Twins manager Rocco Baldelli voiced his frustration with the umpiring crew following Saturday’s road loss to the Yankees after he was controversially ejected for protesting the handling of two sticky substance checks involving New York pitcher Domingo Germán.
Baldelli explained to reporters he was “upset” with the fact that Germán, who, in the midst of pitching a no-hitter, was allowed to stay in the game after being warned for excess rosin twice in between the third and fourth innings. Baldelli, who was ejected after angrily arguing the decision, then proceeded to blast the umpires for not removing Germán from the game after he didn’t properly clean his hands despite the increased focus on managing the use of rosin around the league.
“[Germán] didn’t fully comply, I would say, with the warning from what I was told, and was still allowed to keep pitching. I just don’t agree with that in principle,” Baldelli said. “I do appreciate the courtesy that pitchers around the league will get when the umpires ask them to remove some of that rosin from their hand. I would expect all teams and all players to get that courtesy and they have and, overall, I think the umpires have done a good job of that.
