Blue Jays' Brett Lawrie slams helmet into umpire

[Deberg_1990]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...ays/54983610/1


Brett Lawrie called it an "unlucky bounce." Major League Baseball is likely to call it an offense worthy of a suspension.

A furious Lawrie slammed his batting helmet to the ground after he took a third strike, and it struck plate umpire Bill Miller in the hip as the ninth inning turned nasty Tuesday night in the Toronto Blue Jays' 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

"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.

BOX SCORE: Rays 4, Blue Jays 3
VIDEO: Brett Lawrie's epic tantrum
"It's just my passion for the game. 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 later was hit by a drink thrown by a fan while walking off the field after the game.

The trouble began with one out in the ninth and Lawrie trying to work a walk against Rays closer Fernando Rodney. On a 3-1 pitch, Lawrie started toward first base but was stopped short as Miller called strike two. Rodney stared in at Lawrie, and Miller helped settle the tension.

On a full-count pitch that he thought was ball four, Lawrie again headed toward first base. When Miller called strike three, Lawrie crouched in disbelief. Lawrie dropped his bat, gestured at Miller and shouted, and was ejected.

Lawrie then started toward Miller, wound up with his right arm and threw down his helmet. It bounced at the umpire's feet and ricocheted up into him.

"Upon seeing that he was ejected, he took several steps toward me and fired his helmet. It hit me in the right hip," Miller said.

"That's a bit extreme," Miller said.

Miller said he already has filed his report with MLB about the incident.

Lawrie said he felt Miller made "kind of a late call" on strike three.

Toronto manager John Farrell came out to restrain his 22-year-old third baseman, who's in his first full season in the majors. After Lawrie returned to the dugout, Farrell was ejected for arguing the call.

"The bat was taken completely out of Brett's hands, not only the 3-1 pitch but the 3-2 pitch as well," Farrell said. "Those are not strikes."

Miller was hit by a drink as he left the field. Police and stadium security were seen pointing into the crowd after that incident, and Miller shouted something at the fan before exiting.

[ChiefRocka]

lil bitch

[Amnorix]

Well, strike 3 was obviously a ball, but he got that call against him because he showed up the umpire on strike 2.

I thought baseball was trying to solve this umpires being bitchy issue? "You don't like my strike 2 call?! Wait til you see the next one. I'M THE ****ING SHOW AROUND HERE."

All that said, you can't hit an umpire, even though it was clearly not intended for the helmet to bounce up and hit him. Welcome to a timeout courtesy of the commish.

[Archie F. Swin]

You stay classy, hockey fans

[Molitoth]

Remove Umpires so players can start throwing things at the replay screen. Oh wait, the replay screen won't get the call wrong....

[BigMeatballDave]

I saw this last night.

I imagine he'll get a few days off.

He's just lucky Goodell isnt the Commish.

He'd be drawn and quartered.

[tomahawk kid]

I've said this for a long time, but officials in major sports (NFL, MLB, NBA & NCAA Football / Basketball) should have to face the media after games and answer questions.

I realize the notion is that these guys are held accountable by their leagues for questionable calls via internal reviews. However, if officials were held responsible in a public forum for questionable / bad / calls or calls made on emotion - I think you'd see a reduction in incidents like this.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Well, strike 3 was obviously a ball, but he got that call against him because he showed up the umpire on strike 2.

I thought baseball was trying to solve this umpires being bitchy issue? "You don't like my strike 2 call?! Wait til you see the next one. I'M THE ****ING SHOW AROUND HERE."

All that said, you can't hit an umpire, even though it was clearly not intended for the helmet to bounce up and hit him. Welcome to a timeout courtesy of the commish.

Actually, I would argue that the umpire showed him up on strike 2 as well. It was an obvious ball and the umpire made a late, incorrect strike call on it after Lawrie had already made his move to first.



Lawrie was obviously in the wrong here in losing control and tossing his helmet in the direction of the umpire (there's no precedent for that, could be a sizeable suspension). But the jackass umpire who felt he had to show up Lawrie in the 9th inning of a one-run game came off like a damn fool as well.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Lawrie was obviously in the wrong here in losing control and tossing his helmet in the direction of the umpire (there's no precedent for that, could be a sizeable suspension). But the jackass umpire who felt he had to show up Lawrie in the 9th inning of a one-run game came off like a damn fool as well.

The last pitch was certainly a ball. No doubt.

Batters, however, need to wait until the call is made before assuming the call.

IMO, Lawrie asked for it. The Ump may have showed up Lawrie at the end, but Lawrie should have waited for the call.

[Deberg_1990]

I guess ill never understand why the "strike zone" varies so much from ump to ump? They all know the official strike zone, yet it always changes depending on ump, the pitcher, his mood that day or situation. Inexusable IMO.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Dave

The last pitch was certainly a ball. No doubt.

Batters, however, need to wait until the call is made before assuming the call.

IMO, Lawrie asked for it. The Ump may have showed up Lawrie at the end, but Lawrie should have waited for the call.

Yeah, you see a lot of guys do that (especially stars). I'm sure many think it increases the chances of getting the pitch called a ball, but in this case, it certainly backfired and only seemed to anger the umpire into making two wrong calls.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I guess ill never understand why the "strike zone" varies so much from ump to ump? They all know the official strike zone, yet it always changes depending on ump, the pitcher, his mood that day or situation. Inexusable IMO.

Just the human element of umpiring or refereeing in any sport. It changes all the time from game-to-game and from situation-to-situation. Unlike other sports, though, there's an easy solution with baseball's strike zone and the bases...robot/computer umpiring.

[KC_Connection]

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/5/16/30...sion-blue-jays

The pitches in freeze frame:

[-King-]

This sport is full of thugs.

[Frazod]

I think it's ridiculous that umpires still call balls and strikes. We have the technology to absolutely determine whether the pitch was a ball or strike, and see it after nearly every pitch on the screen.

And the purists can blow me.