WATCH: Braves' Fredi Gonzalez ejected from spring training game
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was ejected from Thursday's spring training game after one pitch.
Thanks to all the hoopla surrounding Will Ferrell's spring training tour, it was easy to forget about all the actual baseball that was played on Thursday. For instance, Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka made his first start of the spring following last summer's elbow injury, and he looked sharp in his two perfect innings against the Braves.
In that same game, we also saw a rarity: a spring training ejection. Braves skipper Fredi Gonzalez got tossed -- after one pitch! -- by home plate Dan Iassogna for arguing balls and strikes. Here's the ejection:
After the game Gonzalez confirmed he was arguing balls and strikes. He felt that first pitch by Shelby Miller should have been called a strike. Here's what Fredi told Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution after the game:
“It was balls and strikes,” Gonzalez said. “I thought the balls in the first inning were down and they were calling strikes. Then Shelby throws a good pitch and they call a ball. It’s a late game in spring training and I get a little ornery because I’m usually in bed by this time. Maybe my temper got me a little bit.”
Hey, I don't blame Gonzalez. It was a night game and the Braves were on the road, so they had a long bus trip waiting for them after the game. That would make anyone crabby.
Miller, of course, appreciated his manager sticking up for him. From Cunningham:
“I like that (Gonzalez) was sticking up for the team,” Miller said. “As pitchers and hitters all we are looking for is consistency. If the manager don’t like it, he’s going to let them know about it. You want a manager who will stick up for you.”
I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a manager get ejected in spring training, so thanks for that, Fredi. Cross that one off the list of rare spring training sights.
