In spring training, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado became the first player ever hit with a pitch timer violation. Now, he's also the first player to ever be ejected for arguing a pitch timer violation.
Machado was ejected from Tuesday afternoon's game with the Arizona Diamondbacks (GameTracker) after being rung up on an automatic strike three for a pitch timer violation. Home plate umpire Ron Kulpa let Machado say his piece, but when Machado continued to argue, he was tossed. Here's the video:
The new pitch timer is set at 15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on base, and the hitter must be in the box and alert to the pitcher at the eight-second mark. Machado was adjusting his batting gloves and not in the box at eight seconds and he appeared to call time before it was too late, but no dice. Kulpa hit him with the violation.
Umpires wear a device that delivers a signal at the eight-second mark and when the pitch timer expires, so he doesn't have to keep his eye on the pitcher and hitter and clock. Hitters get one time out per plate appearance, so they must use them judiciously. In Machado's case, his violation came with two strikes and two outs, so the automatic strike ended the inning.
No harm, no foul though. Machado was in Tuesday's lineup at DH, so Nelson Cruz came off the bench to replace him following the ejection, and he went deep in his first at-bat. It is Cruz's first homer of the season, his first season with the Padres, and the 460th home run of his career.
In the early days of the season, teams are averaging 0.80 pitch timer violations per game. It was nearly 1.50 violations per game the first week of spring training, so players are adjusting and things have improved.
