Maddon ejected for arguing check swing
Rays manager tossed from game for first time this season
CHICAGO -- Even with his team leading 4-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Joe Maddon wasn't happy -- and he made it known.
The Rays skipper was ejected for arguing with home-plate umpire Tim Timmons after a check swing by White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton was called a ball. Maddon thought it should have been a swinging strike, but it went deeper than that.
"It was a combination of things," Maddon said. "Really, it's gone against us a lot early on this year, and I just had enough. I just had enough. I talked about it the other day. It's probably the most ill-defined rule or ruling that the umpires have to deal with. It's not easy. I know it's not easy. But it seems to have been something that's gone against us more recently, and it's really been a critical part of some games, and I just had enough of that."
Eaton, who led off the inning, wound up grounding out to Rays reliever Brandon Gomes, who retired the side in order.
It was Maddon's first ejection of the season. The Rays won, 4-0.