Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera Ejected in the Middle of an At-Bat

Sep 6, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Detroit Tigers third basemen Miguel Cabrera (24) during batting practice before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

For the second time this season, Miguel Cabrera has been ejected from a game in the middle of an at-bat.

On Monday night in Chicago Cabrera was struck on the back knee by a Chris Sale pitch. Miguel tried to check his swing on the play, but home plate umpire Brian Gorman called the attempted check a swing a strike by himself without appealing the call to the first base umpire. Cabrera asked him for the appeal but Gorman refused and then tossed the Tigers’ number three hitter for continuing to chirp at him. Jim Leyland was also tossed after coming out to argue following Miggy’s ejection.

Umpires take a lot of heat for trying to inject themselves into the storyline of the game, and this is one example of why. Cabrera wasn’t making a ridiculous request in asking for the appeal on the swing, and he we see players get away with far worse in the way of complaints every day. There simply wan’t any reason for Gorman to run Cabrera right then and there.

For what it’s worth I think Miguel did go around, but it’s the type of swing that gets appealed 90% of the time or more. I’ll update the post with a link or an embeded video if and when it becomes available, but for now the Tigers will have to play the game with Ramon Santiago batting third in the lineup and playing third base.

UPDATE: Here’s the video: