April 02, 2008
IIWII Sighting
Larry Bowa decided he's bigger than the rules of the game. He basically dared the umpires to throw him out last night by not staying in the coaches box:
Montague said it was "probably one of the dumbest ejections he's had.
"We got a memo and an edict, and they're adamant about the box and stuff," the umpire said. "Don't go up in front of the box toward home plate, and don't get any closer to the foul lines. I told Bo in the bottom of the fifth, because he got up close. And that's what caught my eye. And I just told him, 'Bo, you got the memo, we got the memo, and you've got to stay back.' I went over and told Joe in-between innings what I told Bo. And Bo just said, 'I'm going to do it the way I've always been doing it.'
"I said, 'Bo, if you go up, I'm going to have to run you.' And he said, 'Do what you've got to do, and it is what it is.' When he got up in front of it again, I said, 'Bo, I told you once, now get back in the box.' He argued it, and finally I said, 'You're gone.' So I gave him every chance in the book and he defied it."
Points to Bowa for an excellent use of, "it is what it is." (IIWII)
So now everybody knows Larry is unhappy with the rule. He got to perform his childish tirade. I assume that tonight he'll stay in the box with his helmet on. I doubt the Dodgers will continue to pay him to be tossed from games.
"It is what it is..."
The "Who is John Galt?" of our times? Discuss.
The rule on helmets is stupid- as far as the coaches box, the rules stipulate that they START at the Base in question and extend 20 feet TOWARD the plate-just make the closest point the bag- there is no need to be closer to the plate
"there is no need to be closer to the plate"
I always thought the 3B coaches wanted to move down the line closer to Home to make it easier for the runner rounding 3rd to pick them up, and to give the coach a better angle to judge the outfielder's throw?
But, can't they do that after the hit? Or does this memo prohibit that now too?
The coach's box rule is dumb and has only been sporadically enforced. I dont blame Bowa for his tirade.
-It is likely safer to stand further into foul territory, up the line where he was.
-When a runner is rounding third, he can see the outfield better and wait longer to make a decision on whether or not to send the runner.
- A runner on first base doesn't have to look "through" the pitcher to get the signs if he is further down the line.
The truth is that they probably should make the box bigger so that a third base coach can't stand next to home plate, but can accomplish all of the above without running around as the play develops.
Well MLB said at the start of the season that they are really going to enforce it this year. It may be dumb, but it is the rule, deal with it.
IIRC, when Bowa was 3rd base coach for the Yankees and Sheffield was at bat, he stayed far way, but that was purely for self defense.
Why do jackasses like Larry Bowa continue to get jobs?
I think the coach just has to start off the play in the box, once the ball is in play he can move around all he wants. I don't see what the big deal is. If the coaches want to make a stink about something, they should protest MLB's ludicrous decision to make them wear helmets. Since the one fatality to a base coach was to a blow to the neck, shouldn't they be required to wear neckguards, not helmets?
Bowa's not bigger than anything or anybody.
There's one obvious solution to this problem--to continue protesting this new rule, while not depriving the Dodgers of their regular third base coach every game, the Dodgers should designate someone on their roster to start the game as third base coach, violate the rule intentionally, and refuse to follow it--leading to ejection. After that--the point having been made--Bowa would take over and obey the rule for the rest of the game. Of course, the person being ejected must be someone whose inability to participate in the game would either not affect the Dodgers negatively or would actually prove to be a net benefit to the Dodgers.
With these qualifications in mind, I nominate Juan Pierre as the designated ejectee. Go get em, Juan! ]:-)