Accountability for the Umpiring Crew

[Mike Coveyou]

The Tigers are having a horrible game and Valdez pitched as badly as he ever has.  10-2 Ted Sox in the 4th inning.

But I just saw what on the video stream looked like a completed amateurish performance by the umpires.  Valdez plunked a Red Sox batter on the back (not near his head).  After a significant delay, Valdez was ejected.  No warning had been issued.  Jason Benetti and Andy Dirks said that it appeared that the ejection followed a complaint by the Red Sox, not one decided upon prior to those complaints.  There didn't seem to be any reason to believe that hitting the batter was intentional.

This is very unlikely to affect this game, but very much could affect the Tigers bullpen usage for the next few games.

It seems to me that ever since ejections have regularly followed hit batsmen, nearly always with a warning, the application has been massively inconsistent.  For one example, I recall a case where it very much appeared that Roger Clemens purposely hit a batter with no consequences whatsoever (and no warning).

I am not arguing that the inconsistency particularly victimizes the Tigers.

I do wish there would be co sequences for the umpires for tossing a pitcher without warning, with no indication that Valdez threw at the batter intentionally, unless the umpires identify a consideration of which I'm unaware.  And if the governing consideration was the Red Sox complaining, there ought to be significant adverse consequences for the umpiring crew.

Mike Coveyou

[Roger King]

I just posted about this. Valdez had just given up back to back homers. It is the cliché time when pitchers have hit batters in the past. 

Roger King
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[Jeffrey Withey]

He gave up back to back homers and then threw a fastball square to the back on the next pitch. It probably wasn’t intentional but seemed suspicious. But yes, should have just been a warning. 

Jeff

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From: detroit...@googlegroups.com <detroit...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Mike Coveyou <mcov...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 8:23:27 PM
To: Tigers List <detroit...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Accountability for the Umpiring Crew

 

[EXTERNAL]

[Mike Coveyou]

Jeff, aside from a warning being the appropriate next step, the most concerning thing about this is the possibility that the precipitating event for the ejection was not the umpire's view of the play, but the Red Sox complaining.  If that were the case (and I don't know how you ever know this unless a member of the umpiring crew acknowledged it), that, in my view would be grounds for suspending the umpiring crew.  

A problem that Benetti and Dirks mentioned was the possibility that any hit batters during this game and maybe for the series will result in major eruptions by the other team insisting on an ejection.

Mike Coveyou

[Roger King]

We’ve all seen this happen about 1000 times in baseball. A pitcher gives up a home run (or back to back home runs) and then drills the next guy.  

Not sure if he should’ve had a warning or not, but there is zero chance it wasn’t deliberate, come on :-)

Roger King
El Presidente
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[Peter Welch]

Thanks, Valdez, for putting one of our hitters at risk.  We don't need Greene or McGonigle getting beaned.

Peter

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From: detroit...@googlegroups.com <detroit...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Roger King <pnag...@pnagency.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 8:40 PM
To: Mike Coveyou <mcov...@gmail.com>
Cc: Jeffrey Withey <jwi...@med.wayne.edu>; Tigers List <detroit...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Accountability for the Umpiring Crew

 

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[Michael W]

It’s also part of the story that it was the second better Valdez hit, in just the three-plus innings.

Michael 

[Roger King]

I don’t understand why Valdez would get suspended though, which is what people are saying is likely to happen.  Given there was no warning, and given this kind of thing is still pretty common, is it really deserving of a suspension?

There is also a bunch of chatter on Tigers Twitter this morning… and some video analysis… that supposedly shows Valdez tipping his pitches. Would certainly explain the performance. I had thought that PitchCom pretty much eliminated the whole stealing signs scenario, but I guess they can still tell by how Valdez is holding his glove/the grip.

Roger King
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[Peter Welch]

Only 4-seamer that Valdez threw all season​ was the pitch he threw at Story.

Valdez is a hothead crybaby known for crap like this.  Last year he deliberately crossed up his catcher in a spat with the catcher.  He's a good pitcher, but when the wheels go off the rails they really go off.

He also was probably upset about McKinstry’s costly error.  Flaherty also loses his s--t all the time with mistakes made behind him.

So now we've got 2 loose cannons/headcases in the rotation: Valdez and Flaherty

Peter

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Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 9:04 PM
To: Detroit Tigers e-mail list <detroit...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Accountability for the Umpiring Crew

 

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[Peter Welch]

Framber tipping his curveball and fastball?

https://x.com/tommym8/status/2051834781252436227

Peter

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Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 9:20 AM
To: Michael W <miw...@gmail.com>
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Subject: Re: Accountability for the Umpiring Crew

 

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[Roger King]

Valdez has been suspended 6 Games, starting tonight.  

Hinch has also been suspended for 1 game.  Another sign stealing scandal for AJ :-)

Both of them can appeal, of course.

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