Russell Martin Making Friends Wherever He Goes

From "Martin's joke not taken lightly by Schrieber" at ESPNNY.com:

Russell Martin got ejected from a ballgame Monday night either for being too funny, or not funny enough.

Either way, it appears that home plate umpire Paul Schrieber did not appreciate the Yankee catcher's sense of humor when Martin said he asked him. "Did you stretch before the game tonight?"

That seemingly innocent question got Martin tossed with two out in the fifth inning of the Yankees' 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

"What, we can’t talk anymore?," a bemused Martin asked in the Yankees clubhouse afterward. "It's a game, man, we're supposed to be having fun. I was just trying to get him to laugh."

Martin's remark to Schreiber followed back-to-back walks by Phil Hughes and was apparently interpreted by the umpire as a criticism of his strike zone. As is their habit, the umpires did not speak with the media after the game, and Joe Girardi refused to recount the conversation, so Martin's account of what went down in front of home plate is all we have to go on.

According to Martin, who had not been ejected this year, his question was an attempt at humor that apparently escaped Schreiber, who removed his mask, walked in front of Martin and asked him to repeat himself.

"I said it again," Martin said. "And I said, 'I feel like you're kind of tight tonight.' "

Asked by reporters if he meant tight in his attitude or his strike zone, Martin replied, "Both."

But according to Martin, Schreiber didn't ask for an explanation or a clarification. He just tossed him from the game.

"I didn't say he sucked. I didn't say he was the worst umpire in the league. I didn’t cuss at him. I didn't say any of that stuff," Martin said. "And I got thrown out. That’s tough to do." [...]

Hughes wasn’t aware of what Martin had said, and Martin, who acknowledged he was unhappy with Schreiber's strike zone, was at a loss to explain why a comment meant in jest landed him in the showers four innings early.

"The other times I've gotten thrown out, I've probably deserved it, but not this time," he said. "If he would have thought about it a couple of seconds more he probably wouldn't have thrown me out because when they do that, they’re just bringing attention onto themselves. Now he's the one who's going to have to write the report. I can't wait to see what he's going to write."

What he's going to write? How about "Russell Martin is a passive-aggressive punk who'll be with his third team in 2012"?

photo by J. Meric/Getty Images

Who Will Be the Next Manager Fired?

It's only May, but the Diamondbacks have already scuttled their manager and other skippers are under scrutiny. From Karl Ravech at ESPN.com:

Who's next? Where are expectations big? Both Joe Girardi and Jerry Manuel in New York have to be concerned. The investments each team has made in stadiums and player payroll all but guarantee both will be held to a very high standard. The Mets continue to show an inability to close out games they should win. It is not a closer issue; rather, it's a "make the right play at the right time" issue. The sniping between player-manager and general manager about leadership never sits too well in the long term.

New ownership never bodes well, either, and in San Diego, Bud Black's team is in last place. Heavy odds suggest the Padres will stay there the rest of the season. They are not a good team, and it's hardly Black's fault. Still, that is the formula for a managerial change. Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro is very loyal, but you have to wonder how long Eric Wedge will last. The beginning of the season has been a disaster, and just like for the Mets and Yankees, expectations were very high.

What do you think?

Which manager will get fired next?
	Joe Girardi (Yankees)
	Jerry Manuel (Mets)
	Bud Black (Padres)
	Eric Wedge (Indians)
	None of the above
Free polls from Pollhost.com

If McCourt Can't Replicate the Red Sox, Will He Try to Create Yankees West?

Today's update of "As The Yankees Turn":

• Joe Girardi will be announced as the Yankees manager, probably today. They got him for a reported $6M which is $1M more than the base salary that they offere Joe Torre in their ridiculous "base + bonus incentives" deal.
• This leaves speculation that Joe Torre will be the new Dodgers manager, probably at around $7M per year.
• And if we pick up Torre, will McCourt have the wallet, or the cojones, to go after A-Rod?

I think my bigger fear is that shelling out $7M for Torre--which I think would be a premium over the infuriating Grady Little--would satisfy Frank McCourt's spending. In his own mind, he'd be offering new food concessions and a new manager, so what else would the fans need? The reality, though, is that the Dodgers would once again enter a season without a power bat, without an center fielder who could bat for average, and without a back half of a starting rotation. And it's not like the NL West is going to get any easier.

Stay tuned, loyal readers--for both the Yankees' saga, as well as the Dodgers'.

PS. Since when did the Dodgers wear black undershirts underneath their visiting greys?

Next Stop in Rumorville: Joe Girardi Could Manage Dodgers

From "Sources: Developing opportunity for Girardi in L.A." by Buster Olney at ESPN.com:

Joe Girardi might have an opportunity to manage in the majors in 2008 -- even if he doesn't get the Yankees' job.

Officials familiar with Girardi's job prospects said Thursday if the Yankees do not hire him to succeed Joe Torre, then Girardi could have a developing opportunity with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The agent for Girardi, Steve Mandel, was asked if Girardi had been approached about a job opportunity with the Dodgers, and Mandel would not comment.

Dodgers manager Grady Little is under contract for next season after the team picked up his option for 2008 on March 7. Little also has a club option for 2009.

"Grady Little is our manager," a Dodgers spokesperson said Thursday.

Dodgers executives could not immediately be reached for comment about Little's status.

Girardi and Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti have known each other for almost two decades. Colletti came to know the former catcher as media relations director for the Cubs; Girardi was selected by Chicago out of Northwestern as a fifth-round pick in the 1986 amateur draft.

"Grady Little is our manager." Now there's a vote of confidence.

UPDATE:

The managerial replacement talk continues with more hearsay and conjecture, this time about Joe Torre. From Robothal:

Managers, even expensive managers, are far cheaper than players. The Dodgers could give Torre a two-year, $14 million contract — the approximate terms he wanted from the Yankees — and trumpet him as their big off-season acquisition.

Are you freakin' kidding me? If all Frank McCourt's price increases go toward a non-player acquisition, I'll march down to Elysian Park Avenue and punch him in the face myself.

UPDATE:

Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com has some thoughts on Girardi:

If the report is true, Girardi's "opportunity" could be a position on Little's coaching staff or a role as an assistant to general manager Ned Colletti, who worked for the Chicago Cubs when Girardi played for the Cubs. Colletti was not available to comment.

Little's coaching staff is not under contract for next year and there have been indications that some members will not return, including -- but not limited to -- hitting coach Bill Mueller, who is expected to return to a front office job. The entire staff was given permission to seek opportunities elsewhere at the end of the season.