Weekend BP: Rough week for Gabe

Good morning, baseball fans.

Things haven’t been going great for the San Francisco Giants lately, and seem to be going even worse for manager Gabe Kapler. First, he was ejected for arguing balls and strikes during Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Then, after Wednesday night’s loss to the Rays, Kapler had a heated exchange with KNBR reporter Danny Emerman about his decisions with regards to pinch-hitting for Wade Meckler during the series. Kapler went on the air with KNBR on the Giants’ day off on Thursday to discuss the incident, noting that he let his frustration get the better of him in the exchange and that he could have been more patient in that moment and had nothing but nice things to say about Emerman.

Unfortunately, the hits keep coming for Kapler (if not for the Giants offense most days) as he was issued an unspecified fine and suspension for reportedly returning to the Giants’ dugout after his ejection on Tuesday that he had to serve in last night’s game.

Per beat writer reports, Kapler said he watched later portions of Tuesday’s game from the batting cages. The best description of the rules of conduct once a manager is ejected are from this PDF from MLB, which states:

When a manager, player, coach or trainer is ejected from a game, he shall leave the field immediately and take no further part in that game. He shall remain in the club house or change to street clothes and either leave the park or take a seat in the grandstand well removed from the vicinity of his team’s bench or bullpen.

The batting cages at Oracle Park are within close proximity to the steps leading to the dugout, and clearly it was that proximity that proved to be costly to Kapler. Traditionally, most managers will watch the remainder of the game in their office or elsewhere in the clubhouse.

Personally I think that’s a very loosely defined rule of conduct that maybe warrants a little bit more specificity. My very literal-brain mind constantly seeks clearly defined rules and guidelines. So to me, something more clearly defined, such as “ejectees may not be in proximity to players or staff who are still active in the game” which would clearly rule out the batting cages. Or “ejectees may not be within (specified distance) of players or staff who are still active in the game” which would indicate that an area like the batting cages at Oracle Park would be inappropriate due to proximity.

But ultimately it doesn’t matter what I think or what Kapler thought was appropriate at the time. Much like the balls and strikes he tried to argue in Tuesday night’s game in the first place, this one’s out of his hands.

Hopefully the Giants can get a little winning going to take the microscope off of him.

What time do the Giants play this weekend?

The Giants finish up this three-game series against the Atlanta Braves this weekend, playing at 4:20 p.m. PT on Saturday, and 10:35 a.m. PT on Sunday.