News
Randolph gets one-game suspension
Brewers coach tossed Tuesday after argument with umpire
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
07/08/09 7:49 PM ET
MILWAUKEE -- Brewers bench coach Willie Randolph thought he knew all of Major League Baseball's rules and regulations, but he learned a new one this week: Don't leave the dugout unless you're the manager. Randolph was suspended for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals because he took a few steps onto the field after drawing an ejection from home-plate umpire Bill Hohn on Tuesday night. For a coach, that's a no-no. "I don't know when that came to be. It must be only in the last couple of years, because I managed and I thought I knew all of the rules," said Randolph, who is in his 12th season as a big league coach, but managed the Mets from 2005-08. "If you argue and leave the bench, it's automatic," Randolph said. "I didn't know that. I was surprised. I'm a little embarrassed, really." Randolph was one of two Brewers coaches ejected by Hohn in the span of four pitches, but Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum, who confined his argument to the top step of the dugout, was not disciplined further. Both men were upset at check-swing calls by Hohn, who called out Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo on a check-swing strike to end the second inning, but then ruled that Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols held up three pitches into the third. Sveum was ejected after the call on Gallardo, and Randolph was sent to the showers after the non-call on Pujols. "I don't think I deserved it," Randolph said. "He told me that I raised my hand at him, but I only did that to tell him, 'Relax, take it easy. Don't come over and point at our dugout.' And he threw me out of the game. I understand if I said a 'magic word' or something like that, but I've been in baseball a long time and I've never been thrown out for waving my hand at someone. He shouldn't have even been looking at our dugout. He should have been looking forward, keeping control of the game. "I had a few choice words after that," Randolph added, "but I figured I should get my money's worth at that point." Manager Ken Macha was standing right next to Randolph, and at first he believed he had been ejected. Macha managed his 83rd game for the Brewers on Tuesday and has yet to be ejected. In fact, before Sveum and Randolph were sent to the showers, only one Brewer had been ejected all season. Mike Cameron was tossed by umpire Marvin Hudson in Atlanta on June 6 and drew a two-game suspension, but appealed it down to one game. Unlike players, coaches do not have the right of appeal. It's no accident that the Brewers have avoided ejections this season. Macha wants to stay on the right side of umpiring crews. "My overall philosophy is this game is hard enough to play when you're in control," Macha said. "When you're not in control, then it makes it even tougher. That goes for coaching, whatever. I've coached third base, and when you get excited, you make a bad decision." Hohn, recognizable for his thick mustache and featured on the highlight shows a number of times this season, was umpiring at third base on Wednesday.Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
