Takeshi Yamasaki was tossed from last night's game for insulting an umpire (or directing violent / foul / abusive language towards an umpire) in the 5th inning Tuesday night's game against the Softbank Hawks.

To provide a little more to the story...

Dennis Houlton tossed a 1-1 slider down and away.  The pitch could have been out of the zone (hard to say since it was a fairly close pitch), but it was called a strike by the home plate ump.  Yamasaki was surprised at the call and turned to confront the home plate ump.  The Eagles bench also came running out to try and calm Yamasaki to keep him from getting tossed.

With the count 1-2, Yamasaki stepped back into the batter's box and Houlton tossed a fastball that looked like it could have been a bit inside.  But once again, the pitch was called a strike.  Yamasaki started heading back towards the dugout, but turned his head to say something and was suddenly back in front of the ump arguing the call.  Why no one jumped in before Yamasaki took his first step towards the home plate ump, I'm not really sure.  Regardless, before cooler heads could prevail, the home plate ump flicked his wrist, turned his back, and walked toward the mic behind home plate to announce his decision: Yamasaki was being tossed for using abusive language.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Yamasaki said that he was so sure the last pitch was a ball that he'd volunteer himself to Ni-gun if he was wrong.

And two videos from YouTube:

I also thought I'd point out something a little ironic here.

Marty Brown told the press that the NPB should set up an automatic ejection rule for anyone that argues balls and strikes because it would only help protect the power umps have.

I guess Brown has already forgotten about the time he was ejected for arguing balls and strikes for his pitcher, Tomohiro Umetsu, back on 4/10/2007.

I'm also a little confused as to why he would bring up auto-ejections when one of his own players was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.  Seems he could have said something a little more neutral.

In any case, this was Yamasaki's 6th ejection.  That's tops for Japanese players in the NPB.

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