Sosa ejected from ST game

[Wise Master Buehrle]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- As an encore to his successful debut with the Baltimore Orioles, Sammy Sosa did something even more memorable: He got ejected from a spring training game while playing the outfield.

 

Sosa was tossed in the second inning of the Orioles' 9-6 loss to the Washington Nationals on Saturday. It was the first time in 34 years that Baltimore and Washington met on the baseball diamond, but the result was far less compelling than Sosa's surprise exit.

 

Traded from the Chicago Cubs to Baltimore during offseason, Sosa launched his career with the Orioles by getting two hits, including a homer, on Friday. His stint Saturday was much shorter.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

The sequence of events that led to his ejection by second base umpire C.B. Bucknor began in the bottom of the first inning, when Sosa was called out by home plate umpire Joe West on a high third strike. Sosa briefly expressed his displeasure with the call before taking his place in right field.

 

After Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera opened the second inning by going to a 2-0 count on leadoff hitter Brad Wilkerson, Sosa was ejected.

 

``I said, 'That was a strike,''' Sosa said, ``and then the second-base umpire was like, 'Knock it off.' I said something back to him, and that was everything. I was all the way in right field, but I guess he took it the wrong way and threw me out of the game.''

 

Sosa said his comments were not directed directly at Bucknor, but at West, who was well out of earshot.

 

``I told (Bucknor), 'Come on, this is spring training,''' Sosa said. ``I was like, 'Wow, you can't even say anything in this game.'''

 

Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli argued the ejection at second base as Sosa came in from right field to join the conversation. When Sosa realized the decision would not be overturned, he dropped his glove at Bucknor's feet and walked off the field.

 

Sosa couldn't remember an outfielder being tossed, let alone from a spring training game.

 

``The first time is now. So that's a heads-up for outfielders: You'd better look out,'' he said.

 

Bucknor declined comment after the game.

 

The Nationals rallied from a 5-4 deficit with a five-run ninth inning against Orioles closer B.J. Ryan in the first baseball game between Baltimore and Washington since Sept. 10, 1971. In that game the Orioles beat the Senators.

 

Washington mayor Anthony Williams, who helped orchestrate the move of the Montreal Expos to Washington, was delighted to be in attendance.

 

``It's fantastic to be here,'' Williams said. ``To have played a role in bringing the national pastime to the nation's capital is a great feeling.''

 

Baltimore and the Nationals had never played before, so could the confrontation be considered a rivalry? Not to the Orioles.

 

``Hardly even registers,'' Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts declared.

 

``I don't think we look at it as a rivalry, especially today,'' Orioles outfielder Larry Bigbie said. ``We just look at it as another spring training game to get ourselves ready for opening day. Until it becomes a rivalry, we won't make it out to be one.''

 

Nationals manager Frank Robinson, who played for the Orioles back in the day when they regularly beat the Senators, agreed.

 

``An exhibition game isn't a big rivalry,'' he said. ``Down the road, maybe it is.''

 

Nationals outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds, a former Oriole, figures the 40-mile distance between Washington and Baltimore makes the teams natural rivals from the outset.

 

``That's the game plan, isn't it? If it's not a rivalry, then we as players aren't doing the right thing,'' said Hammonds, a former Oriole. ``These are territorial rights. You've got pretty much the same fan base. We're coming in trying to jump in the Orioles' territory, and we've got to convert the fans. There will definitely be implications in every game we play against them.''

 

They used to be the Expos, and now they're the Nationals. Before the game, Sosa spoke approvingly about Montreal's move to Washington.

 

``It's incredible. The Montreal Expos found a good place to go,'' he said. ``I'm really happy, and I wish them the best.''

 

The Nationals and Orioles don't meet in the regular season, but that should change in 2006, according to Katy Feeney, senior vice president of club relations and scheduling in the commissioner's office.

 

"Come on, it's Spring Training"

 

Then why the f*** are you arguing balls and strikes, you f***ing moron?

[soxman352000]

WTF is he thinking its spring training

[The Critic]

Look at me, pay attention to me, talk to me, talk about me.....

 

That's all this was.

That's what SamME lives for.

[SoxFanForever]

Once a jag, always a jag. This is no surprise.

[Kalapse]

I read this on ESPN bottomline and couldn't stop lauphing. Classic Sammy.

[SnB]

have fun w/ him baltimore.

[Texsox]

Wow he's fired up, wanting to win, right out of the gate I guess the roid rage hasn't subsided

[southsider2k5]

Damn I almost drafted him in a middle round... glad someone was dumber than I was.

[GoodAsGould]

i honestly think it was the ump who over reacted in this case... and you all are just letting your hatred for Sosa get in the way of that..... but hey if an ump wants his 15 mins of fame let him do it during spring training.

[Gene Honda Civic]

i honestly think it was the ump who over reacted in this case... and you all are just letting your hatred for Sosa get in the way of that..... but hey if an ump wants his 15 mins of fame let him do it during spring training.

CB Bucknor has been behind the plate in the World series.

 

I'm sure he thought throwing Sosa out of a ST game would be his ticket to stardom though.

[Wise Master Buehrle]

Actually, no.

 

Sosa has no leverage arguing balls and strikes in Spring Training.

[backman]

Anything for attention, it could be seen as an overreaction on the umps part, but the ump told him to knock it off before he through him out, SOsoSA should have lisened.

[The Critic]

i honestly think it was the ump who over reacted in this case... and you all are just letting your hatred for Sosa get in the way of that..... but hey if an ump wants his 15 mins of fame let him do it during spring training.

Yeah, and screaming 5 minutes later from the outfield about a called strike in a Spring Training game is certainly NOT over-reacting....

 

If our hatred is blinding us, then logically that means your Sammy Love is blinding you, right??? Because apparently every opinion is based on an irrational emotional response.....

[bjm676]

:sosasucks

 

That about sums it up.

[WilliamTell]

lol wow I've heard it all now. That's hilarious.

[YASNY]

Sosa wanted to play golf yesterday.

[AngelasDaddy0427]

This seems to fit every Sosa thread somehow:

:sosasucks

[Steff]

Does anyone know if this game started late...?? FWIU, Sosa had already pissed off the ump staff because he was late to the field. Supposely they waited for him for more than 5 minutes..?