Hello all. First, I'd like to start out by saying I have never been an umpire for anything beyond a pick-up baseball game (I'd like one day when I am able to in my job to perhaps get into umpiring), but I have found this site useful for finding out rules interpretations and I do enjoy the discussions I have read here.
I was at the Padres-Rockies game this afternoon and unfortunately, I could see a problem between Bradley and Winters coming from the moment Bradley flipped his bat. Brian Runge went to talk to Bud Black for a pitching change and I do not believe he saw the bat flip (from my angle, it didn't look like Bradley flipped it AT Runge, it was more towards the dugout, but definitely in disgust). At that point, Winters took a few quick steps towards home, but instead looked to Froemming and then went and talked to him at second. Winters was obviously talking about Bradley, because he kept pointing at Bradley and mimmicking throwing a bat. After the Top of the 6th, Winters went and had presumably the same conversation with Runge, again with the pointing and mimmicking. When Bradley reached first in his next AB, Winters came in closer to the bag as usual, but you could see he was already talking, and at that point, I knew Bradley wasn't going to be in the game much longer.
I don't know what was said and by whom since I'm not priviliged enough to sit that close to the game. I don't condone Bradley (or any ballplayer) when he does something stupid, or make excuses when they deserve to get tossed (e.g. Bradley v. Cuzzi). In this case, I can't say I blame Bradley, and I don't think Winters is being totally truthful. Bobby Meachem has no reason to lie and does not argue, and Bruce Froemming certainly isn't going to come out and say Winters was wrong, even if he was, to the public. It was a sad situation for all (although I suppose many of you will think it was hilarious that Bradley got injured in the whole thing).
Hope I didn't ramble too much.
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