Houston Community News >> Baseball Manager Tirade
6/25/2006 LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Minor league manager Joe Mikulik had a major league tantrum Sunday night. The manager of the Asheville Tourists, a Class-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies in the South Atlantic League, turned Applebee's Park into a one-man show following a close call at second base in the fifth inning of a 5-2 loss to Lexington Legends.
Lexington's Koby Clemens — whose famous father Roger made a tuneup start for the Legends this month after re-signing with the Houston Astros — was leading off second base after hitting an RBI double when Asheville pitcher Brandon Durden tried to pick him off. Umpire Andy Russell called Clemens safe, sending Mikulik roaring out of the dugout and setting off a prolonged tirade that he carried all over the infield and into the dugout.
"I thought the strike was over," Mikulik told the Lexington Herald-Leader. "When will the real umpires show up? That's what I want to know. Because that was an abortion. That was bad. The whole series was awful." Mikulik's antics started innocently enough with an animated argument with Russell, who then threw Mikulik out of the game.
Things quickly escalated after his ejection. Mikulik dove into second base, ripped up the bag and hurled it onto the infield dirt. He threw a resin bag into the bullpen, covered home plate with dirt and then cleaned it with a water bottle, which he finally spiked onto the plate.
Back in the dugout, he tossed several bats onto the field. And he didn't stop once he got to the clubhouse, according to team officials. Mikulik pushed a couple of water coolers, a chair and a batting practice screen in front of the umpires' locker room.
(Contributed by AP)
