From the Associated Press :
Pitcher Tomo Ohka was fined by the Washington Nationals on Sunday for showing disrespect to manager Frank Robinson while being removed from the game the night before.
Ohka (above) turned his back to Robinson as the manager walked to the mound in the fourth inning of Saturday night’s 7-3 victory over the Florida Marlins. Robinson then had to grab the ball out of Ohka’s hand to make the pitching change.
“He was disrespectful to me,” Robinson said before Sunday’s game against the Marlins. “He had his back to me. I put my hand out for the ball and he didn’t give it to me.”
In a statement, team president Tony Tavares and general manager Jim Bowden said the fine was for “contempt” directed toward the manager. The amount of the fine was not disclosed.
“One thing you can’t have on a major league club is have a player show up a manager,” Bowden said.
Unless you’re Jose Guillen, in which case Jim Bowden will make sure you have a job.
Florida’s A.J. Burnett has been making quick work of the Nationals today, striking out 6 in as many innings with the Marlins leading 2-0. Paul Lo Duca and Mike Lowell, each having poor seasons, have shown rare signs of life with two hits each.
Fielding error and BP coughs up another loss for the Marlins. With the results of the NL East teams games so far today, the standings are so tight that if the Mets take 2 from the Giants this eve they will be tied with the Nationals for 1st place, drop 2 and they will be a few % points in the cellar.
…and Philadelphia wins their 6th straight. Break up the Phillies. No, seriously, break them up! And Candlebox, too.
….and the Nationals in first place is the first time a DC based club was in such a lofty spot since 1933. Same year the Slickee Boys formed, I’m pretty certain.
I am very pleased with the Phillies resurgance. I had hoped that they would crawl back into the picture by the end of June or the break but didnt expect them go get this hot or for the Marlins to tank they way they have recently. The batters not named Abreu and Utley have finally woken up (save Thome, who at least draws enough BBs to have a .360+ OBP with RBI machines Burrell and Utley hitting behind him), even Mike Lieberthal had 8 RBIs this past week, the starting pitching has been effective even with Liebers recent slumping and Myers levelling off and Charlie Manuel has (take your pick) gotten over his performance anxiety blundering/knows what he has to work with and has settled in. The Phils need another righty in the pen (who doesnt) but are looking very well these days and have put the very ugly first 6 weeks behind them.
I saw Frank take out Patterson 1 out shy of a win with a 7-run lead in a game last year just to prove a point. F Rob.
If I recall correctly, that Patterson game was a comedy classic….wasn’t the final score something like 20-13? I think lots of those Expos runs came courtesy of Todd Zeile’s 50 MPH knuckler….