Real-time Awful Umpiring!

Watching the Braves-Nats game, and Larry Vanover has ejected somebody on the Nationals, probably hitting coach Rick “My Brother Can’t Throw” Eckstein. After stealing second with one out, Nyjer Morgan took off for third. He was obviously safe — one of those “the throw beat him but the tag didn’t” plays. Vanover called him out anyway. Riggleman came out to argue, fairly briefly and gently, then went back into the dugout. The batter at the plate, Cristian Guzman, then singled over short, “costing” the Nats a run. (Obviously, we don’t know what would have happened if Morgan had been at the plate; Tommy Hanson probably would have thrown a different pitch. Also, you can argue that Morgan trying to steal third “cost” them a run, as he would have scored from second — as he did in the first inning.)

Anyway, the Nats’ dugout started complaing again, and Riggleman came out to argue again. Vanover then tossed someone. I at first thought it was Riggleman, but then Eckstein came out on the field and really went after Vanover; Riggleman and the third base coach held him back, but Chip Caray — who is wrong about many, many things — says an ejected coach coming on the field is a suspendable offense.

I’m surprised more coaches don’t get ejected. If I was a hitting coach, I’d bitch at the umpire all game. There’s nothing a hitting coach can’t do just as well from the clubhouse.

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