Last week, Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler ripped umpire Angel Hernandez, both to Hernandez's face and later to the media. Kinsler and Hernandez had been barking at each other throughout Monday's game, then after Kinsler turned back and said something following an obvious ball, Hernandez tossed him.
Here's video of the ejection:
You don't have to be an expert lip reader to make out what Kinsler told Hernandez there. "You (expletive) suck at your job," among other things. The next day, Kinsler continued to rip Hernandez while speaking to reporters, saying he "needs to find another job."
In response, MLB umpires wore white wristbands over the weekend in protest of the "escalating verbal attacks" they've been receiving from players. The protest ended when commissioner Rob Manfred agreed to meet with the umpires' union to discuss increased disciple for players who verbally abuse umpires.
Kinsler was fined but not suspended for his comments about Hernandez, and, as it turns out, it was a massive fine relative to MLB's standards:
Ian Kinsler's fine for comments about Angel Hernandez was $10,000. As Brad Ausmus said: It's a level almost unheard of in fines for players.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 21, 2017
Most MLB fines are are maybe $1,000 or $2,000. Some aren't even that high. Receiving a five-figure fine is very rare. MLB came down about as hard on Kinsler as they've ever come down on another player for ripping an umpire.
Of course, that $10,000 fine is a drop in the bucket for Kinsler, who will earn $11 million this season. He makes $10,000 in about an inning and a half. Kinsler is in the final guaranteed season of the five-year, $75 million extension he signed while with the Rangers back in 2012.
It remains to be seen whether Kinsler's hefty fine is the new normal for chewing out an umpire, or just a one-time blip given the extent of his comments. It's entirely possible Manfred will decide to up fines for verbal abuse of umpires going forward.
