I'm no body-language expert, but that doesn't look like the reaction of a guy who intentionally drilled a batter. So, I watched the video.
Man, that umpire overreacted. It was an inside pitch that got away from Hoch, but when Trout instinctually tried to get out of the way, his hands dropped down to his waist and the ball hit the end of his bat. I would love to hear the ump's explanation as to why Hoch deserved to be tossed from the game for that play. It wasn't a head-hunting pitch. It wasn't a pitch to the center of Trout's back. It was an inside, hip-high pitch that probably would have hit Trout in the thigh had the bat not been in the way. Above all else, it was a foul ball. Has a pitcher ever been ejected for a foul ball pitch before?
In my eyes, the ump got the call wrong, which happens. Then I realized the game was in LA/Anaheim, which made me wonder, was Frank Drebin back behind the dish? Because that is the only way that call makes sense to me.
3 comments:
Great post... love the Frank Drebin comparison.
I went down and saw that game yesterday. By the 4th, Jared Weaver had already hit Lorenzo Cain twice in the legs. Lorenzo was quite displeased on the second one, and took his time walking down to first...I'm guessing he was having some choice words with someone, but didn't charge the mound or anything. I think that put the Ump on edge, so then when Mike Trout came up awhile later and got "beaned" the ump felt like he had to do something.
Not that it was all that important...the first 3 innings the Royals had put on a clinic of how to play bad baseball. Errors on defense, Hoch threw to the wrong base on a grounder, wasting baserunners...it was all in full view.
Luckily I saw the 4-1 win on Tuesday. :-)
Greinke just had to out do Hoch! "You go tossed in the 4th inning? Let me show you how an Ace does it!"
Boom! Gone in four PITCHES!
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