MLB Ejection 141 - Chad Fairchild (1; Kevin Pillar)

[Lindsay]

HP Umpire Chad Fairchild ejected Blue Jays CF Kevin Pillar (strike one call; QOCY) in the top of the 3rd inning of the Blue Jays-Rays game. With none out and none on, Pillar took a 0-0 fastball from Rays pitcher Chris Archer for a called first strike before grounding out on a 1-2 slider. Replays...

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[conbo61]

Does this seem a bit quick triggered?  Yes, Pillar made a comment as he went back to the dugout, but he was not publicly showing Fairchild up. By dumping Pillar, Fairchild just drew attention to the situation.  I would have thought more discretion would have been appropriate.

[catsbackr]

Only Fairchild knows how much crap he heard from Pillar during the at bat.  I like the EJ.

[blue32]

6 hours ago, conbo61 said:

Does this seem a bit quick triggered?  Yes, Pillar made a comment as he went back to the dugout, but he was not publicly showing Fairchild up. By dumping Pillar, Fairchild just drew attention to the situation.  I would have thought more discretion would have been appropriate.

In some ways, the discreet, low key delivery of certain magic words, irritates me more than when they show me up in front of everyone. Doing it either way will activate my trigger finger, but saying something quietly that they know will get them run, is kind of a dick move in my opinion. If you got something to say, be a man about it, then take your medicine.  

[beerguy55]

Pillar (according to Pillar), after grounding out, said "that first pitch was terrible"...and, put that along with the fact that after that first pitch PIllar gave the ump the old staredown after the strike call.

I'll credit Gibbons (for once) saying after the game that Pillar can't allow the first pitch of the game he sees set him off that way.

I don't have a problem with it - I'd like to see this done more consistently to shut the "arguing of balls and strikes" down altogether.   WAAAAAAY too much attitude from batters on pitches that are, at best, borderline.   This particular pitch call was not "terrible"...not even sure it was "wrong", but even if it was it was awfully close.

Perhaps this is the beginning of a more work-to-rule mentality from umpires after last week's drama?