Torey Lovullo understands Marte ejection, confused over inconsistency
Jul 20, 2019, 5:20 PM | Updated: 11:10 pm
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 19: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks is restrained by Eduardo Escobar #5 and third base coach Tony Perezchica #8 after striking out on a foul tip in the seventh inning of the MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field on July 19, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. Ketel Marte was ejected from the game. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Arguing balls and strikes can send a player or coach to the showers sooner than they would hope for during a baseball game.
Slamming a bat and throwing your helmet to the ground in frustration is a sure way to get tossed.
D-backs’ Ketel Marte did both Friday night, recording just his second ejection in his career in the team’s 10-7 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
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“I had a chance to look at it, but you know for me, Ketel went a little bit too far with the helmet, he threw the helmet down and it rolled right in front of the umpire,” manager Torey Lovullo said before the team’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.
“I don’t think any umpire will really stand for that, so I understand the ejection.”
The ejection came in the seventh inning for Marte, who was clearly upset with the strike zone of the at-bat.
Here are the pitches for Marte's AB, if you want to be as mad about it as he is. #Dbacks pic.twitter.com/8ZRyZCrhx4
— Derek Montilla (@Cap_Kaveman) July 20, 2019
Marte had also shown some of the same frustration in the fourth.
But while Lovullo believes Marte getting tossed was warranted, the skipper was confused as why a player on the opposing team didn’t receive the same treatment for a similar instance.
“I think the part that’s confusing to me was the inconsistency between [Marte’s] at-bat and [Ryan] Braun’s at-bat,” Lovullo said about the two instances.
“Ryan Braun throws two things from basically the same position that he was standing in while he was hitting and not a word was said to him so that’s the part I’m most frustrated about, but the balls and strikes I get.
“It’s hard for anybody to judge a strike zone and whether they were balls or strikes. We all know what they were, we saw them. I’m not being critical with that. I think the ejection with the helmet rolling in front of the umpire was probably the right call.”
The play in question came in the fifth inning when Braun struck out swinging. Before he exited the batter’s box, Braun was seen visibly upset with the umpire, tossing his gear in frustration.
Marte’s ejection marked umpire Sam Holbrook’s first of the season.
