Cardinals’ Yadier Molina Restrained Following Lovullo Comments
Catcher Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals needed to be restrained during Sunday’s game between the Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo made a gesture toward the catcher. The incident occured while he was arguing a third strike call against his player A.J. Pollock.
Initially home plate umpire Tim Timmons had to restrain the furious Yadier Molina. Then, Molina’s manager Mike Matheny raced out of the dugout to restrain his catcher. Both benches cleared in the incident that took place in the top half of the second inning. The game was eventually won by the Diamondbacks 4-1.
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Following the game, Molina said that Lovullo has called him a “m—-f—-r†on two occasions while arguing with Timmons. Molina said that if someone calls him that kind of a name then they better be prepared to fight.
Molina added that he hopes officials in Major League Baseball fine Lovullo for the comments the manager made. He insisted that you cannot talk to players or umpires like that,
Timmons ejected Lovullo for leaving the team dugout to argue a called strike and during comments made to a reporter, the umpire called the contact that Molina had with him “incidental†in explaining why the St. Louis catch was not ejected from the game.
Lovullo said after the game that he had chosen a poor choice of words during his argument with Timmons. Adding that has a great deal of respect for Molina.
He said that he has the utmost respect for Molina, calling him one of the best catchers’ that baseball has ever seen.
Lovullo continued by saying he went out to discuss something with Timmons and while referencing something used words that Molina took offense to. He said he wished he could take what he said back, but that it was not directed toward Molina. It was more like saying he respected him on a high level since he was getting calls because of how good he is.
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Lovullo added that he had been frustrated due to what he had been seeing and probably took his comments too far.
The win by Arizona was the 100th for Lovullo as manager of the Diamondbacks.
No comment was released by the MLB Commissioner’s office on Sunday, but there is certain to be comments made and a possible fine or suspension handed down to Lovullo.
