Aaron Boone isn’t holding a grudge.
The Yankees manager is ready to move on following Monday’s unjust ejection.
Before Tuesday’s 4-3 victory over the A’s, Boone said he spoke several times to Mike Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, about the situation and was told he would not be fined.
In a loss to the A’s in the series opener, Boone was ejected in the first inning by home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. But video replays showed that Wendelstedt was reacting to what a fan just beyond the dugout said after initially having words with Boone.
When Boone attempted to tell him that, the umpire responded: “I don’t care who said it. You’re gone!”
“I saw his comments after the game. I think everyone has seen the video of what happened,” Boone said as the Yankees looked to snap out of the recent offensive malaise that has seen them shut out twice in four games on this homestand. “You saw my comments, you saw his comments. I’m beyond it now. Let’s move on. We have an important game tonight. That’s where my focus is, and just kind of moving on from it.”
It is uncertain whether Wendelstedt will face any discipline.
It is standard for MLB to review all ejections or unusual on-field circumstances, and this certainly qualifies.
Umpires have to file a report within a day of a baseball operations department review.
After Monday’s game, Wendelstedt told a pool reporter he had never thrown out a player or manager for something a fan said.
He went on to say he heard something come from the far end of the dugout, and though it wasn’t the area where Boone was standing, he had to go as the manager of the team.
“I’ll keep what Mike said to me, to me,” Boone said. “We had good conversations about it, and I feel good about where the league is on it, and again, I’m ready to move on from it.”
Boone has developed a reputation for getting into it with umpires.
Now in his seventh season as the Yankees skipper, he has been tossed 35 times.
He has had to answer for losing his temper, and he was asked if there should be more accountability for umpires who make mistakes like Wendelstedt.
“I think they are scrutinized, frankly, as much as ever and I think sometimes we see an event happen or a situation happen or a bad call here or there, because it’s right in front of you, and we can all see it,” Boone said. “That said, and I know I’m the poster child for arguing about these things and getting into it, but I really do feel like we have so many good umpires now. And these young umpires that come up from the minor leagues now are as good as ever.
“So I think there are those pitches, moments, situations that happen, sometimes with an occasional umpire that spoil it for a lot of guys who I think are really good at the craft.”
