IGD: Padres vs Rockies (23 Sep 07)
Sun, Sep 23, 2007
by Geoff Young
| time: | 1:05 p.m. PT |
| tv: | 4SD |
| sp: | Greg Maddux (13-10, 3.95) vs Jeff Francis (16-8, 4.25) |
| pre: | B-R.com |
Welcome to the final home game of the 2007 regular season. Let’s make it a good one…
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
September 23, 2007 at 8:30 am
One positive coming out of last night’s game, Cameron’s contractual demands just went down by $1 million per year.
We have to play well defensively to have a shot, particularly when we are slumping at the plate. I think that ball to Milton in the first was a catchable ball, as well. Oh, well, take that one away and the 2 on Cammy’s error and we still lose by one.
Worst part is that I’ve gotten 3 calls from a friend of mine in Colorado who likes to twist that knife during series like this. Ouch.
September 23, 2007 at 10:05 am
Today is the day. The Padres really need to get it done today and stake a claim to a playoff spot.
September 23, 2007 at 10:40 am
Like most of the series, the Nats are hanging in there against the Phils, it is tied 1-1 in the 5th. Pads need a minor miracle here with a Nats win.
September 23, 2007 at 10:49 am
A Nationals win would be nice. For the Padres to get it done would be better. We’ve gone back to the one-inning threat blues the last two games. That’s okay when it works… like if Tulowitski was 5′10″ instead of 6′4″ we’d have won on Giles line drive Friday night.
September 23, 2007 at 10:57 am
BTW, I’d love to be able to get this kind of IGD going regarding the Bolts over at http://mvn.com/nfl-chargers.
September 23, 2007 at 11:09 am
#4 I hate to say this but we need both equally. We really don’t have as much control of our destiny then I would like as the Phils are winning everyday.
Heck, the Phils may win the East. Marlins are up today on the struggling Mets. If the Mets lose, then we are 1 up on them. That could be huge. The Mets may be the team we are competing with for the wildcard.
September 23, 2007 at 11:11 am
Sorry, we are one behind the Mets. We would be tied with a Pads win and Mets loss
September 23, 2007 at 11:19 am
JP, we need a win today and that just has to be the focus daily. It always should be. All the “help” in the world doesn’t matter otherwise. On the positive side, we were inches from a win on Friday and a key base hit away last night. The negative is that the team that went on that seven game streak shouldn’t be “a hit away”. This Colorado team beating us on hitting is far easier to accept than being beaten by their pitching.
September 23, 2007 at 11:20 am
Big and boisterous crowd in last game at RFK watches Austin Kearns line a basehit to tie the game at 2 in the bottom of the 6th.
September 23, 2007 at 11:27 am
Agree Rich. I just think that it would be a shame if this club wins 90-91 games and doesn’t make the dance. We need some help –just a little bit of help –Today is huge, a Pads win could kill off the Rox and hopefully have one of the Big 3 : AZ/Phil/Mets lose and we are in much better position with just one day of play. It’s a weird feeling putting such a heightened sense of importance of a regular season game but 1 day now can change so much !!!
Nats have the bases loaded with one out, up 3-2 !!!!!!!
September 23, 2007 at 11:29 am
We lose today, we need to look for the panic button.
I worry a great deal about only having 9 hits in 23 innings… that’s a .130 average….. ouch!
September 23, 2007 at 11:37 am
#11 If we lose and the teams ahead of us win then, yes, we are in some trouble.
September 23, 2007 at 11:45 am
Jon Rauch gets out of a jam in the 7th. DC up 3-2 . Emotional day at RFK —feel a Nats win
September 23, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Send the Nats Jon Rauch a thank you card, he pitched two innings of scoreless ball –one more stressful inning to go.
September 23, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Robert Fick is hot ! Nats announcers have spent half the day talking about Fick’s antics in the clubhouse. Fick’s Rbi single makes score Nats 4 Phillies 2 in the bottom of the eighth !!
September 23, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Chargers D is really sucking, 10 penalties and Marlin McCree continues to be a punk with several personal fouls and several missed tackles.
September 23, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Nats win ! Nats win ! Thank the Padres god for the fact that this was the last game at RFK. Big crowd and emotion gave the Nats a lift !! Pads playoff chances a little better. Any Nats win against Phillies is a bonus.
September 23, 2007 at 12:59 pm
16: good news. Now a Padre win and its back to 1.5 in the a road trip to SF. BTW, for SF, not having Bonds back is the best thing for that franchise.
September 23, 2007 at 1:03 pm
16: Yeah, last year was probably going to be the best it gets, with Turner as the head coach and all.
September 23, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Time to adjust expectations of the Chargers downward. which is OK. They are not playing well. Beaten by Greenbay makes the Chargers ordinary. Chargers have talent, but the coaching staff isn’t using it. Oh well. You can’t turn over the head coach and all the coordinators without some trouble.
Go Padres!
September 23, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Anyone think getting Norv may have not been the best idea?
September 23, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Boy the Chargers remind me of their 2005 version. Not making the big play to assure the close win and also getting toasted in the secondary. Unreal.
Great AB by NOG. Also nice to know that he’s starting to get the bat going.
September 23, 2007 at 1:38 pm
21: It does kinda seem like was picked up in the discount bin in the NFL coaches aisle.
September 23, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Nice to see that Mlb.com finally figured out that they could gain revenue by playing commercials between innings…. What did that take: three years? Unreal…
September 23, 2007 at 1:46 pm
24: Well to their credit, they did have a picture of a huge Yankees metal bucket sitting there during commercial breaks. That must have earned them thousands in huge Yankees metal bucket sales.
September 23, 2007 at 1:46 pm
25: LOL
September 23, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I think balls that are clearly foul balls but accidentally landed fair should still count as foul balls.
September 23, 2007 at 1:52 pm
How bad is Hairston’s “flu” that Giles can’t get a day off?
September 23, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Jenga! How I’ve missed you!
September 23, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Uncle Milty ties it up
September 23, 2007 at 1:53 pm
HE’S BACK!!!
September 23, 2007 at 1:57 pm
What’s this about Grant being on the national stage next year?
September 23, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Maddux doesn’t have it today either. I get the feeling like he is really out of gas —lets hope we can just keep it close.
September 23, 2007 at 2:07 pm
When Yorvit Torrealba steals second off of you, you have a problem holding and throwing out runners.
September 23, 2007 at 2:16 pm
I hate life
September 23, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Looks like this is going to be a bad weekend for San Diego sports…
September 23, 2007 at 2:21 pm
BTW, Mike Cameron has struck out 31 times in his last 71 at bats. Got to wonder if he is hurt or something ? Not good timing for the Pads. I appreciate what Cameron has done here but I am thinking lately that the Pads would be foolish to offer Cameron a expensive three year deal.
September 23, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Cameron and Giles swinging first pitch to make sure Francis gets a 5 pitch inning.
September 23, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Not sure who to put in center after Camy, but 37 I completely agree. Camy has a terrible sense of the strike zone, and for all his hits, strikes out way too much. I would not have Camy back. Bad SD sports day, indeed. But terrific weather day, it is beautiful outside. That is SD for you, teams suck but weather is the best.
September 23, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Az 1
LA 1
Not that it matters.
September 23, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Not all is lost. Thank god for the longshot win out of the Nats over the Phils. What does matter is that the Phillies will have their hands full at home against a suddenly hot Braves team and that last series in Milwaukee for the Pads may not mean anything to the Brewers (3.5 back) which will take some of the emotion out of the series. This could obviously help the Pads and could mean that Ben Sheets will not be risked for 2008. Tommorrow is another huge game - a chance for the Pads to gain in the chase as the Phils are idle.
September 23, 2007 at 3:03 pm
A courageous effort by Cameron. Not one can ever accuse this guy of not giving 100% ! As a Padres fan, I really appreciate his effort on that one. Especially with him almost having his eye taken out on a similiar play here three years ago.
September 23, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Every Padre at bat that I have to watch Marcus Giles hit is one closer to his last here ever. This logic helps me get through.
September 23, 2007 at 3:19 pm
JP, thanks for the encouraging words, need to today. Atl at least has a clue.
September 23, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Good job today by Ledezma who soaked up 3 innings with decent pitching.
More good news –the Giants have shut down Lincecum and now we are facing Pat Misch in game #3 –it is game #2 of the series that will be tough for the Pads to win –Cain vs Tomko - a win here could mean a sweep for the Pads.
#44 I believe that Hudson, Smoltz and James are going for Atlanta in that series against the Phils.
September 23, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I can’t believe what I just saw. Jenga went off the deep end with this one —wow . you will be seeing this one for the next 30 years on top 10 lists on sports TV. this was a BAD moment in Padres history.
September 23, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I’m rethinking the desire to have Bradley come back. Buddy wrestles him to the ground to keep Bradley from being thrown out of the game and Bradley has to be helped off the field due to a screwed up knee?
Can today go any worse for San Diego sports?
September 23, 2007 at 3:35 pm
See you guys, I don’t want Bradley on my team anymore. I’ve said things like this in the past and you all get on me like, “I like his passion” , “He swings a great bat”.
But I don’t care, what Bradley just did is messed up. That’s not being a good role model. That’s being a freaking idiot. For me to have to watch my team be a part of whatever the crap just happened out there makes me sick.
I’d rather we suck than we be a bunch of jackasses.
September 23, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Holy Sh$t! Did Milton just get hurt from a Bud Black tackle?!?? Um, can we PLEASE get a replay on all of this? What set Milton off??? OMG!
September 23, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Holy crap, the Pads are imploding. Unbelievable.
September 23, 2007 at 3:38 pm
All I see on “yahoo” is “Bradley singled … how could that have instigated something? Please tell … this sounds pretty serious …
September 23, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Not an implosion at all. Hairston back in left.
September 23, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Yahoo’s box score “game notes” includes these 3 (not good) entries …
SAN DIEGO CENTER FIELDER MIKE CAMERON LEFT THE GAME IN THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH INNING WITH A BRUISED RIGHT THUMB.
SAN DIEGO LEFT FIELDER MILTON BRADLEY WAS EJECTED BY FIRST BASE UMPIRE BRIAN RUNGE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH INNING.
SAN DIEGO MANAGER BUD BLACK WAS EJECTED BY THIRD BASE UMPIRE HUNTER WENDELSTEDT FOR ARGUING A CHECK-SWING CALL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH INNING.
September 23, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Lynch, I have no clue myself… and the video doesn’t show anything to explain Bradley’s actions at all. Bud did a take down on him because he was going after the umpire HARD. MB apparently had something happen to his knee when Bud threw him to the ground, but if Black doesn’t do it, Jenga might have clocked the umpire…not exaggerating.
September 23, 2007 at 3:43 pm
51: I was on the phone at the time and only caught a part of it. I saw Bradley going after the up full tilt (and I mean, literally, full tilt) and then Bud Black, in an effort to stop him, sent Bradley to the ground. Apparently, in the process, Bradley’s knee got pretty f’d up.
I also saw a quick replay of the initial conversation between Bradley and the ump at first base and it seemed pretty innocous. I didn’t see the “spark” or the beginning of the tirade. Maybe someone out there can describe it for us? Not sure why Ch 4 is not showing it again (it’s possible that I only caught a trailing replay, not the live event).
September 23, 2007 at 3:43 pm
#48: Bradley’s like a powder keg just ready to blow. I’ve yet to see any other team keep him under control for long. I don’t know if you can have that going the full year.
Milton’s a free agent this year. That won’t help his bargaining power.
September 23, 2007 at 3:45 pm
That temper tantrum was so incredibly bad that Bradley will have a tough time getting anything resembling a sweet deal this off season -
September 23, 2007 at 3:45 pm
re 55: meant to type innocUous….
September 23, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Not an exaggeration at all Rich. Bradley completely came apart at the seams and looked like we was gonna start swinging. Just pathetic
I really wanted to like him. Such a selfish move right now with a play off race and Cameron being out. Just pathetic.
September 23, 2007 at 3:47 pm
#55 Channel 4 isn’t showing it again because it was very embarrassing to the organization. Don’t worry though you will be seeing it plenty in the days,months, years to come.
September 23, 2007 at 3:50 pm
I’ve replayed it to see if I can figure out what’s going on. I don’t see anything that would have set Milton off. Meacham was standing between the umpire and Milton, though, even while Bradley was coming back to the bag between pitches.
All of a sudden Bradley spins around and starts heading for the umpire. Meacham gets between them, but Milton shoves him out of the way. Buddy gets there and after about 3 pulls on his arm, takes him down, but twists Bradley’s knee in the process. Milton gets helped off the field by 2 of the trainers, without the ability to put weight on his leg.
Meanwhile, while I’m trying to figure out what’s going on, I come back and see the Buddy’s getting ejected by the 3rd base umpire. I can’t wait to see this crew leave. (There was an earlier incident with Bard and the home plate unpire, where the umpire held the ball up, inches from Bard’s face, almost taunting him.)
September 23, 2007 at 3:51 pm
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres left fielder Milton Bradley was ejected and then injured his right knee during a bizarre sequence in the eighth inning of Sunday’s game against Colorado.
Bradley reached on a two-out single, then said something to umpire Mike Winters. During the course of Kevin Kouzmanoff’s at-bat, it escalated into an argument and Padres manager Bud Black came running out.
Bradley went after Winters, was restrained by coach Bobby Meacham, then was ejected. Bradley continued to go after Winters. Black tired to restrain Bradley, grabbing him by the jersey and pushed him to the ground. Bradley grabbed his right knee and had to be helped off the field.
One batter later, Black ran onto the field after third-base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called a check-swing strike on Adrian Gonzalez and was ejected.
September 23, 2007 at 3:52 pm
I have to say that MB’s actions are really going to hurt him in a month or so… that would be a huge place to go if you are a team bargaining for his services. So, being selfish or being stupid? Because it seems to me that if it was only being selfish, he would want that bigger paycheck.
September 23, 2007 at 3:54 pm
This just in… Bud Black is denying rumors the Chargers are negotiating with Black to have him teach a tackling clinic to the secondary and run-blocking drills to the O-line.
September 23, 2007 at 3:57 pm
#61 - Also, another testament to the plate ump was before Bradley’s meltdown Black was jawing at the home plate ump and the ump clear as day mouthed “bite me”. That is just not professional for that position. Don’t egg anyone on. It’s not your job!
Glass half full thought:
I am so thankful that we have people like Kouz and now Bard that are still trying to win this thing.
September 23, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I have seen Bradley blow up twice now in a way that I have never seen in 30 years of watching baseball. He is emotionally disturbed and needs treatment. Bradley seems like a great person, the fans like him, his teamates like him but he has some issues that he needs to work on. He better get healthy emotionally or he could be flushing a great opportunity down the drain.
September 23, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Wish Bradley had been playing outside linebacker today. We might have won, the football game at least. Clearly off his meds. But snark aside, dude has so real issues and needs help.
FWIW, black needs to work on his tackling technique. The legs, grab him by the legs.
September 23, 2007 at 4:14 pm
It doesn’t sound like we’ll see this “highlight” at mlb.com … so if it does get posted somewhere, let us know … I’m not likely going to see ESPN or any other highlight shows today …
It will be interesting to see if the umps go unscathed … it sounds like one or more of them may have contributed to a messy situation …
So, Milton’s on first after a single … and after a couple of pitches to KK something happens and he goes after the 1B ump? Sounds like words were exchanged … and Meachem will have heard all the words … perhaps Black heard them also …
An ump has to be a very strong person … strong enough to make fast and accurate decisions … and even stronger still to not be a part of any negative debate about those decisions …
September 23, 2007 at 4:17 pm
re: Cameron … mlb.com story says this …
left the game in the seventh inning with a bruised right thumb and index finger after he collided with Milton Bradley.
September 23, 2007 at 4:23 pm
This link has info about Hairston’s “flu” … and Hensley shoulder (note: it says “July MRI showed a tear in his right shoulder” … but he pitched 14 innings in Aug & Sep???) …
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com.....mp;c_id=sd
September 23, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Not to plug my show again, but I will…
We will have an extensive report on the Bradley incident tonight on Sportswrap on NBC 7/39, at 11:35 pm… set your DVR’s now.
September 23, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I think (hope) Bradley just ended his Padres career. No way they bring him back now. To go absolutely nuts like that in a crucial game shows just how screwed up he really is. I’m actually hoping he seriously injured his knee and is out for the year. I was really in his corner until the last time he was ejected (for staring down the ump) but now I feel like the Boston fans who talked themselves into thinking JD Drew would be a good addition.
What a lousy sports day in San Diego. The Chargers are looking like a .500 team and the one thing the Padres needed to avoid was a sweep but they got swept.
September 23, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Channel 8 teased their report on the game by saying there’s an allegation an ump made a racial comment to Milton. Not sure what that’s about. I saw Milton saying the umps are harping on him. I was at the game and not impressed at all by Milton’s outburst. The post game shows have all steered well clear of it, so it’s all a big mystery. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that the umps don’t like him, or that they talk trash to him. He needs to do his business between the lines and not take the bait. If the ump says something to you, you finish the game and file a report. Right or wrong, getting into a physical altercation and getting tossed takes all the credibility out of your claim.
Also, AP’s story on the game is incorrect. They say that Bud was ejected after coming out to third to argue the check swing call. He was actually in the dugout when he got tossed by the 3B ump, then came out to 3rd to argue after the ejection.
September 23, 2007 at 6:06 pm
well heres the one thing i noticed that wasnt already said, bradley was trying to get at the umpire so badly that he looked like he wanted to really hurt the ump. when black was restraining bradley, he actually grabbed buddy by the neck to try and get past him then black threw him down. thats when he grabbed his knee
but it really was a bad situation i was raving about milton i used to love the guy but as a baseball player myself someone who plays for fun and for the love of the game
this is NOT the time for what he pulled today and pulling up lame after all of it, i mean c’mon who do you think you are to grab at your managers neck just to try and assault an umpire… which the way he was being held back im convinced he would have hurt the ump.
this is the playoffs you are taking away from our teams dream for postseason success.
no matter how angry you get(ive been so angry at an ump i could have seriously hurt him) you just DONT. not if you are committed to your career and are commited to winning which we were before this series.
it was so ugly.
even with his obvious skills at playing…i dont see us bringing him back unless we get to the root of his anger issues.
September 23, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Here’s a link to video …
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....=270923125
… the commentators (including Kruk) are saying something about Milton wanting to call time-out? I don’t get it … and the video shows Milton jawing in the dugout on his way back to the locker room … sigh …
September 23, 2007 at 7:14 pm
I just watched the replay again and when Bradley is trying to call time Channel 4 cut to a wide shot and you can see Winters is looking directly at Meacham, who starts walking towards Winters with his arms outstretched and shaking his head, like he can’t believe what’s going on. Even while Bradley is going through his tantrum Meacham is still facing Winters and arguing with him. Meacham was more concerned with Winters than restraining Bradley. That tells me Winters said something that was over the line.
It still doesn’t excuse Bradley, he embarrassed the entire organization today. Hurting himself while arguing with the ump is a new low and something only Milton Bradley could do. Good riddance.
September 23, 2007 at 7:23 pm
ESPN has details:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....cmp=motion
I have a lot of respect for Sandy Alderson. He’s had his issues with umpires but he seems fair in his criticisms. He had this to say:
“We’re not going to sit by and see an umpire bait a player,” Alderson said. He added that if the commissioner’s office concludes the situation was handled appropriately, “I’ll be shocked.”
I’ll temper my criticism of Bradley somewhat but he still needs to back off when Black is restraining him. Blaming the umpire for his injury is just ridiculous.
September 23, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Bradley is crazy. What an idiot. Get a hold of yourself. I hope this is not the end of the season…………..
September 23, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Wow, mlb.com does have video posted …
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com.....mp;c_id=sd
… but no BB post-game-interview (as is usual following home games) …
September 23, 2007 at 7:31 pm
79 … as is slo-mo of Cameron getting his hand step’d on and his face knee’d by Milton … sigh …
September 23, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Hi. I’d like to add a new element of being depressed…
There’s a part of me now that doesn’t even want to make the playoffs now. I think the Phillies and Rockies have done great work and I think they deserve it more than we do. They’re playing better than us, and their players are certainly carrying themselves with more dignity.
September 23, 2007 at 7:54 pm
From the Padres.com article. Really seems that they’re taking Bradley’s side, and perhaps, deservedly so:
Bradley is hitting .312 in 44 games with the Padres and had a hit in his final at-bat before he was ejected after a heated conversation with Winters. The brouhaha had its origins in a strikeout in the fifth inning, when Bradley, as plate umpire Brian Runge told the Associated Press, “[He] flipped the bat right in front of me, about 5-to-10 feet in front of me.”
While standing at first base after his single in the eighth inning, Bradley and Winters were engaged in what appeared to be a fairly tame conversation about the bat-flipping incident until Bradley suddenly became enraged and had to be separated by coach Bobby Meacham and, later Black. Black tried to push Bradley away from Winters, which resulted in Bradley tumbling to the grass, where he clutched his right knee.
Meacham said after the game that Bradley did nothing to warrant the ejection or, in his opinion, the tone and the choice of words that Winters reportedly used.
“In 26 years of baseball, I couldn’t believe my ears the way that he spoke to Milton was so disrespectful, so angry, so vindictive,” Meacham said. “It was weird. The boiling point is when he called Milton a name. Milton did not saying anything to him to get him to do that.”
Bradley said there was no reason why his conversation with Winters needed to escalate to the point where the outfielder was ejected and then subsequently injured.
“All I do is try go out there and play baseball hard. I’ve done everything in my power to do things the right way,” Bradley said. “That guy, Mike Winters, no reason for it. You don’t ride people. He kept talking to me, he wouldn’t stop. Meach was standing right there. It’s terrible, and now because of him my knee’s hurt. If he costs me my season because of that he needs to be reprimanded. I’m going to take some action.”
September 23, 2007 at 7:59 pm
78 … it’s not that simple … is it? Clearly Milton over-reacted … and is quoted in the mlb.com article as blaming the ump for his knee being hurt … and that’s just not the case … he’s responsible for the actions he was taking that led to him getting hurt …
That being said … I sure hope that the ump is held responsible for his actions … and if Bobby Meacham’s quotes are to be believed, that ump should be very severaly penalized … fired? I sure don’t know all the facts, but umps that inject more than decisions into the game are very bad for the game … no excuses … none!
September 23, 2007 at 7:59 pm
81: Steve, normally, you’re pretty funny, but this time, sorry dude, you’re being absurd….
Philly - Um, you remember their fans? Yeah, about the last thing they deserve is a chance in the playoffs. What a bunch of jerks. (note: We all thought Jenga handled himself well during that series)
Colorado - They’ve got plenty of years ahead of them. Let them and the Dbacks fight it out in future years. I really don’t have anything bad to say about the rockies, so I’ll borrow from a movie that was beyond it’s years in wise writing: Goonies. So says Sean Astin “This is our time…Up there, it’s their time, but down here…down here..it’s our time! ”
No seriously, I think we need to rethink our reaction to Bradley here. Admittedly, he was out of control and has a temper that needs to be evaluated professionally. But, its nice to see that despite having a homerun and a single, he was clearly not “just happy to be having a good day individually”. Moreover, I think we need to pay attention to the insight revealed in the post game interviews with Alderson, Meachem, etc. It’s clear that some impropriety has occured and the Padres brass are definitely steemed. In fact, I would argue that Meachem’s initial reaction attests to the fact that the umpire was way out of line. To illustrate, here is Meachem’s take:
“In 26 years of baseball, I can honestly say that’s the most disconcerting conversation I have ever heard from an umpire to a player,” Meacham said. “It was almost like he wanted to agitate the whole thing. He wanted to get Milton boiling for some reason. Milton, he held his cool. I was just appalled.”
So, what does all this mean? Yup, the Chargers are pathetic right now…. Oh wait, sorry, different discussion.
September 23, 2007 at 8:01 pm
84 … got a link to what SA has said?
September 23, 2007 at 8:03 pm
85: see #77.
——————————————————————————-
Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, a former general manager and president of the Oakland Athletics, said he’d never seen a player injured like that. “But as far as I’m concerned, it was necessary,” he said.
Alderson used to work in the commissioner’s office, where one of his duties was overseeing umpires.
“We’re not going to sit by and see an umpire bait a player,” Alderson said. He added that if the commissioner’s office concludes the situation was handled appropriately, “I’ll be shocked.”
September 23, 2007 at 8:22 pm
84: Okay, maybe not Philly. Their fans do seem like jerks.
And I’m sick of Milton’s excuses. I don’t care what that umpire said to him, he embarrassed the organization. He’s made us sit here and talk about him and his insanity instead of sitting here trying to do our best to be optimistic about facing the Giants.
“Bradley said there was no reason why his conversation with Winters needed to escalate” , “and now because of him my knee’s hurt”. Give me a break!!! He had total control over his situation!
He’s acting like a child and I don’t want him on my team.
September 23, 2007 at 8:34 pm
86 … thanks, I missed 77 … no excuse for Bradley’s action … no excuse for Winters’ actions … and it matters to me that Winters is in a position of authority … it sure seems like he has failed in a basic part of his job … I very much support the “hands off the umps” rule … and there also needs to be a clear “rule” about the umps not interacting with the players AT ALL … EVER … simple.
September 23, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Re. 88 My high school baseball program has the same approach towards umpires. If you’ve got a problem with an umpire, discuss it with the coach and the coach will talk to the umpire.
Bradley should not have even worried about communicating with the 1st base umpire. Obviously, the umpire had it in for him from the beginning when he told the home plate umpire that Bradley tried to hit him with the bat when he flipped it in the 5th inning. Bradley asked him if he was the one that told the home plate umpire that, and he said yes. That’s where the whole thing started.
It’s stupid for an umpire to think that he was trying to hit the plate umpire with the bat, but Bradley should not even had worried about it and gone on with his business. The whole thing could have been avoided if he would just drop the whole business about the bat flip even if it’s ridiculously stupid.
September 23, 2007 at 9:19 pm
MB is responsible for his reaction, but the umpires clearly provoked it.
September 23, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Hey crybabies,
SUCK IT UP!
Only an idiot from the most racist city in the U.S., Boston, Massachusetts, would throw in the towel on a promising season when a player from his favorite team is verbally assaulted with