Brad Ausmus rips Indians broadcasters for insinuating Tigers intentionally hit umpire
Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is not happy that the Cleveland Indians’ television broadcast implied that his team conspired to intentionally hit an umpire with a pitch.
In the third inning of Detroit’s 5-3 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday, Ausmus and catcher James McCann were both ejected by home plate umpire Quinn Walcott for arguing balls and strikes. Just a handful of pitches later, new Tigers catcher John Hicks failed to catch a Buck Farmer delivery and it hit Wolcott in the shoulder on the fly, knocking him down.
Most people felt that it was a simple cross-up involving a pitcher and catcher who had just been abruptly put together, but the Cleveland TV broadcast — and one writer — implied that something more sinister was going on.
Wow, did the #Tigers just hit home plate ump Quinn Wolcott on purpose? How could Hicks not catch that pitch from Farmer? Pay back?
— Chris AssenheimerC-T (@CAwesomeheimer) September 13, 2017
Ausmus was furious that this was even a question after the game.
Ausmus angry with insinuation he heard on Cleveland telecast that fastball that hit plate umpire Quinn Wolcott was on purpose.
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) September 13, 2017
Ausmus: "For anyone to imply that was intentional, that's just completely wrong. They're out of line saying that, quite frankly." https://t.co/udBdwXEeSt
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) September 13, 2017
Farmer also defended himself on Twitter.
Hate that people think I would hit the umpire intentionally… I have more respect for the game than that #notthattypeofplayer
— Buck Farmer (@B_Farm09) September 13, 2017
Given the rising tensions between umpires and players, everything is viewed suspiciously these days. Cross-ups between pitchers and catchers that sometimes result in umpires getting hit are not completely rare, and this looked like one of them.
