Writing that last night’s plunkfest / ejection spree in Arlington wouldn’t have occurred “if not for Vicente Padilla’s dumb actions Tuesday night,” the Dallas Morning News’ Tim Colishaw holds the Rangers manager Buck Showalter accountable.

Why is it every year a team that is led by individuals as classy as Young, Mark Teixeira, Rod Barajas and others generates national publicity for doing something downright stupid?

In 2004, in the heat of a division race for the only real time in this decade, there was the ugly chair-tossing incident in Oakland. Showalter initially blamed it on A’s security and fans before apologizing for Frankie Francisco’s behavior the next day.

Last year, pitcher Kenny Rogers went off on a local cameraman, an act inspired in part by management’s whispers that Rogers had injured a hand in order to miss a start against the tough Angels lineup.

Now comes Padilla (above), no stranger to creating conflict by throwing at hitters. He had hit 50 batters in the National League before joining Texas and is tied for the American League lead with Chicago’s Javier Vasquez with 14 hit batsmen.

The Rangers expect Padilla to be suspended, and he should be.

But it’s a scary thing when a team’s best starter “ that was supposed to be Kevin Millwood, but thus far you have to say it has been Padilla “ is beyond the control of the manager or his teammates.

Showalter said the coaching staff’s discussion with Padilla on Wednesday was “pointed” and that the pitcher showed some sign of contrition.

But you would like to hear Showalter take a stronger stance against Padilla’s actions, against what Rogers did a year ago, against Francisco’s moment of insanity two years ago.

These are the things that define the Rangers’ image nationally, rather than the work ethic of a Michael Young. Maybe these things haunt them locally, too. Maybe it’s not just the heat that’s keeping fans away from Ameriquest Field