Check Out Don Mattingly’s love Of Umpiring, And First Ejection Of 2013

It’s not just the players that are in mid-season form during the final week of spring training. Manager’s also need to practice their umpire arguing techniques. None more so than Dodger manager Don Mattingly. Donnie Baseball led the league in ejections last year. It’s no surprise considering how much Donnie loves umpires.

During the Dodger’s 8-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals last night saw Don Mattingly ejected for the first time this spring. In the top of the seventh inning, Matt Kemp was called out on a borderline check-swing. Mattingly came out to argue with home plate umpire A.J. Johnson.  In case you are wondering, Johnson is a minor league umpire.

Yes, yes, I said no Anchovies! That’s right I’m in the Dodger dugout.-Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Apparently Mattingly only came out to ask Johnson why he didn’t check with the first base umpire. Johnson thought he was arguing balls and strikes and gave Mattingly a warning. Mattingly then replied….

"“What are you going to do? Throw me out of a bleeping spring training game?”"

Oh Donnie, when will you learn? That’s exactly what Johnson did without even batting an eye. Check out the video below of Kemp’s check-swing, and Mattingly’s ejection. It’s not even opening day yet, and already Mattingly has an ejection under his belt. In the immortal words of Rodney King, Can’t we all just get along?