Sunday, May 9, 2010

McTaggart's notebook is full of news

So Brad Mills got hisself thrown out of the game and talked about getting thrown out yesterday:

Mills was ejected by home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez, who had thrown out Michael Bourn a night earlier for arguing a call at first base. Mills argued with Marquez in the top of the fifth inning Sunday, when a pitch thrown by Roy Oswalt to Padres pitcher Tim Stauffer was called a ball. Stauffer wound up hitting a two-run double on a 2-2 count.

In the bottom of the inning, Stauffer threw a similar pitch down in the zone that was called a strike, prompting Mills to yell from the dugout at Marquez, who threw him out. Mills came onto the field and argued with Marquez for a few minutes before walking off the field to a standing ovation.

Coincidentally, Mills spoke at length before Sunday's game with reporters and said the idea of managers getting thrown out on purpose to pump up a team is overrated, though it does have its place.

"If you've got a legitimate argument, then you can pile on," he said.


Oh, and if you remember, it was Alfonso Marquez who tossed Michael Bourn because he has trouble with hand-eye coordination.
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However, Mills thinks Marquez may have been right:
"It looks like he might have been out. I want to defend my player. I'm glad to see him show that emotion, don't get me wrong. If he thinks he's safe, I'm going to defend him, but it looks like [Marquez] might have gotten that one right. I'm not going to sit there and say otherwise if I think otherwise."
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Easy Eddie is wicked surprised by how bad the offense has been:

"Yeah, I'm baffled. You go through all the emotions. Of all the words you could use, we can't become resigned to this is what it is, because then we're basically saying some guys with pretty substantial track records of success are now failing, and we have to accept that. I don't think it's an acceptable fact. I think they have to battle their way out of it, and I think there's a lot left in the tank for guys struggling the most right now. We have to try to get a way out of it, and I think there's a lot left in the tank for the guys struggling the most right now."