# MLB. Has a pitcher ever thrown a tantrum when asked to give up the ball? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 12, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458 "2015-10-12T18:25:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/1 "2015-10-12T18:25:55Z")
I love post season baseball! And my strange sense of humor focuses on funny things I would like to see in the game. Has a pitcher ever really lost it after being jerked from the mound? Bonus points if a link to a video is provided. Thanks fans! Lets play ball! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/2 "2015-10-12T22:06:08Z")
It’s not because he was pulled from the game, but [Joaquin Andujar’s appearance in the 7th game of the 1985 World Series](https://youtu.be/QqAPmdnzxdE?t=5929) has to be seen. Don’t be fooled when things appear to get back to normal. The entire scene takes about 5 minutes to unravel. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/3 "2015-10-13T04:27:43Z")
John Lackey is pretty well known for not wanting to be pulled from games but I don’t know of any tantrums. I remember in the '13 World Series he successfully talked John Farrell into not pulling him. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/4 "2015-10-13T04:46:56Z")
Here’s SF’s Brian Wilson losing his shit [Brian Wilson dugout snap - YouTube](https://youtu.be/kaeHr3fYdRo) Twins Carl Pavano: [Carl Pavano Goes Crazy With a Bat in Dugout - PISSED! - YouTube](https://youtu.be/cvOsyKudvxQ) One of the Indian’s pitchers punched something (paper towel dispenser?) a few years ago and was out for quite a while. [Because he broke his hand.](http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/07/angry_nick_hagadone_injures_pi.html) (No video just article) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/5 "2015-10-13T04:50:21Z")
Not pulled by the manager, here’s one of [Mark Lemongello](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW30JttyYac) (one of the best names in baseball history) throwing a tantrum after being tossed by the umpire. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/6 "2015-10-13T17:06:19Z")
I seem to remember a couple of dugout scenes where a Gatorade jug bit it after being hit by a pitcher. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/7 "2015-10-14T16:45:23Z")
Not a pitcher but there was an incident on national television June 17, 1977 when Yankee manager Billy Martin removed outfielder Reggie Jackson for not hustling fielding a baseball. Both had a strong dislike for each other and were not shrinking violets about it. Words were exchanged and ultimately coaches Elston Howard and Yogi Berra had to physically restrain them. The footage appears around 9:20 [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1VdBqFcrjY) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/8 "2015-10-14T17:03:15Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I seem to remember a couple of dugout scenes where a Gatorade jug bit it after being hit by a pitcher. Carlos Zambrano was one of the famous incidents. There was some Gatorade punching during that Cubs - Pirates wild card game, but I already forgot who it was doing the punching, and I don’t think it was a pitcher anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/9 "2015-10-14T19:41:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Carlos Zambrano was one of the famous incidents. There was some Gatorade punching during that Cubs - Pirates wild card game, but I already forgot who it was doing the punching, and I don’t think it was a pitcher anyway. That would be Sean Rodriguez (2B) who went MMA on a Gatorade cooler. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/10 "2015-10-14T20:09:27Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > It’s not because he was pulled from the game, but [Joaquin Andujar’s appearance in the 7th game of the 1985 World Series](https://youtu.be/QqAPmdnzxdE?t=5929) has to be seen. All started by a horribly blown call in the 9th inning the game before. There shouldn’t have been a game 7. Which is what Whitey Herzog is basically saying when he gets thrown out. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/11 "2015-10-14T20:22:20Z")
Can’t link to it from work, but Kershaw was more than a little miffed to be pulled a couple of starts ago. He and Mattingly had words in the dugout. A whole lotta words. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/12 "2015-10-14T21:00:26Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > That would be Sean Rodriguez (2B) who went MMA on a Gatorade cooler. Oh, actually, I was mistaken about Zambrano a little bit. He went to town on the Gatorade [with a baseball bat.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlepYUrJ2mk) ETA: Memory is a funny thing. My recollection of the event was punching a cylindrically container of Gatorade, but that might have been influenced by seeing that [Rodriguez footage a week or so ago](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neceSyd1Yfo). (Unless Zambrano had another Gatorade incident.) ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/13 "2015-10-15T00:42:18Z")
The Blue Jays’ [John Gibbons/Ted Lilly altercation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SKaesXqQ4w) of 2006. It started on the mound and resumed in the tunnel to the dugout - Lilly denied that any punches were thrown but something heated sure happened at the 47-second mark of the clip. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/14 "2015-10-15T03:05:05Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > All started by a horribly blown call in the 9th inning the game before. There shouldn’t have been a game 7. Which is what Whitey Herzog is basically saying when he gets thrown out. Sure thing. Cards shoulda won that series. But deciding to argue balls and strikes in the next game, and particularly choosing two pitches that were clearly outside, seems like an odd hill to have planted his flag on. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/15 "2015-10-15T11:29:02Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Sure thing. Cards shoulda won that series. But deciding to argue balls and strikes in the next game, and particularly choosing two pitches that were clearly outside, seems like an odd hill to have planted his flag on. Just one symptom of the Cards complete collapse after being deflated by having the previous game stolen from them. By the time Andujar came in it was already a rout. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/16 "2015-10-15T21:48:42Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Has a pitcher ever really lost it after being jerked from the mound? The bar for this was set very very high very early by Mr. Charles Sweeney: > [@](#): > > Following an exhibition game on July 21 in Woonsocket, RI, Sweeney, who had allegedly been drinking throughout the game, refused to return with the team to Providence, choosing to stay in Woonsocket with a lady he had escorted to the park that day. Waking the next morning, he realized he missed morning practice and raced to make it back to Providence for his start that afternoon. Though most players in the day were held to temperance clauses during the season, The Grays manager was left with little choice but to pitch his drunkard ace. After five effective innings, Grays manager Frank Bancroft signaled for the team captain Joe Start to make a pitching change. Sweeney refused to budge and continued to pitch for another two innings. Before the start of the eighth inning, Bancroft insisted that Sweeney vacate the pitcher’s box and move to right field. Possibly still drunk, as well as the prevailing sentiment of 1880s baseball finishing a game a pitcher started was a question of manhood, Sweeney flatly refused. When Bancroft threatened the pitcher with a $50 fine, Sweeney told him to take his fine and the rest of his salary, promptly quitting. Sweeney spent the rest of the game watching from the field in street clothes and left with two women, presumably prostitutes. > **[Charlie Sweeney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Sweeney)** > > Charles Joseph Sweeney (April 13, 1863 – April 4, 1902) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher from 1883 through 1887. He played for the Providence Grays, St. Louis Maroons, and Cleveland Blues, and is best known for his performance in 1884, when he won 41 games. > Sweeney was born to Irish immigrants Edward and Mary Sweeney in San Francisco, California. He started his professional career in 1881 with the San Francisco Athletics of the California League. Sweeney is often incorrectly liste... ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/17 "2015-10-15T21:55:48Z")
Excellent. Thanks for sharing. Sweeney sounds like my kind of people. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/18 "2015-10-15T22:49:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Not pulled by the manager, here’s one of [Mark Lemongello](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW30JttyYac) (one of the best names in baseball history) throwing a tantrum after being tossed by the umpire. Definitely an interesting gentleman … 😃 … after bad games Lemongello was known to destroy locker room equipment such as hair dryers and light fixtures in fits of anger … After spending three seasons with Houston, where he compiled a 21–29 record, Lemongello balked at being traded to Toronto, asking if Canadians “spoke American.” His tenure with Toronto was little short of disastrous, as Lemongello spent half a season with the club going 1–9, before being sent down to the minors after a screaming match with manager Roy Hartsfield. When informed he was being sent down to Syracuse, he threw an ashtray at the head of Blue Jays GM Peter Bavasi, barely missing him. In 1982, a few years after leaving baseball, Lemongello and Manuel Seoane (a former Wichita teammate), were arrested for the kidnapping and robbery of Lemongello’s cousins Mike Lemongello, a former professional bowler, and Peter Lemongello. > **[Mark Lemongello](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Lemongello)** > > Mark Lemongello ("le-MAHNJ-ul-oh"; born July 21, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1979 for the Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays. He is the cousin of singer Peter Lemongello. > Lemongello was raised in Hazlet, New Jersey, and signed as a free agent out of Raritan High School by the Detroit Tigers a week and a half before his 18th birthday in 1973. > Lemongello was known throughout his career for his erratic, sometime... ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/19 "2015-10-17T14:11:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > All started by a horribly blown call in the 9th inning the game before. There shouldn’t have been a game 7. Which is what Whitey Herzog is basically saying when he gets thrown out. Definitely blown call which should have been first out instead on man on first. But the Cards self destructed after that…passed ball moves runners to 3B and 2B with one out, Herzog intentionally walks McRae to load bases so Royals get platoon advantage with Iorg where Worrell has to throw strikes. Iorg gets game winning hit. Let’s just say I don’t like loading the bases especially less than two outs. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458/20 "2015-10-17T15:13:38Z")
You don’t lose two games on one bad call at first base unless you have other problems. Just like you don’t lose two games on one not-caught foul ball. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-has-a-pitcher-ever-thrown-a-tantrum-when-asked-to-give-up-the-ball/734458.md?page=2)