Be Ready For A Fight, Rob …

So I don’t want this to get buried in what I have to say about Max Scherzer’s ejection. So I’ll lead off with this: That was an absoulte hell of a victory that the Mets pulled off today. Jimmy Yacabonis was terrific in his 2 and 2/3’s innings under incredible circumstances, and Jeff Brigam and Drew Smith were excellent in getting the ball to the back end guys (and they were better than the back end guys today.) Brandon Nimmo’s two run HR off Noah Syndergaard (first game against the Mets and nobody even cares at this point) was the turning point that set the Mets off to victory, and Mark Canha sealed it with a two run double to put the game away aand make the two runs that David Robertson and Adam Ottavino combined to give up merely window dressing. This was a series victory in Los Angeles that probably never should have happened after what happened with Max. But it was also poetic justice because what happened with Max never should have happened.

So let’s dive into it. Third inning, Max comes out to take the mound, gets his hands and glove checked. Now this is a different cadence from when MLB usually does these checks, which is after the inning. But okay, they’re trying to be more “random” make it harder for the pitchers to evade the checks. I don’t know how the hell you can avoid getting rid of your substances while in view of 56.00 people on the mound, but okay … go go Inspector Gadget and all that nonsense.

So they find sticky stuff on his glove hand. Not his throwing hand … not his throwing hand. We talkin’ bout his glove hand. Okay. He’s instructed to change his glove and wash his hands. Which he does. And he washes his hands with alcohol, in front of a Major League Baseball stooge. (Probably the same stooge that collects all the drug tests.) He’s cleaned up, right?

Pitches the third, comes out for the 4th. Now … Scherzer’s words, not mine: he has to be an “absolute idiot” to load up Gaylord Perry style to start the 4th, because he knows he’s going to get checked again. Indeed, he gets checked again. They still don’t like the amount of stick on his hand. So instead of telling him to wash up again, because he did everything that was asked in front of the MLB stooge, he gets tossed.

Here's the Max Scherzer argument/ejection, as caught by an SNY camera:pic.twitter.com/4IgFEUVxUH

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 19, 2023

Scherzer explained his position in great detail after the game:

Max Scherzer provides a detailed explanation on today's events, explaining how he feels that he should not have been ejected: pic.twitter.com/MMPDTcguVk

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023

Max Scherzer knew he would be checked going into the 4th inning by the umpires:

"I'd have to be an absolute idiot to use anything else. I literally go out there with sweat and rosin, I get ejected." pic.twitter.com/BCWZifKxwY

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023

Scherzer saying that he washed his hand in front of an MLB official, and did exactly what was asked of him, will be an interesting point of contention when it comes to a possible suspension. If it’s determined that Scherzer was trying to cheat, it’s a ten game suspension. But Scherzer was clear in what he was doing and how he did it, step by step.

Now, here’s the one thing that SNY didn’t tweet out: The fact that he mentioned that this was going to be a legal case going forward if he’s suspended. Remember one thing about Scherzer: He was one of the player representatives during the lockout in 2022, and he was front and center. So note to Major League Baseball: If you want to pursue a suspension, then you had best come correct. Because if you suspend Max and you’re wrong, there will be hell to pay.

Do you want to discuss how your rules change every five minutes? (Scott Boras would like a word on that.) Do you want to discuss how your rules enforcement closely resembles the patterns of traffic cops who give out enough parking tickets to reach their quota for the month so that they don’t have to worry about it for the other 29 or 30 days? Do you want to have a discussion about using different baseballs for different games and different teams, which somehow slipped away from the national sports discourse? Do you want to discuss how Cuzzi is three for three in sticky stuff ejections?

If so, then suspend Max Scherzer. But just remember: You’re not going to get Mad Max. You’re not going to get the caricature of Scherzer that we all see when he gets angry in the dugout. You’re going to get MLBPA Negotiator Max Scherzer. And he’ll be extra pissed because it’s not a persona he wanted to break out again. He was Christopher Reeve in Superman II without his powers getting the lights beat out of him at the diner. Now? If you suspend him? Here’s the Max Scherzer you’re going to get:

Tread carefully.

Today’s Hate List

1. Phil Cuzzi
2. Dan Bellino
3. Rob Manfred
4. Andy Martino
5. Joe Girardi