I was wrong: I suggested that Mike Winterssuspension would vindicateMilton Bradley, but Bradley completely dismissed that idea. Considering he's still laid up with a bum knee no matter what punishment Winters receives, I guess that's understandable.
Is it me, or was Chris Rose trying to put words in Bradley's mouth regarding a lawsuit? Bradley ignored the suggestion, but Rose seemed to twist that into being a "wait and see" response. And really, who could he sue? Winters may have instigated the whole incident by talking like a sailor, but I can't possibly see how he'd be culpable for the torn ACL. Could Bradley sue Bud Black or the Padres? I guess it's possible, but that might do more harm than good in terms of his already-stained reputation in front offices around the majors.
I'm not sure I believe that he'll be ready by spring training, but there's a decent chance that he could at least be ready by Opening Day. The standard recovery time for this type of injury is 6-8 months, and he has six months almost to the day before Opening Day. If he can shave a week or two off his rehabilitation, it's definitely possible. He sounds awfully determined and earning a contract can be a great motivator, so don't rule anything out.
Major League Baseball investigated Sunday's incident between Milton Bradley and umpire Mike Winters and determined that Winters did in fact cross the line by baiting Bradley. From the AP:
Winters was suspended because the commissioner's office concluded he had used a profanity aimed at Bradley, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the reasoning for the suspension was not announced.
Bradley and first-base coach Bobby Meacham indicated that Winters called Bradley "a bleeping piece of (expletive)." Rockies first basemen Todd Helton appeared to be within ear shot but has so far publicly refused to comment, aside from saying the exchange was an "interesting event." According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, major league officials tried to reach Helton, but it's not known if he officially corroborated Bradley and Meacham's version of events. In any case, the suspension saves Winters and the Padres from an awkward situation: he was currently slated to work the team's final three games of the season.
Make no mistake, this suspension is officially a "big deal:" Winters has been umpiring since 1990 and has worked two World Series in the past five years, including last year. It's not known if MLB has suspended him for the duration of the playoffs, as well, but publicly hanging him out to dry puts a blatant stain on his reputation (much like when the NBA suspended Joey Crawford) when it would have easier to simply do nothing and let Bradley, who has a history of public tantrums, take the fall.
Baseball spokesman Rich Levin said yesterday the commissioner's office is investigating whether the volatile Bradley was baited by Winters. The Padres said Winters directed profanities at Bradley right before the blowup. "I know there will be a thorough investigation of the dialogue between Milton and Mike Winters," Padres GM Kevin Towers said before San Diego opened a three-game series in San Francisco. "I have a lot of confidence there will be due process and it will be handled well. For Milton's sake, he certainly has the support of our ballclub."
There's really only four people who know for sure what was said: Winters, Bradley, first base coach Bobby Meacham and Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. So far, Bradley and Meacham have made it very clear that they think Winters crossed the line, while Winters and Helton have refrained from commenting.
I can understand Helton not wanting to interject himself into the controversy (and risk future retribution from umpires), but he's really the only unbiased party in the know. Sooner or later he has to talk, right? He hasn't so far to reporters, but maybe he will when the commissioner's office comes calling.
Milton Bradley had a reputation for being both volatile and a malcontent, so when he exploded in anger at umpire Mike Winters on Sunday, most people assumed Bradley was in the wrong. As it turns out, though, Winters in no stranger to controversy himself. From the San Diego Union-Tribune:
In June 1998, the Giants' Charlie Hayes snapped after hearing from Winters.
"He told me to go (expletive) myself," Hayes told the San Francisco Chronicle. "The next one who says that to me, I'm hitting in the mouth." [...] One half-inning after Hayes protested a strike call by Winters, the two argued as Hayes walked toward third base. Winters ejected Hayes, words were exchanged and Hayes charged the ump. It took several Giants to restrain Hayes, who was wrestled to the ground by manager Dusty Baker.
It's been nine years, but Winters probably experienced deja vu on Sunday -- it's remarkable how similar the two incidents played out, with both players being thrown to the ground by their managers. So what does this mean? Nothing, really. Winters has presided over hundreds of games in the past nine years, and if this is the worst dirt the media could find on him, he's doing a good job staying out of the spotlight.
Things just went from bad to worse for Milton Bradley and the Padres: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports is reporting that the knee injury suffered by the mercurial outfielder while arguing with umpire Mike Winters on Sunday resulted in a torn ACL. He will miss the rest of the season, as well as the playoffs assuming the Padres hold on.
The injury will require surgery, which means that he'll spend much of the winter rehabilitating. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season, and needless to say, visiting prospective employers wearing a knee brace and using crutches certainly won't do his bank account any favors.
Bradley remains adamant that Winters sparked the incident, and Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, a respected voice among baseball's front offices, is also convinced that Winters acted improper:
Alderson used to work in the commissioner's office, where one of his duties was overseeing umpires.
"We're not going to sit by and see an umpire bait a player," Alderson said. He added that if the commissioner's office concludes the situation was handled appropriately, "I'll be shocked."
True or not, it doesn't really matter for the Padres, who lost one of their hottest hitters right when they needed him most. Bradley is without a doubt responsible for his fate -- he could've let his coaches take up his battle for him -- but Winters isn't coming out of this incident completely clean, either.
"Everyone is going to make a twist that Milton Bradley blew up again," Meacham said. "This kid [Bradley] is doing a great job holding it together. He's not going to get thrown out because he knows his team needs him. But there's no possible way a man is going to stand there and take what [Winters] said to Milton.
"In 26 years of baseball, I couldn't believe my ears the way that he spoke to Milton. [It] was so disrespectful, so angry, so vindictive. The boiling point is when he called Milton a name. Milton did not saying anything to him to get him to do that."
Basically, the whole incident started earlier in the game when Bradley flipped his bat after striking out. Winters apparently told home plate umpire Brian Runge that Bradley flipped the bat in the direction of Runge, which prompted Runge to ask Bradley about it the next time Bradley came up to bat. Bradley denied it, and upon reaching first base on a single he asked Winters between pitches about what he said to Runge.
Rodriguez let it be known on Saturday that he thinks the suspension is uncalled for, but he had nowhere near as much to say about it as his manager.
"I'm tired of this," manager Jim Leyland said on Saturday. "We've had it happen a couple of times this year. I had another guy suspended for something he didn't do. Neither one was called for.
"When you rant and rave, you have a chance of probably getting thrown out. But this suspension, which is uncalled for, has nothing to do with the umpires. This is MLB (Major League Baseball), not the umpires. I want to make that perfectly clear.
"I think the suspension is totally out of line. The umpire gave a very fair report that Pudge did not intentionally bump him.
"I don't think it's a matter of him taking a day off so it's OK for him to be suspended," said Leyland. "That's bull. That's just saying they're right, so we'll pick the right day and everybody's happy. That's not the point. The man shouldn't have been suspended. That's ridiculous.
The hammer of justice that is Bob Watson has made a decision, and Ivan Rodriguez is going to have to live with it. Ivan will have to sit out a game, and his wallet is a bit lighter this afternoon, thanks to bumping home plate umpire Mike Winters on Friday night in Seattle.
"If I did [bump him], I just did it barely," Rodriguez said on Thursday. "I didn't do that on purpose. There was no reason to take me out of the game there."
You did, Ivan. We all saw it. Though I tend to agree that you didn't do it on purpose, whether intentional or not, if you bump an umpire or make any kind of physical contact you will get tossed. It's just the way it is, and has always been.
Rodriguez did have a right to be angry though. After Yuniesky Betancourt swung and missed during a hit and run, he fell over the plate and got in Pudge's way as he tried to throw out Adrian Beltre at second base. Beltre never did come around to score, rendering the argument and ejection meaningless, but Winters still blew the call pretty damn badly if I do say so myself.
Rodriguez or the Tigers have not said when he'll serve the suspension, but it's doubtful he'll appeal. Considering catchers get a day off pretty regularly as it is, an appeal would be rather pointless.
Ivan Rodriguez could face a suspension after making inadvertant contact with home plate umpire Mike Winters on Thursday night in Seattle.
Pudge became upset because after Yuniesky Betancourt failed to keep up his end in a hit and run. After a wing and miss, Betancourt leaned out in front of the plate and interfered with Rodriguez's throw to second to try and get Adrian Beltre. Seeing the play live, Pudge had every right to be angry.
Still, Winters didn't call interference on Betancourt which prompted an argument from Rodriguez.
"Rodriguez was ejected because during the argument he got too demonstrative and in so doing inadvertently bumped into me," Winters said. "That's why he was ejected."
This play was only one of two odd incidents in last night's Seattle victory over the Tigers. In the 5th inning Adrian Beltre hit a bases loaded single to tie the game at two, and as he tried to take second base on the throw home, Carlos Guillen missed the tag and he was called safe. Beltre then came off the bag, and again Guillen missed a tag on him. Beltre got to his feet and started towards third, as Guillen swung and missed with his glove a few more times.
Eventually Richie Sexson scored what proved to be the winning run for Seattle, but when the Tigers appealed the play at second before the next pitch, Beltre was called out. Bruce Froemming said Beltre never touched second, which is odd seeing as how Froemming called him safe at second. After viewing replays, it was clear that Guillen never did tag Beltre, but also that Beltre did in fact touch second base.
Just a very odd play, one that left both teams a little unhappy.
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