In honour of the great hostile manager Lou Piniella retiring this weekend, we here at MWS have decided to count down ten of the best baseball manager ejections.
10. Terry Francona (Boston Red Sox, MLB)—2010 VS Toronto Blue Jays
Nothing too crazy here, though it is pretty funny to watch the usually collected Francona get tossed in Toronto, then sort-of mimick the umpire’s tossing motion.
9. Ricky VanAsselberg (Alexandria Aces, United League Baseball)—2008 VS Amarillo Dillas
What makes this ejection so great is the quiet beginning to it. VanAsselberg is out on the mound talking to the pitcher, the ump comes out to say time is up, and the two start to have a calm chat. Then, VanAsselberg is tossed and he loses it, showing the ump what he thinks of the strike zone before tossing the team’s bats onto the field. Oh, and his name is VanAsselberg, classic.
8. Wally Backman (South Georgia Peanuts, South Coast League) – 2007 VS Anderson Joes
NSFW language alert! This classic ejection comes with a mic’d-up Backman, because his team was being chronicled in a TV documentary titled “Playing for Peanuts”. After one of his players gets himself tossed, Backman comes out to argue his case. You get to hear his tirade in great uncensored sound, and watch him as he loses it.
7. Joe Mikulik (Asheville Tourists, South Atlantic League) – 2006 VS Lexington Legends
Another great minor league ejection here. Asheville manager Joe Mikulik comes out to argue a call, gets tossed, then decides to get his money’s worth by taking second base, dirtying up home plate, tossing bats, and then feeling bad, so returning to home plate to clean it off with a water bottle.
6. Lou Piniella (Seattle Mariners, MLB) – 1998 VS Cleveland Indians
This video is a little slow to actually get on with it (the guy making it seems to think we want to look at his ticket for some reason), but it shows the man of honour for this list in one of his great rampages. From twelve years ago, Lou comes out, gets tossed, then kicks his hat around the infield.
5. Lou Piniella (Chicago Cubs, MLB) – 2007 VS Atlanta Braves
Back-to-back Lou is necessary following this second great tantrum, this time with the Chicago Cubs, and nearly ten years after the first one. This one, his first with Chicago, sees Lou kick dirt on the umpire. One of the best parts of this one is the fans in the outfield taking Lou’s move and tossing their hats from the stands.
4. Kash Beauchamp (Wichita Wingnuts, AAIPB) – 2008 VS ???
This features some classic, original moves from a manager. Beauchamp, after being tossed, waves his armpit odor at the umpire and waves his shoe around in the ump’s face. Classic.
3. Butch Hobson (Nashua Pride, CanAm League) – 2007 VS North Shore Spirit
This is just great from former Boston Red Sox player Butch Hobson. The call goes against the Spirit, then is reversed, putting Hobson over the edge. He steals first base, which is pretty ordinary, but then takes the base up into the stands, and hands it over to a kid. Stadium staff must then take it back from the boy, causing them to be the bad guys. Hilarious.
2. Earl Weaver (Baltimore Orioles, MLB) – 1980 VS Detroit Tigers
What is often called the best ejection in Major League history, Earl Weaver absolutely loses his mind in this clip from the 80’s. The best part is the banter between the two of them, especially the response from umpire Bill Haller, who keeps telling Weaver that he’s never knocked anybody out, and then begins to call him a liar.
1. Phillip Wellman (Mississippi Braves, Southern League) – 2007 VS Chattanooga Lookouts
Okay, this one may even be a little too over-the-top, but it is undeniably the greatest ejection in baseball history. I won’t spoil too much in this one, but a high point is Wellman doing his impression of a Marine in this toss.
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