BY DAVID LENNON
MIAMI – The Mets’ frustration, already at its boiling point, exploded last night in the seventh inning when Lastings Milledge ripped into plate umpire Jim Joyce without warning. Even after he was ejected, and later restrained twice by coaches, Milledge still charged back at Joyce and is likely to be suspended for his actions.
As reporters approached Milledge’s locker afterward, first base coach Rickey Henderson -- Milledge’s mentor -- tried to keep the media at bay.
“Gentlemen, he ain’t going to comment on that s---,” Henderson said. “Not tonight. Leave him alone.”
After Milledge dressed, he quietly told reporters, “Right now it’s not a good time. Tomorrow.” Manager Willie Randolph, who barged in to separate Milledge from Joyce, didn’t offer a comment.
“It’s probably best to ask the parties involved,” Randolph said.
In the seventh inning, Milledge popped up to short for the third out, but as he headed back toward the dugout, Milledge confronted Joyce on the infield grass near the pitcher’s mound.
Once face-to-face, Milledge didn’t get to say much before he was immediately ejected, and then had to be restrained by Henderson, who hustled over when things began to escalate. Finally, manager Willie Randolph came out to get between the two, and Henderson escorted Milledge off the field. That was only the beginning.
With Joyce still stating his case to Randolph, Milledge suddenly burst from the dugout and charged Joyce again before both Henderson and bench coach Jerry Manuel grabbed him. As they pulled him back, Milledge screamed at Joyce and repeatedly pumped his right fist at him.
It was unclear what upset Milledge, but replays showed that it might have been the first pitch of the at-bat, which looked outside but was called a strike. Milledge also was hit by Dontrelle Willis in the first inning and the Marlins starter threw behind him in the fifth.
Comments (16)
Umpires and officials are human beings....they have a sixth sense of a lot of things....I always thought that guys like Parcells every so often got a break mostly because he knew how to work them (stopping short of the Tom Coughlin lack of discipline) and in the back of their mind there was always the possibility of an explosion....I always thought that under Herm Edwards they got the short end of the stick from time to time as call after call went against them, you saw that perplexed look on their face.
Now let's look at the recent couple of weeks...you had the interference call against Marlon Anderson..a call that is never made in a situation like that...
You had the Friday night game...Reyes complains and is then called out on strikes on a pitch that is clearly high and outside....nothing is said..later on LoDuca gets called out on strikes on a pitch that was clearly low (the same two pitches called balls the next day before Rollins' tripe)...he argues a bit and as he is walking away, the yumpire throws him out...Willie comes out and says nothing.
Saturday Marlon Anderson is called out starting the ninth inning on a pitch clearly a foot outside...he yells and is tossed..Willie says nothing.
Last night, Milledge goes ballistic but really goes ballistic after he gets tossed...Willie says nothing.
Whatever happened to the old adage that when you argue with an umpire, you are arguing for the next one....
Look, I'm not suggesting a conspiracy theory here but human nature is that you take the path of least resistance and it often seems that nice guys always seem to get the shaft.
Jeff,
I understand what you are saying to a point.
Willies lack of emotion and i don't mean not dancing with the idiots in the dugout. I mean the lack of getting out there and fighting for your guys. He should be leading the league in tossed from games in the last week.
Also his everything is OK attitude before and after the game when talking to the media. This guy needed badly to explode lastnight. Either on the field with the ump, in the dugout on the team or to the media. Stop sugarcoating everything!!!
Now if your point was that the umps are sticking it to the mets. I can't agree with you. The Mets are sticking it to themselves. The umps are a stress ball lately to this team. Yes, you bring up good examples. But, if the team was winning on the field they wouldn't be arguing 75% of the crap that they are.
It is disgusting watching this team... They don't deserve the playoff and by the end of this weekend we may all be talking about the race for the Wild Card. And honestly I am not going to sit here and hate on the Phillies either. More power to them if they pull this one off. They deserve it. The mets need to take a look over there and see what they should be playing like!
I thought if you read my last paragraph that I had made it clear that I wasn't blaming the umps per se...this goes on in all sports and all the time and much of it is simply conditioned reflexes...you know you argue with me and I'll stick it to you.
Bring back Bobby Valentine!!
"you know you argue with me and I'll stick it to you.
Why is it that normal conversation on all the sports blogs has to turn to stupidity? Even with the fans of the same team you root for?
Willie: Get a backbone and fight for your team's playoff hopes survival!!! At some point you need to light a fire, Come On!!!!
If he knew Wagner was out for the game why not save Heilman for the 9th inning then? Who would you rather have closed the game? A tired Sosa or a proven Heilman who has saved games before.
That is my only question for Willie.
Can someone teach David Wright how to throw to first base?
Sect414: Don't forget, why did he bring Sosa out again for a second inning?
I think Milledge needs to talk to the Mets pitchers. Willis was clearly throwing at our hitters last night, but Glavine didn't protect his players. When Willis came up to bat, Glavine should have thrown one behind him. Milledge has been getting thrown at all season, but none of the Met pitchers has ever dusted an opposing player in retaliation. Alfonseca of the Phillies is facing a 4 game suspension, and Soriano of the Braves is also facing a 4 game suspension, for throwing at opposing players, but in each instance they were retaliating to protect their teammates. I wonder if the Mets would be in the mess if the opposition knew that if they hit a Met player, they could expect payback.
Fred you are absolutely correct. Not much else to add except Wilpon has taken note. If they miss the playoffs you have seen the last of Willie in Flushing.
I am at a loss for words at this point. I can't believe they are in first place all season long and they wait until now to play their worse baseball. I do blame Willie for this mess. He may know how to talk to some players and get the best out of them, but when it comes to the pitching, he has no clue. He makes dumb decisions, and it seems as if he doesn't learn from his mistakes. I mean, if you don't have confidence in anyone else in that bullpen, then why are they up here. Sosa was not the choice last night and I agree, as much as Heilman has been given up runs lately, I would still have wanted to see him in the 9th. My emotions went from horrible to elated when they took the lead, but then I found my self sweating out the 9th only to be disapointed again. If we don't make the playoffs, by winning the Division or Wild Card, then Willie has to go. One question, because I am lost for answers, but why wasn't Castillo in the lineup yesterday, he has been consistent even in the losses.
David,
My guess would be his knee.
You see him as that valuable and consistent? I think him and Conine are a waste of space.
I got a question why does everyone point at Willie and no mention of Mulllet man paper in the mouth note taking Peterson?
Because Peterson doesn't make the choice of who pitches and when they pitch. Why does Witless Willie ignore Humber? He could have pitched in alot of these games, but Willie doesn't even think of using him. There are plenty of pitchers in the pen and AAA, but Witless Willie only uses the same players every night. I see the Mets called up their AAA closer for tonight's game. Maybe Mota got sent to the big easy.
I get it. To me though, the bullpen sucks, the Starters are no great treat. PITCHING COACH gets a free ride?
Humber should have started before Lawrence the other night. Now they bring up the AAA closer? For what? To watch the game closer then on TV? He won't sniff the grass on the field let alone get in the game.
WHAT A JOKE !
I think someone in the front office has decided that Witless Willie had better start using all the players needed to win. He's too often putting his personal feelings for players ahead of what's best for the team. The AAA closer is there to cover Wagner, and give another arm in the pen for the 7-9th inning. I imagine Willie has been told to use Humber also.