Ump touches Ordonez; Leyland angered

[jwwashburn]

Ump touches Ordonez; Leyland angered | tigers.com: News

Disclaimer: I am a Tigers fan and my son wears #30 on his team.

I have never seen an umpire do this. What the hell was he thinking? If you want to dump Ordonez, just do it. He is arguing balls and strikes. But, what the heck is the move it along with his hand on his back?

I had no idea Leyland could move so fast.

Joe in Missouri

[FTVMartin]

He should be suspended for that one. I could see putting his hand up as if to say "Idon't want to hear it" but pushing him towards the dugout crossed the line.

[jwwashburn]

I guess I do recall an umpire pushing the Mets manager last year or the year before...

It seemed very condescending, as well.

[Ump Rube]

Not a great move there Mr. Schriber. Also should have been keeping his cap a little lower (after almost losing it when he took off his mask) Leyland is just old school enough to try to beak him (and he seems to come close). I also love the part at the end where Leyland is in the dugout yelling up to where FSN (Fox Sports North) keeps there HP mics.

[jwwashburn]

Leyland is fun to watch....my favorite was a few years back at Yankee Stadium. James Hoye dumped him and he was arguing....7th inning stretch...Leyland removes hat for God Bless America...waits and then chews on Hoye some more.

[zm1283]

Yeah the PU screwed up in this one. It wasn't even a "put your hand close to his back and walk with him" touch. It was a "I'm trying to move you toward the dugout" nudge, which is uncalled for.

[johnnyg08]

There appeared to be a lot of close pitches that were balled last night. Some of the hitters were really taking away his slot.

[johnnyg08]

You could see him say "I'm trying to keep him in the game" it appeared as though he said that a few times. I think they're getting a little carried away with it. Again a coach can be foaming at the mouth to the umpires, the umpire tried to keep him in the game for not arguing balls and strikes and now he's in the hot seat...you wonder why umpires simply will dump a guy...he's in more trouble now than had he simply ejected him. Heck, he tried to do Ordonez a favor.

[jimpiano]

Schrieber apologized and the incident is over.

From the MLB site:

The incident happened in the seventh inning Wednesday, right after Miguel Cabrera's three-run homer had put the Tigers in front. Ordonez took a called third strike he thought was inside, and stood in the batter's box for an extra couple seconds to get in a word with Schrieber.

Schrieber placed his left hand in the middle of Ordonez's back and tried to direct him towards the first-base dugout.

"He just pushed me in stride, and that's it," Ordonez said Thursday morning. "It's over. I don't think he had any bad intention to push me."

Schrieber read a prepared statement before Thursday's game.

"In yesterday's game, after I called Magglio Ordonez out on strikes, I inadvertently placed my hand on his back and ushered him away from home plate," Schrieber said, "so that I would not have to eject him for arguing balls and strikes. I should not have placed my hands on him, period. For doing so, I apologize to both Magglio Ordonez and the Detroit Tigers."

It was not clear if an umpire touching a player is a rules violation or a cause for disciplinary action. The Official Baseball Rules has a section called, "General Instructions to Umpires," which includes the following paragraph:

"You are the only official representative of baseball on the ball field. It is often a trying position which requires the exercise of much patience and good judgment, but do not forget that the first essential in working out of a bad situation is to keep your own temper and self-control."

Crew chief Joe West, who was umpiring at third base when the incident occurred, emphasized that Schrieber was trying to avoid a larger conflict.

"He shouldn't have done it," West said, "but he was trying to keep the man in the game."

Schrieber's umpiring career included several seasons in the Minor Leagues, including games when Ordonez was coming up more than a decade ago.

When asked later how much force was behind Schrieber's hand, Ordonez said, "He didn't push. He went [with a hand outstretched] like, 'Hey.' You can't do that. But like I said, he didn't have any bad intentions, like [with a pushing motion], 'Get out of here.'

"I don't have a problem. I think when you're in the game, the excitement [takes over]. I don't think he had any intention to push me."

Ordonez didn't have a problem. Still, if it was the other way around, with player putting a hand on an umpire?

"I'd be home [suspended]," Ordonez said with a smile.

It was the supposed push, Leyland said, not the called third strike, that brought Leyland storming out of the dugout.

"I never said a word about the pitch," Leyland said. "I never even went out, because I thought Magglio was going to stand there for a second and say the pitch was inside. There was really nothing going on. And when I saw him put his hand on him and kind of push him towards the dugout, I lost it. He can't do that."

The view was similar from the other dugout.

"I know Mr. Leyland was very fired up about that, to say the least," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It didn't look too kosher, let's put it that way. I think it was meant to be harmless, but it's really not."

[Arnold A.]

This is what happens when you try to be a "nice" guy. We all know where nice guys finish.

I bet Mr. Schreiber will not be as hesitant to eject in the future.