Lil Bit Special Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/wires/04/02/2010.ap.bbn.dodgers.bowa.ejected.1st.ld.writethru.0597/ LOS ANGELES (AP) -Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa was ejected in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's game against the San Francisco Giants for arguing after he was told to stay within the boundaries of the coaching box. The Dodgers had two on and two outs in a scoreless game when third base umpire Ed Montague gestured to Bowa. The two came together, the discussion got heated, and Bowa was tossed. Bowa had to be restrained by manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer before leaving the field. Once in the dugout, the fiery former manager turned over a bucket of Gatorade. First base coach Mariano Duncan moved to third and hitting coach Mike Easler took over at first. Major League Baseball announced in late February that starting this year, first- and third-base coaches must not cross the lines toward home plate or the field until batted balls pass them. Only then can they take up other spots to guide runners. In November, general managers decided big league base coaches must wear protective headgear this year, starting with exhibition games. Double-A first base coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed by a line drive to the neck last season. Third-base coaches routinely stand much closer to the plate than the lines permit, trying to get a better look at where outfielders are positioned. The Dodgers won the game 3-2, but Bowa was still irate 30 minutes later as he left Dodger Stadium, unleashing a profanity-laced tirade regarding the rule. "I did it all spring, nobody said a word,'' he said. "I did it yesterday, nobody said a word. It's impossible to coach third and stay in the box with a runner at second.'' Schaefer also criticized the rule, but added: "Unfortunately, the umpires are doing what they're told to do.'' Montague said it was "probably one of the dumbest ejections he's had. "We got a memo and an edict, and they're adamant about the box and stuff,'' the umpire said. "Don't go up in front of the box toward home plate, and don't get any closer to the foul lines. I told Bo in the bottom of the fifth, because he got up close. And that's what caught my eye. And I just told him, 'Bo, you got the memo, we got the memo, and you've got to stay back.' I went over and told Joe in-between innings what I told Bo. And Bo just said, 'I'm going to do it the way I've always been doing it.' "I said, 'Bo, if you go up, I'm going to have to run you.' And he said, 'Do what you've got to do, and it is what it is.' When he got up in front of it again, I said, 'Bo, I told you once, now get back in the box.' He argued it, and finally I said, 'You're gone.' So I gave him every chance in the book and he defied it.'' San Francisco's Rich Aurilia said he wasn't surprised by Bowa's explosion. "I mean, he made a big stink this spring about wearing the helmet,'' Aurilia said. "But I could see for four innings that they were arguing over there about something. I didn't know what until that happened. But, hey, they put the rule in for a reason and I guess you've got to abide by it. If not, you're going to be out of there. That's what happened tonight.'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Bit Special Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodrep3apr03,0,6230435.story Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa was handed a three-game suspension and fined an undisclosed amount by the commissioner's office today for his on-the-field tirade Tuesday night in the sixth inning of his team's 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Bowa will start serving his suspension tonight in the Dodgers' series finale against the Giants at Dodger Stadium. Bowa was thrown out of the game for arguing with third base umpire Ed Montague, who, to Bowa's displeasure, enforced Major League Baseball's new rule that forces base coaches to remain in their designated boxes until batted balls pass them. Bowa, who had to be restrained by Manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer, was determined to have made contact with Montague multiple times. The contact, said a spokesperson for the commissioner's office, factored into the length of the suspension and amount of the fine. The commissioner's office was aware of Bowa's postgame comments -- "The people in New York have no idea what they're doing," he told The Times -- but that didn't affect the severity of the punishment. Bowa argued that he had worked outside of the coach's box in spring training and on opening day, but was never told anything. The commissioner's office said that its staff communicated the new rules in writing and in person to the front offices and field staffs of every club. The incident was reviewed today by Bob Watson, MLB's vice president of on-field operations. Bowa also spoke out against the other new rule affecting base coaches, which forces them to wear helmets on the field. After the Dodgers' first spring training game, Bowa threatened to wear shinguards, a chest protector and a mask onto the field to mock the rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 I like Bowa, but they had to run him. What did he expect? I'd love to see him go out there in the catcher's gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Bit Special Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 I like Bowa, but they had to run him. What did he expect? I'd love to see him go out there in the catcher's gear. I would too.... but he'd probably get suspended for 10 games... sucks for coaches, they have no recourse to fight suspensions or silly rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidhuman Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 If the guy got killed from a neck shot, what good is a helmet goig to do? No disresepct to the Coolbaugh family in anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicBizkit87 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 If the guy got killed from a neck shot, what good is a helmet goig to do? No disresepct to the Coolbaugh family in anyway The only helmet that would prevent a third base, or first base coach from getting hurt would either be a catchers mask, or a goalie mask, other wise, it's pointless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidhuman Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 The only helmet that would prevent a third base, or first base coach from getting hurt would either be a catchers mask, or a goalie mask, other wise, it's pointless. I agree, its like wearing a bullet proof vest to protect from a head shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbn007 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 This is a case of Bowa being Bowa. The rules are what they are. He knows them, and like it or not he has to abide by them. I happen to think he is one of the best 3rd base coaches in the business. But still, he can't run amok and just do what he wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.