that way re:covering baseball. I can say that even as a Sox fan reading a Yankee blog that your baseball coverage is second to none. Your diligence is beyond belief. Thanks for what you do.
I am appreciative.
-dennis
1. bodhi nailed it – this was sincere, true emotion by both Alex and Joe. No framing of words or emotions. I like that they each referred to the need to win the game, implying, at least to me, that they take what they and the team is doing this season as very important and special. And if Foster had gotten the call correct in the first place, this incident would never have occurred.
2. What’s lost here is the second point today, Bruney’s continued lack of competence. Tony Pena made a statement in the ninth inning – we’re going to give you a chance, but if you don’t perform, that’s it, and the chances are limited. Maybe that’s the notice Bruney needs. For the sake of the team, and his sake (from what I’ve read, he seems like a decent guy) I hope he gets it together.
The Damon-ator-
But the rest of his team mates also call him Al.
the pitch was farther outside than I realized (at the time I thought it was too close to take):
http://www.brooksbaseball.net/.....v_size=500
the one who’s been getting hosed seemingly all season long if you watch for this sort of thing is Hideki Matsui.
He has had a disproportionate amount of outside (and I mean ridiculously outside) pitches called strikes. I give Hideki tremendous amounts of respect for maintaining his composure (even if his body language clearly demonstrates his immediate frustration).
Peter,
Me and “my ilk”? What exactly is my ilk? And talk about twisting someone’s words – I have never said you suck. And I have in the past qualified my very occasional criticisms of certain blog posts by telling you how much I appreciate your blog. Since you have started attacking me personally, however, (as you have today and in the past), I really don’t feel the need to include those statements.
I really think you need some perspective here. Your personal animosity towards me is neither healthy nor warranted.
More nonsense from the no-nothings.
Torre is like #2 on the all time ejections list.
2. What’s lost here is the second point today, Bruney’s continued lack of competence. Tony Pena made a statement in the ninth inning – we’re going to give you a chance, but if you don’t perform, that’s it, and the chances are limited. Maybe that’s the notice Bruney needs. For the sake of the team, and his sake (from what I’ve read, he seems like a decent guy) I hope he gets it togethe
girardi actually said in post game the reason they took out Bruney was pitch count related and they wanted him fresh for tomorrow.
Mac Daddy:
You might want to pay better attention. They had lost two straight to a bad team and were tied 3-3 at the time of the ejection and were struggling offensively. They have the Angels coming in tomorrow with Weaver pitching and then get Roy Halladay on Tuesday.
This was a big game for them. They all said so after the game.
The Damon-ator-
you didn’t answer the question: how many times had Torre been ejected this ? Plus, it’s a stone cold fact, he was only ejected once in his final season. It’s no wonder why the veterans didn’t step up for him during his dismissal.
“The fans should pound the commissioner’s office with mail about this stuff.”
We should do it.
If every one from this blog sends a e-mail that would a few hundred mails.
We can not ignore this umpires BS for ever especially from anti Yankee guys like Foster.
Does any one know the e-mail of MLB to send to?
Pete? SJ?
I want to know what he was talking to Moeller about. I hope Alex explains…
Clare
it is arods fault for getting booted
even if he is right
what happens in the playoffs if arod,tex flip out & get thrown out & it costs us the game?
the bottom line is you cant get tossed because all it does is weakens the team
baseball 101
The LoHud Arod Haters Blog
Alex also said “He kept chatting with (Baltimore catcher Chad) Moeller all through my at-bat.” I can see how this would be very upsetting to the batter as it indicates the ump may not be concentrating enough himself at that critical point in the game, as well as affecting Alex’s ability to concentrate when someone is babbling as he is batting.
Am I overstating this as an issue or is this a valid complaint by Alex?
Alex crying about a Mariano Strike Zone pitch????
Sicilian!-
Pete may not like Al, but if he does it’s not because of his race, rather because Al has usually been less than cooperative with the working press.
“Let him take his lying, incompetent act to another location. I think we’ve all seen enough of Marty Foster this year.”
that’s what I’m worried about – what SJ alluded too.
I don’t want to see Marty Foster anywhere near a playoff game.
Hopefully post season umpire assignments are still handed out on merit.
“it is arods fault for getting booted
even if he is right
what happens in the playoffs if arod,tex flip out & get thrown out & it costs us the game?
the bottom line is you cant get tossed because all it does is weakens the team
baseball 101″
You guys are talking like A-Rod gets himself tossed frequently. This is once in five years. Stop unwarranted criticism of A-Rod. He very rarely argues balls and strikes.
We have some hyper-sensitive Alex posters on this blog. Seriously. Pete — biased? Come on. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. You need to chill.
Pete — agree that it was a big game for the team emotionally.
Now, how can we get rid of that clown Foster…
DT – OPPC member (blood type – Positive)
September 13th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
“Let him take his lying, incompetent act to another location. I think we’ve all seen enough of Marty Foster this year.”
that’s what I’m worried about – what SJ alluded too.
I don’t want to see Marty Foster anywhere near a playoff game.
Hopefully post season umpire assignments are still handed out on merit.
————————————————————
I don’t think that is much concern about Foster getting a post season assignment. He’s had more than these two issues, and these turned into, or will, turn into high profile screwups. He’s been this bad since he came into the leagues.
“You guys are talking like A-Rod gets himself tossed frequently. This is once in five years.”
Agree. You don’t want your clean up hitter getting tossed, and it was unfortunate but this isn’t a habit. The Yankees won, avoided getting swept and its on to the next game.
Shame on the Rays for being spineless jellyfish.
For the Tampa Yanks, David Phelps set down Charlotte in order with one strikeout.
One out on a grounder by Brewer, leading off the bottom of the first.
Rays started mailing the games in as soon as they got done losing to Boston in that 3-game series at the Trop. Amazingly, they have not won since. So much for Maddon dying his hair black and going Johnny Cash.
Adams out on a high pop fly to the outfield.
Romine now batting. For those that don’t know about Romine. He has some serious power, good average and very good foot speed. Double figures in homers and steals in a pitchers, league.
He did however just strikeout to end the first, 1-2-3.
Frankly Chris, I’m glad they were spineless jellyfish when the Yankees swept them 4 straight.
The rays pitching is doing its job. I don’t think the hitters brought their bats.
pete…obviously they dont want to lose 3 in a row but being that this team sits arod for a game a week (i know- his hip), him getting tossed wasnt all that big…
Clare,
Just want to say I have never known your posts to be disrespectful or gratuitous.
You’ve always expressed yourself with grace and intelligence.
GB7,
Are you getting the Charlotte radio cast of the Tampa game? Or some other source?
BTW: I saw Angellini make a couple of nice plays in person for the first time yesterday. I wrote about it on another blog entry. He also seemed to have a plan at the plate.
jennifer
September 13th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
The rays pitching is doing its job. I don’t think the hitters brought their bats.
—————————————————-
Losing their #4 hitter(Pena)really hurts them alot.
Charlotte batting in the top of the 2nd inning.
Line drive back through the box and into center field. Phelps tried to flag it down with his bare hand. I’m sure that the collective Yankee hearts were in their throats.
Phelps was a late July call-up from Charleston. Not bad for a first year pitcher.
Bouncing single between 1st and 2nd.
Line drive DP, SS to 2nd base.
Single between SS and 3rd base. 3 hits, but, the hardest hit was the DP liner to short.
Phelps hasn’t walked anybody yet, but, more balls than strikes.
Soft liner, pitcher, 2nd, first.
bodhisattva – Destiny Wears Pinstripes
September 13th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Clare,
Just want to say I have never known your posts to be disrespectful or gratuitous.
You’ve always expressed yourself with grace and intelligence.
GB7,
Are you getting the Charlotte radio cast of the Tampa game? Or some other source?
BTW: I saw Angellini make a couple of nice plays in person for the first time yesterday. I wrote about it on another blog entry. He also seemed to have a plan at the plate.
————————————————————
Picking up the Charlotte feed, Bod.
That guy you saw playing shortstop yesterday for Staten Island wasn’t Angelini. It was me. I had to borrow Carmen’s jersey.
bodhisattva,
Thanks so much, that means a lot to me.
And I realize I tweak Pete’s nerves, but that’s not why I’m here. I do appreciate this blog, and think it’s the best Yankee blog around, and I particularly enjoy the community of commenters.
two quick outs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Sublett grounds out and Laird popped up to the infield. Smith grounds out to 2nd base.
6 up, 6 down for Tampa.
That guy you saw playing shortstop yesterday for Staten Island wasn’t Angelini. It was me. I had to borrow Carmen’s jersey.
====
Well, goodness, GB7, considering you claim to have grand children, I’d say you’re pretty well preserved and should be thinking about a patent instead of trying to make it the the bigs.
Clare, not to worry…He’s called me an “ilk”, also.
“In my next job, I’ll do a better job of ignoring people like you I hope. That’s my plan. You and your ilk have taken the fun out of covering baseball.
If I suck so much at what I do, please don’t read.”
Pete,
Wow, every couple of weeks it seems like you have a blowup with some poster and it gets very personal with you towards that poster. It doesn’t have to be that way as the power to “ignore” is a great tool that you need to utilize a lot more than you have on this blog.
I think we can all agree with Pete that A-Rod shouldn’t have gotten thrown out there. Whose fault was it? Well, Pete said A-Rod shouldn’t have given Foster the “opportunity” to do it.
But both Girardi and Al said that Foster essentially had an itchy trigger finger and ejected him prematurely, without warning. This is also an umpire who blew a ball/strike call in a high-leverage situation earlier in the game and once told Derek Jeter he didn’t need to be tagged to be out on a non-force play at third, because the ball beat him.
I think objective people can reach their own opinions on this matter. I like A-Rod’s fire, his batter’s eye and his approach at the plate. He should take that pitch every time and the umpire should call it a ball every time..
bodhisattva – Destiny Wears Pinstripes
September 13th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
That guy you saw playing shortstop yesterday for Staten Island wasn’t Angelini. It was me. I had to borrow Carmen’s jersey.
====
Well, goodness, GB7, considering you claim to have grand children, I’d say you’re pretty well preserved and should be thinking about a patent instead of trying to make it the the bigs.
————————————————————
It’s good to here that he’s learning something, Bod. Last year, he was totally lost on offense and defense. He should have started in Staten Island. It’s cost him a year.
Hall beats out another infield hit to short.
Phelps is not sharp with control.
3-1 count and gives up a line triple down the right field line. 1-0, Charlotte.
Can’t we all just get along?
Walk to the third batter, Anderson.
I think the pitchers don’t like throwing to Romine.
I read this blog because I’m interested in the insights Peter Abraham provides.
If I wanted to hear self-important blowhards attempt to make me believe their opinions are more valid that the knowledgeable working press, I’d listen to WFAN.
The fact that Clare attempts to elucidate WHY she’s right comes off condescending and shows an over inflated sense of worth.
Go away.
Gloria
September 13th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Can’t we all just get along?
=====
I know, right?
Everyone is talking about this in reference to this single pitch and Alex’s response. It was clearly about a lot more than that. There is history with this ump and the Yankees were clearly fed up with him.
Just who exactly is going to call him out on it? Everybody knew Jeter wasn’t going to do it, not his nature. Alex stepped up to act as a leader for a change and blasted the guy. Girardi didn’t tell Alex to calm down because he is just as upset.
What actually happened was that Foster let it fester and waited and waited for his chance to toss Alex. No warning, none at all. That is how Alex got tossed. He didn’t keep talking after being warned, he wasn’t warned. Was he being excessive, probably, but many other players have done the same thing and not gotten tossed.
So who is at “fault”? According to the “accepted operating procedures” Foster did not maintain control of the situation by issuing a warning. Foster is the one at “fault”.
Alex probably would have shut up if warned and not been ejected in the first place. So all this talk about what a big mistake it was in such a close game is a mute point if it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. That is on Foster, not Alex. And obviously, Giradi agreed and he is the only one that counts.
Ouch. Error on a grounder to 1st baseman, Smith. Tried turning a 3-6-3 DP and threw the ball into left field. Run scored.
Fly ball to right. First out. Runners on 1st and 3rd.
Another single up the middle for an RBI. Phelps again tried to flag it down with his bare hand.
3-0 Charlotte. Phelps does not have it, so far.
Double off the wall in left center. 1 run in and, it’s 40-1, 1 out in the top of the third. Interesting note, they have 2nd baseman playing left field, today. Phelps is out of the game.
Actually, it’s only 4-0. Just seems like 40-1.
Heredia in
I was at the game and watched the play both live and on the Cisco CCTV in my section. The strikeout pitch on ARod was clearly outside, in that scenario with an Ump that has had known issues with this team and with the bases juiced in a tie game a veteran slugger show know better than to get called out on that close of a pitch. Foul it back, even with his hip problem he should have the bat speed to foul off that pitch.
Yelling at the Ump while your at the plate, I understand, flipping out after looking at a replay and continuing to yell at the Ump from the dugout strikes me as unprofessional.
Girardi getting tossed for defending his player I fully understand. I’m not a huge fan of Girardi as manager, I think he uses the bullpen oddly and tends to leave he’s starting pitchers in too long, but he did the right thing here.
The smart move is to complain, formally, to MLB about Foster’s behavior. Might still make sense to do so
“The strikeout pitch on ARod was clearly outside, in that scenario with an Ump that has had known issues with this team and with the bases juiced in a tie game a veteran slugger show know better than to get called out on that close of a pitch. Foul it back, even with his hip problem he should have the bat speed to foul off that pitch.”
Wow, you’re an idiot. You’re actually blaming the hitter for having a better eye than an umpire, who’s job it is to call balls and strikes? Is this post a joke?
Incidentally, on the Orioles channel, which I was watching because YES got blacked out where I am, the pitch was a strike using their replay technology. It makes you wonder about the value of those boxes used these days. Just another venue for a sponsor?
The smart move is to complain, formally, to MLB about Foster’s behavior. Might still make sense to do so
**************************************************
It makes no sense at all – because nothing is ever done.
A-Rod never argues, so he has major cred.
Did the Yanks lose any of the games where Girardi got tossed?
I just hope A-Rod continues to kick “butt” after this incident.
I know A-Rod has a bad temper, but the umpires abuse their authority. I wish there was a way that robotics could be used instead of the umps. They can make a team loose or win. I guess they have made bets among themselves. I have been watching baseball games for over 50 years and if it was up to me, I would throw out all the umpires. Rodriguez should not have been thrown out of the game.. He was fighting for what was right. It was a ball and not a strike.
Alex getting tossed was all Clare’s fault. She was heckling him throughout the game!
When evaluating Foster’s potential prejudice against the Yankees, don’t forget the “empty glove” call he made on Tex at the plate the day before the Jeter call. No professional umpire should have missed that call.
Something has to be done about this guy. He blew the call on Jeter sliding into 3rd and said “The Ball beat him, he didn’t need to tag him”. He blew a call on Teixeira at home when he didn’t even have the ball in his glove.
Then again yesterday.
He better not be umping in the playoffs.
At this point of the season players should know the tendencies of umpires, just as they should know the tendencies of opposing pitchers. A-Rod as many of the Yankees tends to take close pitches at times when you should be protecting the plate with 2 strikes. If you know the ump tends to call those type of pitches, then with 2 strikes you need to swing to spoil the pitch, especially in a close game with 2 outs and the bases loaded. He of all players gets paid to hit not to take walks. In A-Rods defense the strike zones some of these umps have is ridiculous!