Brett Lawrie Hits Umpire With Helmet

[jcarey]

Toronto 3B Lawrie threw his helmet after getting tossed for arguing balls and strikes and it caromed into Bill Miller. Not sure yet what the suspension will be...

Toronto Blue Jays slugger Brett Lawrie apologized later for his tantrum, and he seemed to mean it, but video of him slamming his batting helmet to the ground and it hitting umpire Bill Miller in the right hip is incriminating.

Link

Here's a plot of the strike calls if anyone is interested.

numlocation.php-pitchSel=407845&game=gid_2012_05_15_tbamlb_tormlb_1&batterX=71&innings=yyyyyyyyy.gif

Thoughts on punishment? I think 5 days is in line with suspensions for past altercations between players and umpires, but I'm sure it will be more.

[Yankee Tripper]

5 games minimum.

I say he gets 8 games, apeals and it is reduced to 5.

[RenoHightower]

So he threw his helmet on the ground and it bounced into the ump? Then he apologized? You're 100% right that he'll be suspended, but he shouldn't be.

[JL25and3]

So he threw his helmet on the ground and it bounced into the ump? Then he apologized? You're 100% right that he'll be suspended, but he shouldn't be.

Of course he should be. I agree that it should be a minimum of 5 games - after appeal.

[BRNXBMRS]

The helmet took a bad bounce but he will be made an example of.

[RenoHightower]

Of course he should be. I agree that it should be a minimum of 5 games - after appeal.

OK, I watched the video. He should be suspended, but really I think the umpire should be punished for clearly punishing Lawrie for going to first base before he made the call on what should have been ball four. The next pitch was nowhere near a strike, but the umpire decided to teach Lawrie a lesson, and called it a strike anyway. What a jerk.

[Yankees1962]

Torre's old school, probably doesn't like basically a rookie getting in the face of one of his umpires and then having a temper tantrum. He's gone 8 games.

[RenoHightower]

Torre's old school, probably doesn't like basically a rookie getting in the face of one of his umpires and then having a temper tantrum. He's gone 8 games.

What does Torre have to do with this?

[nhyankeefan]

What does Torre have to do with this?

He's the one who will be determining Lawrie's suspension.

[Yankees1962]

What does Torre have to do with this?

He's the one handling out the punishment.

[effdamets]

I thought Torre left that position so he could try to buy the Dodgers....

[Yankees1962]

I thought Torre left that position so he could try to buy the Dodgers....

He got reappointed last month after his group was dropped.

[BobLoblaw]

What a horrible call.

[RYMASTER or Ryan_Yankees]

Wait, this guy is kind of a douchebag?



Color me shocked.

[False1]

Of course he should be. I agree that it should be a minimum of 5 games - after appeal.

It was a pretty bad sequence for Miller and could have had an impact on the outcome of the game. That said, I agree with you; you can't have guys storming towards umpires and slamming helmets into the ground at their feet. It took a bad bounce, but it's not like he threw it towards the dugout and it changed direction to come back and inadvertently hit the umpire. I believe him when he says it was an accident, but that doesn't mean it should go without consequence.

That said, this brings back the old dead horse discussion around how Miller should be held accountable for missing both those pitches.

[Yankees1962]

Wait, this guy is kind of a douchebag?



Color me shocked.

He has a reputation which is one of the reasons why the Brewers got rid of him because they had some problems with him. He's definitely high strung.

[False1]

Wait, this guy is kind of a douchebag?



Color me shocked.

I don't think that picture or the fact that he let his anger get the best of him in that situation proves that he is a douchebag. I don't know if he is or not, but I don't think either of those things makes a case for it at all.

[NelsonMuntz]

Not saying he should have thrown his helmet in the direction of the umpire it but I really can't blame Lawrie for being so upset. That was beyond ridiculous. Human element strikes again.

[Big_E]

Not saying he should have thrown his helmet in the direction of the umpire it but I really can't blame Lawrie for being so upset. That was beyond ridiculous. Human element strikes again.

The last pitch was on the edge of the defined strike zone. But batters are used to anything above the belt being a ball, so that calling the defined strike zone looks high.

[YankeePride1967]

Neither pitch was a strike. Lawrie will (and deservedly) get suspended as while he was justified in being upset, you can't throw a helmet and (unintentionally or not) hit the umpire with it. I agree with 8 games and reduced to 5.

[1970cs]

9th inning on getaway day of an afternoon game, check the departure list from the Toronto airport to see where this ump crew is working tonight.

[RenoHightower]

He got reappointed last month after his group was dropped.

I hadn't heard that he was back in the position.

[Big_E]

Neither pitch was a strike.

See the pitch chart below (shown from the umpire's perspective):

Attachment 21063

Last pitch was borderline.

[NelsonMuntz]

The last pitch was on the edge of the defined strike zone. But batters are used to anything above the belt being a ball, so that calling the defined strike zone looks high.

Even if you want to give the umpire the benefit of the doubt on the last pitch, pitch 5 was about 15" off the plate according to the chart. No excuse for that level of incompetence.

[Yankees1962]

Even if you want to give the umpire the benefit of the doubt on the last pitch, pitch 5 was about 15" off the plate according to the chart. No excuse for that level of incompetence.

Happens every game.