Milton Bradley and Mike Winters

[tcblue13]

I know this is a sport from another forum but, the situation is worth discussing here. Certainly, no official conclusions have been drawn regarding the incident but the ramifications are serious for umpires. It has never even occurred to me that a player could be baited by an umpire targetting him for ejection. I guess I am just naive. I know coaches try to get into our heads all the time. I always thought we were supposed to leave it in the past once play resumed. I realize if someone is chirp chirp chirping and is told to stop and they don't, there should be consequences. I guess what I am asking is this: Is it ever appropriate to bait a player or a coach to get him or her tossed? I would think not. Have you ever seen or heard of it happening? I have not, but, I have heard other blues tell me that they warn the coaches in the plate meeting not to argue balls and strikes just so they can prevent any chirping and they would toss a coach on a simple "Little high, blue." If Bradley was baited in some way, it certainly calls the integrity of a 17 year MLB umpire into question.