Lawrie Ejected After Thrown Helmet Hits Umpire

[Big Bid'Ness]

From:realgm

The ninth inning turned nasty during Toronto's loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Brett Lawrie was ejected after slamming his batting helmet to the ground after he took strike three. The helmet bounced and struck plate umpire Bill Miller in the hip.

"That was not my intention at all," Lawrie said. "I've never, ever done anything to go at an umpire before in my life, and I didn't mean to tonight. I apologize for that.

"It's just my passion for the game," he added. "I wanted to help my teammates out as best I could. That's the pride I have in this game. I leave my emotions out on the field."

Miller was later hit by a drink thrown by a fan while walking off the field after the game.

 

[snipezo]

Not the right thing to do but that's just how Brett plays. Those pitches shouldn't have been strikes.

 

[Pugz]

he should have made it count. throw it at his head.

 

[Rios15]

I personally love the emotion he puts into the game; shows he actually cares and is passionate about the game, and he expresses it well. He lost his cool though, but it happens.

 

[elcheato]

That isn't emotion, that's idiocy

 

[The Guid]

I'd say dumb emotion...or uncontrolled

 

[cruzg24]

Its not emotion, its steroids.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

I can see why he was livid after those horrid strike calls but he definitely went overboard and is definitely going to pay the price for it as will his team as they won't have him out there playing for awhile. Just a heat of the moment thing, people just don't think clearly sometimes before they do something, then after it happens they regret it.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Here's the problem I have with it: The last strike call was obvious retaliation for Lawrie assuming he had walked on the previous pitch (which was ball 4). These umpires shouldn't be able to get away with these things, they need to do their job & be held accountable. Showing somebody up because you didn't like what they did the pitch before is wrong. Lawrie thought the pitch before was ball 4 (which it was), the umpire didn't like it so he made sure he rung him up on the next pitch, which was another ball.

Fine Lawrie & a mandatory eye exam for the Ump.

 

[elcheato]

Why are you giving the ump an eye exam if you basically just called him out on a conspiracy theory and did it on purpose?

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Why are you giving the ump an eye exam if you basically just called him out on a conspiracy theory and did it on purpose?

Conspiracy theory? Really? You should know by now how umpires operate, they do hold grudges and they do take it out on players/teams. You do one thing they don't like, especially the home plate umpire and they make things a lot more difficult for you and that isn't right. Obviously with the pitch before the last, he called it a strike before any of that happened and it was way off, I was watching some highlights from the game and he was calling third strikes that were a couple feet off the plate. Teams and players are held responsible for their actions, so should the umpires, just because they are in charge of the game doesn't mean they should get a free pass.

I understand that they aren't going to be perfect, it's impossible but if you can't see how far these pitches were off the plate, you shouldn't be umping in the MLB. I can almost bet that he rung him up because he felt Lawrie showed him up with the previous pitch, or his strike zone is just that horrid, either or isn't good. Get that eye exam set up ASAP

 

[elcheato]

Has it occurred to you that maybe the umpire just has a larger strike zone than most? You even said your self there are other highlights in the game of questionable strikes.

And yes, conspiracy theory. Umpires don't care if a batter walks to first even on a called strike in a 3 ball count, because it happens all the time.

Delmon Young threw a bat at an umpire, and umpires don't hold a grudge against him and treat him unfairly at the plate.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Has it occurred to you that maybe the umpire just has a larger strike zone than most? You even said your self there are other highlights in the game of questionable strikes.

And yes, conspiracy theory. Umpires don't care if a batter walks to first even on a called strike in a 3 ball count, because it happens all the time.

Delmon Young threw a bat at an umpire, and umpires don't hold a grudge against him and treat him unfairly at the plate.

Not all umpires are like that, some just have really big egos and they want you to know that they are in charge of the game. I also know that if this happened to the Cleveland Indians, your view on this would be completely different. I guess since it happened to the Blue Jays, it's not right and it's uncalled for, but had it been the Indians, the umpire would have been a dumbass and the guy that threw his helmet at the umpire would have been a hero. An umpire shouldn't be allowed to have a strike zone two feet off the plate, if it's off the plate, it's not a strike.

It's hard enough for a batter, shouldn't have to worry about swinging at pitches two feet out of the strike zone. Like I said, he called two horrendous pitches back-to-back, so maybe he didn't hold a grudge, but you can't tell me some umpires don't do it, because they do.

 

[elcheato]

Not only do you know exactly what is going on through the minds of umpires, apparently you have an exact idea of how I would react, great. Not many players are stupid enough to throw helmets, bats, etc at umpires like Lawrie and Young, so I guess I'll never find out my own reaction, that you apparently already know.

I never said it wasn't a bad call, it was. It happens, but if he had a wider strike zone on outside pitches, it makes more sense as to why he blew it.

The strike 3 pitch wasn't even that bad.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Not only do you know exactly what is going on through the minds of umpires, apparently you have an exact idea of how I would react, great. Not many players are stupid enough to throw helmets, bats, etc at umpires like Lawrie and Young, so I guess I'll never find out my own reaction, that you apparently already know.

I never said it wasn't a bad call, it was. It happens, but if he had a wider strike zone on outside pitches, it makes more sense as to why he blew it.

The strike 3 pitch wasn't even that bad.

I think anybody who has been here for a few years would know, sometimes history repeats itself after awhile and I think that would be a fair assessment in this case.

I'm done talking about it, we know, you are always right.

 

[elcheato]

I'm always right because unlike some people I actually give a full opinion and don't stick to posting cliches 24/7, stating the obvious and constantly complaining when people disagree.

Got it

I suppose I should post things that I think I'm wrong about because god forbid I believe what I am saying.

But by all means, throw more shots at me because you ran out of material to argue with. Quick way to end it.

 

[Elite]

That helmet flying at the umpire doesn't look accidental at all.

 

[Rios15]

That isn't emotion, that's idiocy

If that was directed at me, I did say he lost his cool, meaning it was not cool to throw his helmet in any area near the umpire; unless you were referring solely to what Lawrie had said. Also, I still stand by my thoughts, if you watch Brett play, he is extremely passionate. The guy can get really pumped up as you can see, and in good ways too; I mean he's young and will need to learn how to control his anger better, but I really like the way he expresses his emotion.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

I'm always right because unlike some people I actually give a full opinion and don't stick to posting cliches 24/7, stating the obvious and constantly complaining when people disagree.

Got it

I suppose I should post things that I think I'm wrong about because god forbid I believe what I am saying.

But by all means, throw more shots at me because you ran out of material to argue with. Quick way to end it.

Why waste another 10 minutes? Won't do any good. I just got better things to do than sit on a forum and argue all day over what is right and what is wrong when it won't change anything or either of our views on it. I'd be enlightened to hear what good it does. I've been through this a time or two with you, it's pointless. I'm not here to argue, just to get my point across. It's not that I ran out of material to argue with, I can assure you of that. Like I said, I'm done. Time to move on.

 

[snipezo]

Only suspended for four games.

I expected him to get at least 8 or something.