LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Here’s one for the something-you-rarely-see files: Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski was ejected by umpire Joe West in the sixth inning of a spring training game Wednesday night against the Yankees.
Then again, considering the reputations that A.J. and “Cowboy Joe” have for combustibility, this was probably as likely a pair as any to make a Grapefruit League game ejection happen.
Braves rookie Arodys Vizcaino walked the first two batters of the sixth inning and was facing Brian McCann when Pierzysnki said something that irked West. With McCann appearing amused by their exchange, West signaled that Pierzysnki was done. Tossed from the game.
“I don’t know if it was an ejection or not,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who seemed amused as he recalled the odd way the situation unfolded. “I think Joe asked for another catcher. He said, ‘Let’s get another catcher in here.’ (Gonzalez laughs.) I don’t know what Joe…. It is what it is.”
Pierzysnki walked calmly to the dugout and was replaced by Jesus Flores, with most of a sellout crowd of 9,980 — and a packed pressbox — looking on in a general state of confusion about what had happened.
Vizvaino ended up walking McCann, too. Then committed a balk with the fourth batter of the inning up, Tyler Austin. Austin and Garrett Jones followed with sacrifice flies that pushed the Yankees’ lead to 10-3 before Vizcaino got a strikeout to end the inning.
