The seemingly year-long battle between players and umpires flared up again Friday night. Chris Segal, the home-plate umpire for the Yankees-Blue Jays game in Toronto, tossed out Brett Gardner in the middle of the fourth inning while Gardner sat in the dugout.
The problem? Video showed Gardner sitting on the bench and minding his business while other Yankees chirped at Segal. The umpire didn’t look into the dugout before making the ejection motion and screaming “Dugout! Gone!” so loud it could be heard on the TV feed.
Brett Gardner was ejected from the dugout, and Aaron Boone had to restrain him from the ump 😳
(via @YESNetwork) pic.twitter.com/xYAkZI0AeM
— SI MLB (@si_mlb) August 10, 2019
A fiery reaction
Gardner was ramming his bat up against the roof of the dugout in a nonchalant way when he tossed, and he wasn’t even aware of his ejection until several seconds later.
When he found out, he bounded on to the field and had to be restrained from going after Segal, telling him repeatedly that he hadn’t said a word.
Segal, of course, wasn’t about to go back on the ejection, and Gardner ended up unhappy in the clubhouse.
“I didn’t even open my mouth, which is unusual for me,” Gardner said, according to ESPN.com. “He just wanted to assume, or wanted to take a guess, and he was wrong. And then he lied to me about it — which is a huge problem — and that’s what made me a little upset.”
Brett Gardner was not quite as diplomatic as his skipper when asked about his fourth-inning ejection. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/RurPF2u5bw
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 10, 2019
A long year
The season wasn’t a week old when home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa told Astros manager A.J. Hinch that “I can do whatever I want,” and umpires appear to be taking that statement seriously.
Umpires, managers and players have been at it with one another this year seemingly more than ever. While managers and players face suspensions or fines for these altercations, the umpires are protected from any punishment.
“Of course there’s not going to be,” Gardner said. “No accountability whatsoever. Probably doesn’t have to talk to anyone about it, unfortunately. Wanted me out of the game, and that was that.
“Just be better at your job. It’s an example of a young umpire and the game’s moving too fast for him, some guys are getting in his ear.”
“Too many [of these MLB umpires] are arrogant and ignorant. And it’s a problem. Baseball needs an overhaul.”
–@AdamSchein after Astros manager, AJ Hinch, was ejected and told by the home-plate umpire that he can “do whatever [he] wants.” pic.twitter.com/eiL9GbzPpx
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) April 4, 2019
