Keon Broxton Hits Umpire with Thrown Batting Glove
Welcome to Week 22 of Ejection Inspection! The premise and ground rules are detailed here. The condensed version: each ejection from the previous week (Thursday through Wednesday) is listed in a table. The author – a former player/coach/umpire – analyzes each ejection and assigns it an entertainment rating of one to five Weavers in honor of late Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver. This week had some strange occurrences. A player on the injured list got himself tossed. A future Hall of Fame pitcher was ejected in the middle of an inning. The Colorado Rockies had three go in the same week, doubling their season total. Strangest of all, Keon Broxton of the Seattle Mariners threw a batting glove over his shoulder and hit the plate umpire.
(For a list of every article in this series, click here.)
There were 10 ejections in Week 22 – eight players, one manager, and a pitching coach.
Ejection Table
| Date | Team | Opp | Inn. | Name | Pos | Umpire | Pos | Reason | ||
| 1 | Fri | 8/23 | MIL | AZ | T6 | Lorenzo Cain | CF | Ryan Blakney | HP | Arguing balls/strikes |
| 2 | Sat | 8/24 | CHC | WSN | T5 | Ian Happ | PH | Vic Carapazza | HP | Arguing balls/strikes |
| 3 | Sat | 8/24 | CHC | WSN | T5 | Willson Contreras | C | Hunter Wendelstedt | 2B | Arguing balls/strikes |
| 4 | Sat | 8/24 | COL | @STL | B7 | Yonathan Daza | CF | Paul Emmel | HP | Throwing equipment in dissent |
| 5 | Sun | 8/25 | BAL | TB | T5 | Doug Brocail | PtC | John Bacon | 1B | Arguing checked swing |
| 6 | Mon | 8/26 | SEA | NYY | T3 | Keon Broxton | RF | Manny Gonzalez | HP | Hitting umpire with thrown equipment |
| 7 | Tue | 8/27 | CIN | @MIA | B8 | Amir Garrett | P | Ryan Blakney | HP | Arguing a checked swing |
| 8 | Tue | 8/27 | HOU | TB | T6 | Justin Verlander | P | Pat Hoberg | HP | Arguing balls/strikes |
| 9 | Wed | 8/28 | COL | BOS | B9 | Charlie Blackmon | RF | Jerry Meals | HP | Arguing balls/strikes |
| 10 | Wed | 8/28 | COL | BOS | B9 | Bud Black | Mgr | Jerry Meals | HP | Arguing balls/strikes |
Lorenzo Cain, Milwaukee Brewers Center Fielder
When
Friday, August 23rd, vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, between fifth and sixth innings
Umpire
Ryan Blakney (HP)
Description
Cain came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth with two out, runners on first and second, and a 6-0 lead. On 2-1, Diamondbacks pitcher Matt Andriese threw a pitch just above the knees and down the middle for a called strike two. Cain did NOT like that call, shaking his head as he breathed out hard in frustration. The next pitch was a breaking ball that missed the plate inside by about two ball widths. Blakney called strike three, ending the inning. Cain turned around and passionately argued. Blakney said “Stop” twice. Cain did not slow down, so Blakney threw him out.
Understand the frustration?
Yes. That pitch wasn’t even close.
Were the ejections justified?
Yes, since Blakney told Cain to stop twice, although it felt like a quick trigger.
Entertainment Rating
One Weaver, but solely because it didn’t last long.
Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs Pinch Hitter
Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs Catcher (on injured list)
When
Saturday, August 24th, vs. Washington Nationals, top of the fifth
Umpires
Happ: Vic Carapazza (HP)
Contreras: Hunter Wendelstedt (2B)
Description
In the bottom of the fourth, Happ pinch hit with the bases loaded and the Cubs trailing, 5-1. On 0-1, he took strike two in the upper part of the zone. He looked back and asked a question or two before continuing. He took a very high ball and then fouled one off before taking ball two well below the zone. After another foul ball, he took a pitch in the dirt, making the count full. He then took a sharply tailing fastball near the outside corner for a called third strike.
Happ threw his bat to the side as he yelled. He then said something while making large motions with his arm. Carapazza tossed him right then and there.
Then, with one out in the top of the fifth, Cubs manager Joe Maddon came out of the dugout and asked Wendelstedt, “Why did you kick him out?” A calm but extended discussion ensued. When it ended, few knew who had been dismissed from the game.
Understand the frustration?
Yes. That pitch was NASTY. It could have been a strike that nipped the plate as it broke late. If so, it was almost unhittable; if it truly missed the plate, then it should have been ball four. (PitchCast cannot be trusted, since those are based on where the catcher catches it. This pitch was heading toward the middle of the plate and tailed sharply. The camera angle was not direct; it was off to the pitcher’s right side, so it had a parallax effect.)
Was the ejection justified?
What Happ said is unknown, since no camera or microphone picked it up, so it is hard to say. As for Contreras, his ejection completely slipped under the radar.
Entertainment Rating
Happ: One Weaver. This did not last long.
Contreras: Zero, since few knew that he was ejected in the first place.
Maddon went out to talk to the umpires in the 5th inning because Willson Contreras had been ejected for yelling from the bench.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) August 24, 2019
Yonathan Daza, Colorado Rockies Center Fielder
When
Saturday, August 24th, at St. Louis Cardinals, middle of the seventh inning
Umpire
Paul Emmel (HP)
Description
On 1-2, Daza took a pitch that was very close to the outside corner. When Emmel rang him up, he slammed his bat to the ground while spinning toward the dugout. Emmel immediately ran him.
Understand the frustration?
Yes. It had been a frustrating game as it was. Also, he had just taken a pitch outside for a ball. This pitch was near the outside corner – maybe off by an inch – but close enough to the previous one for Daza to think it would also be a ball.
Was the ejection justified?
Yes. Players can’t be doing that.
Entertainment Rating
Zero Weavers.
Doug Brocail, Baltimore Orioles Pitching Coach
When
Sunday, August 25th, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, top of fifth inning
Umpire
John Bacon (1B)
Description
Brocail disputed a checked swing call Bacon made on Rays right fielder Avisail Garcia, ruling that Garcia held up on an 0-1 pitch. There was heated yelling and lots of profanity from the dugout. Bacon dumped Brocail, bringing Orioles manager Brandon Hyde onto the field to ask what happened. Hyde grew animated during the discussion, telling him “that’s twice. Let’s go,” but including f-bombs in the process. He went back to the dugout on his own, staying in the game.
Understand the frustration?
Yes. According to Orioles color man Jim Palmer, Bacon had made several bad calls in the game. Furthermore, Garcia is right-handed, meaning the first base dugout has a great view of his check swings. At Oriole Park, the home team uses the first base dugout, so Brocail had a great view.
Was the ejection justified?
Without knowing what exactly Brocail said, it seemed like a quick trigger.
Entertainment Rating
Two Weavers for Hyde’s dispute afterward.
Keon Broxton, Seattle Mariners Right Fielder
When
Monday, August 26th, vs. New York Yankees, between second and third innings
Umpire
Manny Gonzalez (HP)
Description
On 3-2, Broxton took a pitch near the outside corner for a called third strike. Broxton started to trot to first and stopped when he heard Gonzalez’s call. He then pinwheeled his bat (straight down), flipped his helmet visor and let it drop off his head, then flung his batting glove back behind him. His glove hit Gonzalez in the face. Gonzalez looked at him as if to say, “SERIOUSLY?!???” and gave him the heave ho. Mariners manager Scott Servais came out of the dugout but hardly gave an argument when Gonzalez told him that the glove hit him.
Understand the frustration?
Yes. The catcher had to lunge to catch the ball, making it look bad, even though it looked like it caught the black. (Editor’s Note: For those who are new to baseball, the edges of home plate are black, so this means that the pitch was over the outside or inside corner.)
Was the ejection justified?
This was automatic, as it should be. It will be hard to find anyone arguing this who isn’t trolling.
Entertainment Rating
Three Weavers. This was hilarious, especially the look on Gonzalez’s face right before he threw Broxton out.
Amir Garrett, Cincinnati Reds Pitcher
When
Tuesday, August 27th, at Miami Marlins, bottom of the eighth
Umpire
Ryan Blakney (HP)
Description
Garrett walked Marlins center fielder Lewis Brinson, who was hitting .190 at the time, on five pitches. Brinson checked his swing on two of them but held up both times. Reds manager David Bell then pulled Garrett from the game. As Garrett headed to the dugout, he yelled across the field at Blakney in dispute of the checked swings. Blakney told him twice to stop, but Garrett continued, so Blakney bounced him.
Understand the frustration?
Garrett was probably more frustrated with himself and taking it out on the umpire. Those pitches were not even close to being strikes, either by location or from the checked swings.
Was the ejection justified?
Yes. Blakney told him twice to stop. It was asinine for Garrett to continue.
Entertainment Rating
Zero Weavers. This was dumb.
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros Pitcher
When
Tuesday, August 27th, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, top of the sixth
Umpire
Pat Hoberg (HP)
Description
On 2-2 to Rays left fielder Tommy Pham with the Astros holding a 9-0 lead, Verlander missed low and away, but it was awfully close. Verlander did not like the call but kept his cool. Pham drove the next pitch off the wall in right-center for a double. As Pham ran it out, Verlander yelled toward Hoberg from behind the mound, “(GD) you (bleeped) it up!” Hoberg responded, “That’s outside!” Verlander told him it was something that started with “horse,” and Hoberg said, “You know it’s outside!” to which Verlander replied, “You’ve been calling it all day!” Hoberg told him, “Justin, I’ve had enough!” After a few seconds, Verlander yelled something else over his shoulder, and Hoberg sent him to the showers.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch calmly argued as Verlander kept yelling from the dugout, saying things like “I wasn’t even looking at you!” Verlander said more profane words with “horse” in them and then told Hoberg to “(bleeping) grow up” before heading to the clubhouse.
Understand the frustration?
Yes, since a high-strikeout pitcher like Verlander wants a pitch like the 2-2 one he threw to be called a strike every time. This is especially true when he feels that the umpire has been calling that pitch “all day.”
Was the ejection justified?
Verlander had said his piece, and then the umpire told him that was enough. However, it is hard to take a stance on this without knowing what the last thing was that he said.
If Hoberg was going to throw him out solely for the f-bomb, he would have done it as soon as Verlander said it. Therefore, it must have been for what Verlander said at the very end.
Entertainment Rating
One Weaver. This wasn’t anything special.
Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies Right Fielder
Bud Black, Colorado Rockies Manager
When
Wednesday, August 28th, vs. Boston Red Sox, bottom of the ninth
Umpire
Jerry Meals (HP)
Description
On 2-2, Blackmon took a cut fastball. It was close but appeared to tail around the plate. Meals rung him up, enraging Blackmon, who slammed his bat down with one hand. Meals ran Blackmon as the right fielder turned to argue. Blackmon unloaded on Meals, screaming and pointing until Black arrived. When his manager took over the discussion, Blackmon stormed to the clubhouse, slamming his helmet on the way.
Black defended his player, getting chucked within a few seconds. His lips were not visible to the camera, and there were no microphones picking him up, so what he said is unknown.
Understand the frustration?
Absolutely. That pitch looked outside. Plus, that at-bat made Blackmon 0-for-5.
Was the ejection justified?
Even though Blackmon was understandably frustrated, that doesn’t give him a blank check to slam his bat down in dissent like that, so yes. As far as Black, it’s hard to say without knowing what he said. However, by the book, he deserved to go for arguing balls and strikes.
Entertainment Rating
Four Weavers. This was a great one, especially because it was so out-of-character for Blackmon. Had it lasted longer, it would have earned five.
Leaderboard
After 22 weeks, here are the leaders. Fight-related ejections do not count toward the leaderboard.
Managers: David Bell of the Cincinnati Reds and Ron Gardenhire of the Detroit Tigers (eight each)
Players: Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera (three)
Team high: Reds (18), Tigers (11)
Team low: Cleveland Indians (one)
Umpire: Mike Estabrook (10)
Look for Week 23 on Thursday, September 5th.
Evan Thompson played baseball as a youth and teenager. He also umpired between 1995 and 2004 and has coached at the high school level.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
