Yankees manager Aaron Boone may have been ready to move on from the ejection controversy that happened in Monday’s defeat to the Athletics, but the YES Network broadcast made some barbs during Tuesday’s telecast.
Hunter Wendelstedt ejected Boone from Monday’s game after the home plate umpire mistook fan comments for those from the Yankees’ dugout.
The incident made headlines, and on Tuesday, YES Network cameras captured home plate umpire John Tumpane shouting at Oakland’s Esteury Ruiz after the A’s centre fielder argued with a called strike.
“Hey, I’m not going to talk about balls and strikes. I’m right there,” Tumpane could be heard saying on a mic. “I’m right there with them. You know that.”
The scene prompted announcers Ryan Ruocco and John Flaherty to have some fun with it. “John Tumpane—was it a Hunter Wendelstedt impression? “There’s Hunter,” Ruocco stated as the camera moved to Tumpane. “I didn’t want to take ownership of that yesterday, either. His postgame comments were intriguing.”
The segment continued as the YES cameras focused on several supporters behind the A’s dugout. “Was it any of them or was it someone actually in the A’s dugout?” Ruocco added.
Wendelstedt appeared to double down on his decision to toss Boone after the game when he spoke to a pool reporter, despite video evidence indicating that the Yankees’ skipper had not said anything to the umpire.
“Apparently, he indicated there was a fan immediately above the dugout. This is not my first expulsion. “In my entire career, I have never ejected a player or a manager for something a fan said,” Wendelstedt stated. “I realize that will be used in a tale or something like since that is what Aaron was conveying. I heard something from the far end of the dugout; it had nothing to do with his region, but he is the Yankees’ manager. So he was the one that had to depart.
Giants announcer Duane Kuiper similarly made light of the issue during Tuesday night’s game against the Mets, when home plate umpire Lance Barrett cautioned the Mets bench for comments made during Starling Marte’s at-bat in the fourth inning.
“Lance Barrett not happy with someone in the Mets dugout,” Kuiper stated in a statement. “Let’s just hope it’s not a fan that’s doing the yelling.” Gary Cohen, the Mets play-by-play announcer, also chimed in on SNY: “Was it [manager] Carlos [Mendoza] or a fan sitting behind him?” When the matter was brought up on Tuesday, Boone stated that he was ready to move on.
“I watched his comments following the game. “I believe everyone has seen the video of what happened,” Boone stated. “You noticed both my and his comments. I’m over it now. Let us go forward. We have a huge game tonight. That’s my concentration, and I’m just moving on from it.”
The Yankees beat the Athletics 4-3 on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
