What Got Chooch Tossed?

So what exactly earned Carlos Ruiz an ejection last night?

Persistency, maybe.

Home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom ejected Ruiz in the top of the third inning of a 5-2 loss to the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Ruiz questioned a 0-1 pitch to Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa. Cederstrom called the pitch a ball, but Ruiz thought it was a strike.

“That’s a good pitch,” Ruiz said to Cederstrom.

“No, that’s a ball,” the umpire apparently shouted back.

“That’s a good pitch,” Ruiz repeated, turning his head to look at Cederstrom.

Ejected.

Cederstrom declined comment to reporters last night, referring questions to the Commissioner’s Office. Its understanding is Cederstrom warned Ruiz about arguing balls and strikes, but when Ruiz kept arguing the call he got tossed.

Ruiz said he uttered no obscenities.

“I didn’t say anything bad,” he said. “I didn’t say anything bad. That’s what surprised me. A lot of the umpires will say, ‘You know what, Ruiz? I think you were right.’ Or they will say, ‘I’ve got that pitch inside.’ OK.”

Not this time.

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Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here! Here are our upcoming book signings:

• June 2: Citizens Bank Park, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
• June 16: Barnes & Noble, Wilmington, Del, 2 p.m.

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