Carlos Zambrano. What a nutcase this guy is.
Yesterday in his start against the Pirates, he threw a wild pitch in the 7th inning with a runner on third. The runner, Nyjer Morgan, broke for home as Cubs catcher Geovany Soto went to retrieve the ball. Soto threw the ball to Zambrano covering home plate. Both Zambrano and Morgan reached home at the same time, and Zambrano applied the tag for what appeared to be an out. But the home plate umpire, Mark Carlson called Morgan safe, and Zambrano went nuts!
Zambrano began to plead his case with Carlson. They got in each other's faces before they bumped each other during the arguing. Zambrano was subsequently thrown out of the game. Zambrano then "threw" Carlson out of the game, and after Cubs manager Lou Piniella came out to argue, as well, Zambrano slowly started walking away from the scene. When he crossed the foul line near the front end of the Cubs dugout with the ball still in his hand, he turned and launched the ball into the left field bleachers. He then hurled his glove in the direction of the dugout, and when he got into the dugout, he continued his heated tirade, finishing it off by taking a bat to the side of a soda machine near the entrance to the clubhouse form the dugout.
Replays showed the umpire had made the right call. Morgan just got his left hand under the tag before Zambrano applied the tag. That run tied the game at two, but the Cubs would eventually regain the lead and hold on for a 5-2 win. However, after reviewing the play today, MLB got the last laugh, suspending Zambrano for six games (one start). An appeal is likely on behalf of the union, and Zambrano might be able to get the suspension reduced by a game.
But I suppose he will never learn. Piniella couldn't keep from laughing afterwards during the post-game news conference when asked about it, but clearly indicated that Zambrano needs to "tone it down." Coming from Piniella, that's pretty funny itself. But in reality, he's right. It's one thing to argue or dispute a close call like that, and then just walk away when it's obvious you aren't going to winthe argument. But Zambrano always chooses to take it one step further, like he did yesterday, then later claim, he's "just a competitor." C'mon, Carlos. Competitors don't lose their cool like that over one questionable call. Be a man and accept responsibility for your actions.
Later in the evening, in another wild game, there was a disputed home run in the Nationals/Mets game. With a runner on first, Daniel Murphy hit what appeared to be a home run in the sixth inning, but was ruled a double on the field. The runner, Gary Sheffield, pulled up and slowed down as he apporached home plate thinking it was a home run, but was tagged out before he could cross home plate. But the Mets disputed that the ball was in fact a home run.
The Mets argued that Murphy's liner hit a yellow and white Subway ad on the facade of the second deck in right field, which hangs about eight feet over the field. The ball landed back in the field of play and was ruled in play. However, replays were inconclusive and couldn't clearly confirm the Mets' claim of a home run. But when the umpires re-emerged from underneath the stands on the third base side after reviewing the play, they overturned the call and field and ruled it a home run.
I watched numerous video replays on mlb.com, espn.com, ESPNEWS, SportsCenter, MLB Network, SNY, who carried the game for the Mets, and MASN, who had the game for Washington. It wasn't until MLB Network froze the frame and enlarged it that you could really see anything. I was able to barely see the ball graze the sign, but it still wasn't conclusive enough, in my opinion, for the umpires to overturn it. That said, the Mets caught a break, and the Nationals got robbed.
And what made the game even weirder on top of all that, if it's even possible, was Mets starter Johan Santana wasn't his usual dominant self. He struck out 11 in six innings, but was visibly off tonight as he threw 120 pitches while walking six, very uncharacteristic of Santana. And he gave up a mammoth of a home run to Adam Dunn, who launched a 465-blast into the right field seats.
But what was characteristic of the Mets in this game, was another player, this time rookie outfielder Fernando Martinez, playing in just his second career major league game, failing to run out an infield pop-up that was dropped. He was thrown out at first, and was booed mercilessly his next time up. In the end, though, the Mets pulled out a 7-4 win.
This afternoon, in another weird game in Minnesota, both starting catchers and both managers were ejected from the game. In the seventh inning of the Red Sox/Twins game, after Jason Varitek his his second home run of the game to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead, Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly to right field. The runner at third tagged up and hustled home to try and score, but Jason Kubel made a perfect throw to Mike Redmond at home plate, and applied the tag. However, home plate umpire, Todd Tichenor called the runner safe, and the run was applied making it 3-1 Red Sox.
Redmond began to plead his case and was tossed almost immediately, prompting Twins manager Ron Gardenhire to come out and argue, who was then ejected by Tichenor, as well. Replays showed that the runner was out.
Joe Mauer, usually the everyday catcher for the Twins, was acting as the DH today, so when Redmond was ejected, Mauer had to take over behind the plate, and the Twins were forced to give up their DH for the last three innings.
Then in the bottom of the inning, Varitek tried to frame a pitch for a called third strike on Brendan Harris. But when he didn't get that call, Varitek turned around and started arguing with Tichenor, who then tossed him. Then Terry Francona came out to defend Varitek, and he was then tossed. Replays on the disputed pitch showed the ball was a few inches outside the strike zone.
Despite all the ejections and arguing, the Red Sox prevailed, 3-1, and regained a half game lead in first place in the AL East over the Yankees.
I've seen a lot of weird things over the years, but it's been a long time since I've seen so many in such a short period of time.
Yesterday in his start against the Pirates, he threw a wild pitch in the 7th inning with a runner on third. The runner, Nyjer Morgan, broke for home as Cubs catcher Geovany Soto went to retrieve the ball. Soto threw the ball to Zambrano covering home plate. Both Zambrano and Morgan reached home at the same time, and Zambrano applied the tag for what appeared to be an out. But the home plate umpire, Mark Carlson called Morgan safe, and Zambrano went nuts!
Zambrano began to plead his case with Carlson. They got in each other's faces before they bumped each other during the arguing. Zambrano was subsequently thrown out of the game. Zambrano then "threw" Carlson out of the game, and after Cubs manager Lou Piniella came out to argue, as well, Zambrano slowly started walking away from the scene. When he crossed the foul line near the front end of the Cubs dugout with the ball still in his hand, he turned and launched the ball into the left field bleachers. He then hurled his glove in the direction of the dugout, and when he got into the dugout, he continued his heated tirade, finishing it off by taking a bat to the side of a soda machine near the entrance to the clubhouse form the dugout.
Replays showed the umpire had made the right call. Morgan just got his left hand under the tag before Zambrano applied the tag. That run tied the game at two, but the Cubs would eventually regain the lead and hold on for a 5-2 win. However, after reviewing the play today, MLB got the last laugh, suspending Zambrano for six games (one start). An appeal is likely on behalf of the union, and Zambrano might be able to get the suspension reduced by a game.
But I suppose he will never learn. Piniella couldn't keep from laughing afterwards during the post-game news conference when asked about it, but clearly indicated that Zambrano needs to "tone it down." Coming from Piniella, that's pretty funny itself. But in reality, he's right. It's one thing to argue or dispute a close call like that, and then just walk away when it's obvious you aren't going to winthe argument. But Zambrano always chooses to take it one step further, like he did yesterday, then later claim, he's "just a competitor." C'mon, Carlos. Competitors don't lose their cool like that over one questionable call. Be a man and accept responsibility for your actions.
Later in the evening, in another wild game, there was a disputed home run in the Nationals/Mets game. With a runner on first, Daniel Murphy hit what appeared to be a home run in the sixth inning, but was ruled a double on the field. The runner, Gary Sheffield, pulled up and slowed down as he apporached home plate thinking it was a home run, but was tagged out before he could cross home plate. But the Mets disputed that the ball was in fact a home run.
The Mets argued that Murphy's liner hit a yellow and white Subway ad on the facade of the second deck in right field, which hangs about eight feet over the field. The ball landed back in the field of play and was ruled in play. However, replays were inconclusive and couldn't clearly confirm the Mets' claim of a home run. But when the umpires re-emerged from underneath the stands on the third base side after reviewing the play, they overturned the call and field and ruled it a home run.
I watched numerous video replays on mlb.com, espn.com, ESPNEWS, SportsCenter, MLB Network, SNY, who carried the game for the Mets, and MASN, who had the game for Washington. It wasn't until MLB Network froze the frame and enlarged it that you could really see anything. I was able to barely see the ball graze the sign, but it still wasn't conclusive enough, in my opinion, for the umpires to overturn it. That said, the Mets caught a break, and the Nationals got robbed.
And what made the game even weirder on top of all that, if it's even possible, was Mets starter Johan Santana wasn't his usual dominant self. He struck out 11 in six innings, but was visibly off tonight as he threw 120 pitches while walking six, very uncharacteristic of Santana. And he gave up a mammoth of a home run to Adam Dunn, who launched a 465-blast into the right field seats.
But what was characteristic of the Mets in this game, was another player, this time rookie outfielder Fernando Martinez, playing in just his second career major league game, failing to run out an infield pop-up that was dropped. He was thrown out at first, and was booed mercilessly his next time up. In the end, though, the Mets pulled out a 7-4 win.
This afternoon, in another weird game in Minnesota, both starting catchers and both managers were ejected from the game. In the seventh inning of the Red Sox/Twins game, after Jason Varitek his his second home run of the game to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead, Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly to right field. The runner at third tagged up and hustled home to try and score, but Jason Kubel made a perfect throw to Mike Redmond at home plate, and applied the tag. However, home plate umpire, Todd Tichenor called the runner safe, and the run was applied making it 3-1 Red Sox.
Redmond began to plead his case and was tossed almost immediately, prompting Twins manager Ron Gardenhire to come out and argue, who was then ejected by Tichenor, as well. Replays showed that the runner was out.
Joe Mauer, usually the everyday catcher for the Twins, was acting as the DH today, so when Redmond was ejected, Mauer had to take over behind the plate, and the Twins were forced to give up their DH for the last three innings.
Then in the bottom of the inning, Varitek tried to frame a pitch for a called third strike on Brendan Harris. But when he didn't get that call, Varitek turned around and started arguing with Tichenor, who then tossed him. Then Terry Francona came out to defend Varitek, and he was then tossed. Replays on the disputed pitch showed the ball was a few inches outside the strike zone.
Despite all the ejections and arguing, the Red Sox prevailed, 3-1, and regained a half game lead in first place in the AL East over the Yankees.
I've seen a lot of weird things over the years, but it's been a long time since I've seen so many in such a short period of time.
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