Adrian Gonzalez was ejected from the bench on Wednesday night, a decision which he didn’t seem too upset about. Moments later, his manager, Bobby Valentine, came out to passively argue that decision by the umpire. Shortly thereafter, Valentine was given the thumb and sent to the showers.
A day later, Matt Kemp and Don Mattingly showed Gonzalez and Valentine how it was really done.
The Dodgers duo were both ejected on Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh. Kemp, who struck out in the first inning with Angel Campos behind the plate, was apparently chirping blue from the dugout in the second. Eventually, Campos had heard enough, and he sent Kemp packing.
Kemp is Mattingly’s best player, so naturally, the Los Angeles skipper felt the need to come out and defend his player. He wasn’t alone, though. Kemp followed and needed to be restrained by Mattingly, Shane Victorino and the rest of the umpiring crew.
“Matt got thrown out today for cheering for Andre [Ethier],” Mattingly said, according to Dodgers.com. “He was barking about the pitch to Dre, the second strike, but then Angel said, ‘That’s enough. I don’t want to hear another word.’ So the next thing that came out of [Kemp’s mouth] — I heard it, clear as a bell — he said — because Matt knows where to stop — and Matt said, ‘Let’s go Dre!’ And [Campos] looked over, and he threw him out of the game. It’s unacceptable.”
Kemp, who may end up being suspended for making incidental contact with the umpiring staff, eventually relented and retreated to the dugout and clubhouse. With Kemp gone, Mattingly’s argument intensified, as he spent a couple of minutes yelling at anyone wearing a blue shirt within earshot.
Campos’ trigger finger wasn’t done there, though. Dodgers starter Joe Blanton was ejected after being removed in the fifth inning.
See Kemp and Mattingly go berzerk in the video below.
