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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Bench Clearing in Tampa Results in Warnings not Ejections

When benches cleared after a Red Sox-Rays HBP, ejections were withheld in favor of warnings.

It all started in the first inning, with a leadoff home run by Rays right fielder Matt Joyce off of Red Sox pitcher John Lackey that, at the time, narrowed the Sox' lead to a 6-1 Rays deficit.

In the bottom of the second, Joyce had the green light on a 3-0 count and turned on the ensuing fastball, sending a foul ball deep into the right field corner bleachers. After a 3-1 groundout to end the frame, Lackey engaged Joyce in confrontation, apparently perturbed at Joyce's disposal of his bat following the foul. Lackey believed Joyce flipped the bat as if to show up the hurler on a home run, while Joyce claimed he dropped the bat in disappointment the ball had hooked foul.
Brawl that wasn't: Benches clear, but no punches.


In the sixth, with two out, none on and a 0-1 count, Lackey hit Joyce with an up-and-in 90-mph fastball, sending Joyce and Lackey into an immediate confrontation while Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia stepped in between the two, putting his hands (and mitt) on Joyce, who shoved back, inciting the benches to clear as Lackey walked into the fray.

After some animated pushing and shoving by both teams, plate umpire Tom Hallion and crewmates Phil Cuzzi, Chris Guccione and Ron Kulpa conversed and elected to issue warnings in lieu of ejecting any personnel from either team. After a Ben Zobrist double, Lackey was lifted from the game amidst a chorus of Tropicana Field boos.

Rule 8.02(d) governs the case of a pitcher intentionally throwing at a batter and obliges the umpire to:
1. Expel the pitcher, or the manager and the pitcher, from the game, or
2. Warn the pitcher and the manager of both teams that another such pitch will result in the immediate expulsion of that pitcher (or a replacement) and the manager.
If, in the umpire's judgment, circumstances warrant, both teams may be officially "warned" prior to the game or at any time during the game. 
In regards to a fight situation, each umpire has the authority to disqualify team uniformed personnel for "objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language" [OBR Rule 9.01(d)].

Video: A hit-by-pitch, interpreted as intentional by Tampa Bay, results in warnings but no ejections (TB)
Video: MLB Network analyzes Joyce's at-bats against Lackey leading to the bench-clearing incident (MLB)

19 comments:

  1. Lackey should of been tossed. No brainer.

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  2. "amidst a Tropicana Field of boos", the whole front three rows behind the Red Sox dugout were clapping. And the 200 Rays fans actually there were booing.

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  3. Agreed...Poor situational awareness by Hallion, IMO.

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  4. I am not sure why (after giving up 2 HRs) Lackey was not admonished about his behavior. The inconsistency with how umpires do this is not good for MLB. Inconsistency of strike zone from umpire to umpire is acceptable. Differing opinions on safety are not.



    Plus, come on, the Red Sox SUCK yak nads. They should bring back Francona!

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  5. Before the gripers gripity-gripe, obviously my last statement was facetious.

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  6. I heard some rays players and coaches were barking at Hallion (surprise, surprise) about something after the benches cleared. They probably were barking at him because they thought Lackey should have been ejected

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  7. Watching Blue Jays-White Sox. Ed Hickox appears to have a cast on his right arm. What happened?

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  8. Wally Bell just ejected Giants Pitcher George Kontos and Giants Manager Bruce Bochy for throwing at Andrew McCutchen in the PIT/SF game.

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  9. Was in the middle of editing that comment when you responded. Yes, warnings were issued two batters prior when Kontos threw behind Starling Marte.

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  10. probably the retaliation for when Scutaro was hit

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  11. Jordan Baker just dumped Billy Butler in the 9th on an inside pitch he clearly missed.

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  12. Benches cleared in the Dodgers-Diamondbacks game, Kirk Gibson and Ian Kennedy ejected

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  13. Easiest ejections Fagan will ever have.

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  14. Here's a video of it
    http://atmlb.com/13WncQ8

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  15. Mark MacGwire and Yasiel Puig were also ejected according to MLB twitter

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  16. Ejections: Arizona Diamondbacks Manager Kirk Gibson ejected
    by HP umpire Clint Fagan (7th); Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian
    Kennedy ejected by HP umpire Clint Fagan (7th); Arizona Diamondbacks
    Assistant Hitting Coach Turner Ward ejected by HP umpire Clint Fagan
    (7th); Los Angeles Dodgers Batting Coach Mark McGwire ejected by HP
    umpire Clint Fagan (7th); Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig
    ejected by HP umpire Clint Fagan (7th)

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  17. Hallion took a pretty good elbow in the middle of the back, that must have hurt

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  18. I am surprised that Justin Upton was not thrown out on this argument. http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=27951043&topic_id=8879838

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