New York Yankees‘ manager Aaron Boone lost his composure and calmness on Friday night, as he was ejected from the game against the Miami Marlins for arguing balls and strikes.
Home plate umpire John Tumpane called a very controversial strike three on Aaron Judge on an extremely low pitch, which was very clearly a ball.
The Yankees’ skipper didn’t waste any words, even F-bombs, to express his feelings towards Tumpane once he saw a pattern with other hitters.
“Just because you f— kicked the first one don’t keep kicking it,” Boone said in his rant. He also said that the Marlins’ starter, Sandy Alcantara, has a good sinker, “and those are not f— strikes!”
Stunningly embarrassing called strike 3 on Aaron Judge almost in the dirt by HP ump John Tumpane @MLBUA .. Boone thrown out arguing #BlueJays 3 #Yankees 0 B1 pic.twitter.com/np5Enb1DXT
— 🅨ðŸ…ðŸ…🅚🅔🅔🅢 â‘¡â‘£â“⑦ (@B_R_R_D) September 25, 2020
You can see the pitch to Judge here (number 6):
And here is the one to Aaron Hicks that prompted Boone’s ejection:
De esta forma fue que mandaron a los vestidores a Aaron Boone!!! 💥
Todo empezó un bateador anterior (Judge) qué el umpire dio el strike 3, cuando era evidente bola baja.
“GUYS GOT A GOOD F***ING SINKER BUT THOSE ARE NOT F**ING STRIKES” #MLB #NYYforNYpic.twitter.com/BA3DJivJmI
— SportsferaMX (@SportsferaMx) September 25, 2020
Judge, the Yankees’ most dangerous slugger when healthy, has had this issue for virtually all of his career. Pitchers take advantage of the fact that umpires tend to call strikes on the low and away fastball or breaking ball, even if they are outside the zone according to the eye test (and Statcast.)
It is possible that Boone was trying to light a spark in the Yankees, who have dropped four of their last five and started Friday’s contest in the wrong foot, with starter J.A. Happ giving up a three-run bomb in the first innings.