The AP headline read: Ump called up from minors, tosses 4 in Sox win.
And then the story. The homeplate umpire is Todd Tichenor,a 32 year old man recently called to "the show" from the AAA Pacific Coast League. In a wild series of events he gave the boot to both catchers and both managers during a wild seventh inning that "ended with Red Sox starter Josh Beckett giving a dismissive wave toward home plate in disgust."
"Everybody handles things differently," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Tichenor. "It looked like he had his hands full today. Their guys were getting ejected, we're getting (ejected). That's probably not your goal of the game."
"Dustin Pedroia lifted a sacrifice fly to right field and Jason Kubel fired a perfect strike to MIke Redmond at home plate as Jeff Bailey came barreling home. Redmond applied a sweep tag and replays showed that he appeared to hit Bailey on the arm just before Bailey's hand touched the plate."
"But Tichenor called Bailey safe, prompting an animated protest from Redmond. Tichenor tossed Redmond almost immediately after the catcher approached him. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire jumped out of the dugout to defend Redmond and was ejected himself. "I just thought he had a quick gun there," Gardenhire said. "He just pulled the trigger too quick, and I went out to defend and he threw me out too."
"I couldn't believe he threw me out, honestly," Redmond said. "I don't go out there, ever, to get thrown out. I can't get thrown out. I really can't get thrown out. I didn't swear at him. I didn't do anything. He just had a short fuse I guess."
Things escalated in the bottom of the inning when Beckett threw a pitch that Varitek tried to frame for strike three. When he didn't get the call - replays showed that it appeared to be outside - Beckett seethed. Varitek stood up to intervene, turned around and got in Tichenor's face.
Ejection No. 3.
"I just said it was uncharacteristic of him," said Beckett, giving the clean version. "It was all caused by me." Then it was Francona's turn to defend his player.
See ya.
"He handled it the way I like to see a person handle it," Crew Chief Jerry Layne said of Tichenor. "He didn't let the game get out of control by not taking charge. He didn't throw anybody out that didn't deserve to be thrown out. He did his job. The managers did their jobs. Varitek stuck up for his pitcher. That's baseball." Tichenor was unavailable for comment after the game.
So...how do you handle stress?
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