Countdown to Brett Lawrie Suspension (Suspended for four games: reply #45)

[monty57]

So a player who can probably throw a baseball 100 feet and hit a 1 foot x 1 foot target 99 times out of 100 doesn't have the accuracy to "miss" with the helmet from a few feet away? I find it hard to believe that it was an accident that it hit the ump.

[jjfanec]

Lawrie gives off a vibe that he thinks he deserves star treatment after a good couple months last year and some over the top publicity to start this year. Last year I questioned if his power was legitimate because he had a huge spike in power numbers last year. People said his power jump was expected because of his young age. It made sense. Yet, this year his power has fallen way off. His BA is his only impressive hitting stat and it is just .289. He isnt hitting for power, he isnt walking, and he isnt a threat on the base paths since he makes too many dumb decisions there. He could still be a stud but he looked like a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum in the video.

 

Sure the ump made a bad call but there have been a lot worse calls already this year. Spiking your helmet AT an umpire is going to cost him and it should. This attitude issue does not seem like an isolated incident if you read past threads on him and how the Brewers were rubbed-wrong by his attitude. He has talent for sure, but I am less and less disappointed about the trade each day

[homer]

"Brett Lawrie has removed his helmet and thrown it at the umpire.....as is tradition"

[yfinn6]

What Lawrie did was wrong, but that umpiring was horrible. If the umpire makes the right call, there is no problem.

 

 

If Lawrie doesn't act like a complete jerk there is no problem either. It seems the umpire got mad because some rookie basically showed him up after the strike 2 call where he walked very slowly back to the plate and was practically staring at the ump the whole time. While it may have been a ball, calls like that happen every day and after seeing Lawrie's reaction to the strike 2 call, I knew if the next pitch was even remotely close to a strike, which is stretching it on the last pitch, he was going to get rung up. I'm not saying the ump was right to do it but I could see it coming because of Lawrie's actions.

 

This is the way I see it, too.

 

The strike two call reaction from Lawrie was a bit over-the-top. Then you had Fernando Rodney staring down Lawrie as well, but that's a different matter. Bottom line is, they were probably balls on strikes two and three, but the way Lawrie ran out of the box on a borderline pitch was questionable. The ump clearly didn't like it, it brought a weird aura to home plate, and if the next pitch was going to be close Lawrie had better be hacking. He wasn't and was rung up. I've seen it a thousand times.

 

I had never seen a player hit an ump with his batting helmet. That IS a first.

[Roderick]

In this case, the umpire was allowed to "send a message" by changing the strike zone at his will. But I guess that is acceptable if the player is a rookie? Just part of the game?

Yes, I agree it is just part of the game and has been done forever. Doesn't even have to be a rookie (but it helps), if a player shows up the umpire, the zone probably just got bigger for that player.

[jerichoholicninja]

So a player who can probably throw a baseball 100 feet and hit a 1 foot x 1 foot target 99 times out of 100 doesn't have the accuracy to "miss" with the helmet from a few feet away? I find it hard to believe that it was an accident that it hit the ump.

You're joking right? He threw his helmet into the ground and it bounced and hit the umpire. I'd like to see any person try to do that "99 times out of 100".

[reillymcshane]

Lawrie really should get nailed by baseball for this one. He came at the ump as if he was going to attack him. It wasn't a simple 'slam the helmet down' gesture - he whipped the thing into the ground, in the direction of the ump. He'll get nailed.

 

I will say this, the third strike call was a terrible call. I read the second one was bad too. But having not seen the rest of the game, I can't say if this was how the umpire was calling things all night. If he was consistently calling that a strike, then Lawrie and everyone else in the game should understand that.

 

No matter, what Lawrie did was really stupid and childish. Passion for the game is one thing, but he looked like he was ready to go after the ump.

 

Final thing - if I did that in my workplace, I'd be fired in a heartbeat. I could do a lot of things that might get me written up by HR or a talking to from my boss - such as argue a coworker, raise my voice in a meeting, slam my fist into the table, roll my eyes in disgust - but I wouldn't lose my job (assuming i haven't done it before). But if I took my water bottle, raised it above my head, moved aggressively toward a coworker, and slammed the bottle into the ground - I'm in for some serious trouble.

[jjfanec]

You're joking right? He threw his helmet into the ground and it bounced and hit the umpire. I'd like to see any person try to do that "99 times out of 100".

 

He did not just throw his helmet into the ground. He threw his helmet into the ground right in front of the umpire. If he would have thrown it and it would have taken a crazy hop and went toward the ump that would be one thing, however that isnt what happened. It was thrown directly at the umpires feet. If a Brewer would have done this I would have thought it was classless as well.

[homer]

Yeah it was pretty obvious he threw the helmet towards the umps feet and not straight down at the ground.

[MJLiverock]

Both strike calls were terrible, Lawrie running to first on the first bad call didn't seem bad to me, players toss the bat or start running to first on calls like that all the time. The umps are supposed to be making the calls, not getting in the he showed me up petulance calls so there is no excuse for the even worse called third strike. This goes back to the bad umping thread and umps making themselves part of the game rather than just calling it.

 

That said Lawrie's reaction was way over the top. Guys get called out on bad calls all the time, they may drop their shoulders, mutter something, even disdainfully toss the bat or helmet back toward the on deck circle but not go crazy like that screaming, jumping, over reaction he did, especially in an early season non playoff, non World Series moment.

 

Not to pick on you reillymcshane but I hate it when people compare pro sports with their workplace rules. Nothing is the same in those situations. Elite talent be it athletes, musicians, actors, all have different workplace norms and tolerances than working in an office. I can't throw a stapler at a co worker as hard as I want while spitting tobacco juice or seeds on my office floor, or even put a shaving cream pie in the face of a coworker after an interview either. Nor can order only green M&Ms or demand a fifth of Vodka be placed in my car from the airport so I can get my drink on before performing but these are not unusual requests for elite talented artists either, nor is anyone about to start drug testing actors or musicians, (but then again my office doesn't either but many do). Superstar company founders have different rules as well, I've been in plenty of offices with a bar in them, or dealt with brilliant engineers who blast Metallica in their office much to the annoyance of reception but if you are the rain maker accommodations will be made. In pro sports they are all the rain makers and playing a game does allow for unchecked emotions, fights, swearing, yelling, etc. that aren't going to get a guy fired.

[Nottso]

He was looking right at the ump when he launched it and it sure looks to me like it was meant to bounce at the ump.

[dlk9s]

Bottom line: Lawrie didn't absolutely intend to hit the ump with his helmet, but he intended to put a little scare into him and certainly didn't care if the helmet made contact.

[owbc]

Both strike calls were terrible, Lawrie running to first on the first bad call didn't seem bad to me, players toss the bat or start running to first on calls like that all the time. The umps are supposed to be making the calls, not getting in the he showed me up petulance calls so there is no excuse for the even worse called third strike. This goes back to the bad umping thread and umps making themselves part of the game rather than just calling it.

 

That said Lawrie's reaction was way over the top. Guys get called out on bad calls all the time, they may drop their shoulders, mutter something, even disdainfully toss the bat or helmet back toward the on deck circle but not go crazy like that screaming, jumping, over reaction he did, especially in an early season non playoff, non World Series moment.

 

I agree completely with this. A strong suspension is appropriate from MLB. The long-lasting implications are what trouble me the most. Lawrie certainly should be swinging at borderline pitches the rest of the season...

[jerichoholicninja]

If you watch the home plate ump's mouth he says the words "expletive kid" to Lawrie before he even throws his helmet. This was definitely an ump trying to

"teach the rookie a lesson". What Lawrie did was terrible and he should be suspended, whether his helmet hit the ump or not, but the umpire should be disciplined as well.

[3and2Fastball]

I believe he deserves a 15 game suspension (seriously) but will likely get 5-7. He was very close to the ump when he threw his helmet and he threw it right at him

[PrinceEatMeat]

Delmon Young got 50 games in the minors for flipping his bat underhanded into an umpire. I know this isn't as bad, and it's the majors, but it still deserves a harsh punishment. I'd say at least 10-15 games, but I doubt he gets more than 5.

[brwrsfan]

I just don't buy the argument that it was an accident. Yes, he didn't throw it at him in the air. But he could have thrown his helmet and made his point literally anywhere else on the field. Instead he spikes it three feet in front of the umpire, aimed directly at him. This should be harsh, but I doubt it will be. Yeah, it was a bad call, but that doesn't mean you can just go ballistic on the field and throw things at umpires and throw a tantrum like a little girl. Argueing is one thing, throwing things like that is just ridiculous in my opinion.

[Baldkin]

 

That's a lot more than "flipping it underhand".

[bigjase]

I love that the catcher in the Young clip just kept walking up to the pitcher like nothing happened.

[3and2Fastball]

He got suspended 4 games (according to MLB Network) and is appealing the suspension

[Baldkin]

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1069299/Lawrie-Smash.gif

 

Wow. Only 4 games.

[phnxcrew]

very surprising. I figured 10. Appealing will cut it in half... He will not learn a thing from this.

[zzzmanwitz]

Joe Torre came out in his defense saying that he did not throw his helmet at the umpire. I'm sure that had a lot to do with the small number of games he received. Also the fact that the umpire called horrible strikes.

[jjfanec]

Joe Torre came out in his defense saying that he did not throw his helmet at the umpire. I'm sure that had a lot to do with the small number of games he received. Also the fact that the umpire called horrible strikes.

 

So Torre knows his intent? I am sorry from the video it looks he threw his helmet right at the feet of the ump. Sure he did throw it directly at him but to act like he didnt mean to throw it in the vicinity of the ump is crazy. The intent (at least to intimidate) is obvious. The fact that the call was bad should not matter at all. If it did what you are telling the players is that it is ok to flip out over a bad call.

 

I thought he deserved 7 games which would get cut to 5 with the appeal. If he only gets 2 out of it that is a joke.

[Schlitz001]

The called strikes against Lawrie from the umpire were just terrible. 4 games seems about right, if not a little low. Helmets are oddly shaped objects that can bounce in any direction. I think Lawrie wanted to startle the umpire to show his frustration, but I don't think he had any intention of hitting him. I hope it's not a continued pattern for him.