Yankees Manager Suspended After Epic Argument With Ump
Fictional chocolate impresario Willy Wonka once said that “a little nonsense, now and then, is relished by the wisest men.”
If that is the case, then New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is a wise man … or at least a wiseguy.
On Friday, Boone got into a verbal scrap with umpire Nic Lentz, not only arguing balls and strikes (which itself is an ejectable offense) but taking it a step further and treating Lentz in a manner the suggested Boone does not think a major league umpire understands the concept of a catcher “framing” a pitch.
Aaron Boone, ejected and animated. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/EUhRQC3onQ
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) September 1, 2018
Well, it turns out the league office didn’t think an ejection was enough punishment, and suspended Boone for one game.
At issue was the more severe penalty for making physical contact with an umpire.
During Boone’s rant, his cap hit the cap of Lentz, triggering the automatic one-game purgatory for the New York skipper.
Boone served the suspension Sunday, as bench coach Josh Bard presided over the Yankees’ 11-7 loss to the Tigers.
Before the game, Boone accepted his punishment, explaining his rationale (such as it was in anger) and trying to find the lesson in things.
“Obviously, I got a little too close for comfort there, so that’s part of the deal. I just got to accept that,” Boone said.
“Look, I was arguing. I got kicked out of the game. I reacted how I reacted. Unfortunately, I got a little too close, so I do regret that. I always want to be in control, in control of my emotions to a degree, but sometimes you also have to state your claim and defend certain things that are important. But I definitely shouldn’t have nicked his cap.”
Boone shouted “Do your job!” at Lentz, and while he demonstrated the framing technique, said “That’s a ball, that’s a strike, OK?”
Boone also had some advice for his fellow managers who may possibly find themselves in a similar situation and wish to avoid a suspension.
“Just flip the cap the around backwards and let `er rip,” Boone said.
“I’ll be hopefully better, learning from this and commanding my emotions in a better way,” he added.
Or, at the very least, he’ll have the sense to flip his cap around and then let ‘er rip.
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