MLB to scold umpire who ejected Astros’ Oswalt

HOUSTON — A Major League Baseball official says umpire Bill Hohn will be addressed "in a very stern way" after a confrontation with Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt led to the ejection of the Astros’ ace.

Bob Watson, the vice president in charge of discipline, rules and on-field operations for MLB, tells Houston television station KRIV that Oswalt will not be penalized further after Monday’s incident.

Watson says Hohn will get a phone call from Mike Port, baseball’s vice president in charge of umpires.

After missing the strike zone with a pitch against Washington’s Josh Willingham, Oswalt looked toward the first base line and yelled something. Hohn took off his mask and yelled at Oswalt, who responded, "I ain’t talking to you!" Hohn then ejected Oswalt.

Before Tuesday night’s game against Washington, Oswalt said he hadn’t heard from MLB, but was hoping he wouldn’t get fined.

"I thought it was kind of quick on his part," he said. "To be talking to myself on the mound and to get thrown out, I didn’t see the point of that."

"I’ve read something where one of the umpires said I showed him up, but I felt he was showing me up coming out and taking his mask off and pointing at me, when I never even looked his way," Oswalt said. "During the time he was pointing at me … I tried to explain to him I wasn’t talking to him. I was upset with myself on that pitch more than anything else."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

HOUSTON — A Major League Baseball official says umpire Bill Hohn will be addressed "in a very stern way" after a confrontation with Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt led to the ejection of the Astros’ ace.

Bob Watson, the vice president in charge of discipline, rules and on-field operations for MLB, tells Houston television station KRIV that Oswalt will not be penalized further after Monday’s incident.

Watson says Hohn will get a phone call from Mike Port, baseball’s vice president in charge of umpires.

After missing the strike zone with a pitch against Washington’s Josh Willingham, Oswalt looked toward the first base line and yelled something. Hohn took off his mask and yelled at Oswalt, who responded, "I ain’t talking to you!" Hohn then ejected Oswalt.

Before Tuesday night’s game against Washington, Oswalt said he hadn’t heard from MLB, but was hoping he wouldn’t get fined.

"I thought it was kind of quick on his part," he said. "To be talking to myself on the mound and to get thrown out, I didn’t see the point of that."

"I’ve read something where one of the umpires said I showed him up, but I felt he was showing me up coming out and taking his mask off and pointing at me, when I never even looked his way," Oswalt said. "During the time he was pointing at me … I tried to explain to him I wasn’t talking to him. I was upset with myself on that pitch more than anything else."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *