NewsSveum, Randolph ejected vs. Cards
Brewers coaches thrown out in second, third innings
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
07/08/09 1:55 AM ET
MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers suddenly found themselves short of coaches in the early innings of Tuesday's game against the Cardinals at Miller Park. Home plate umpire Bill Hohn ejected hitting coach Dale Sveum at the end of the second inning, then sent bench coach Willie Randolph to the showers three pitches into the third. It was the first ejection for each Milwaukee coach this season. "We were a little short," said Brewers manager Ken Macha, who scrambled to organize his pinch-hitters for the rest of a 5-0 loss that left Milwaukee two games behind the division-leading Cardinals in the National League Central.In both cases, a check-swing caused the dispute. Hohn called out Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo on a check-swing strike to end the second inning, but called a ball when Albert Pujols made a similar move the following frame. Pujols ended up striking out anyway, but not before Randolph took a few steps out of the dugout to make his case.
"The check-swing thing, when we sat down with the umpires at the Winter Meetings, we talked about it," Macha said. "If they're going to ask my opinion, it's a lot for the home plate umpire to do, to call balls and strikes and watch [check swings]. I would like to see the home plate umpire ask [the umpires on the bases] more often."I didn't think Yovani swung. When Albert swung further than Yovani, it wasn't just Willie or Dale in there yelling. Everybody was."
The Brewers entered the series with four losses in their last five games and were already in a 3-0 hole when Sveum and Randolph were ejected. Before Tuesday, the only Brewer ejected all season was center fielder Mike Cameron, who was later suspended a game for his argument with umpire Marvin Hudson in Atlanta on June 6.
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
