Samuel gets ejected, then lets players have it
Don’t be fooled by his wide smile and hearty laugh. Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel can get quite hot at times, and last night was one of those times.
Samuel lit into home plate umpire Mike Everitt in the eighth inning after his first career ejection as manager. Samuel, miffed at Everitt’s strike zone and frustrated with the play of his own team, yelled at the umpire from the top of step of the dugout after Frank Mata didn’t get a call with David Ortiz at the plate. Everitt motioned for him to get back in the dugout and when Samuel yelled back, he was ejected.
Once that happened, Samuel sprinted from the dugout and went chest-to-chest with Everitt, yelling and gesticulating wildly. Crew chief Tim McClelland separated the two.
“Well I thought some calls could have gone our way and they were not going our way. So we kind of were a little vocal about it, and at the time, it probably was not right but you got to fight for your players,” Samuel said. “To start, I did not say a whole lot to get thrown out. Once I got thrown out, you got to go out there and say something, but we just thought some calls were not going our way.”
Once the rest of the team joined the manager in the clubhouse following the 9-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox, Samuel gave them a stern lecture about their sloppy play, which continued into last night’s game with two more errors and several other plays that should have been made.
“We definitely need to get better,” said Samuel whose team has made 14 errors in the last 12 games and has four straight multi-error games. “Even though last week we won some games, we did not play good defense. We have to pick it up. We need to do all those little things if we’re going to compete in this division and win some ball games.”
Asked if he has been happy with the team’s effort, Samuel said, “Not tonight at all. It’s been good, don’t get me wrong, but we need to show up every day and play a professional ball game.”
Both Nick Markakis and Adam Jones said that the team deserved the lecture.
“We didn’t play defensively like a big league team today,” Markakis said. “We made bonehead plays.”
Said Jones: “He played the game one way and when he sees the game not being played the way he played it or the way it should be played, I think he gets frustrated – as he should. I think everybody else on the field gets frustrated.”
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
ummm, you need to get better players.
This team rarely plays defense like a big league team. How do any of these guys expect to be traded if they continue their lackadaisical play?
I don't see how the second half of the year isn't as bad or worse than the first half.
Regardless of who is managing.
Posted by: jim66 | July 4, 2010 1:18 AM
Maybe we need Papa John to put this team together: Better players, better ballgame.
Posted by: mdbdotcom | July 4, 2010 8:11 AM
Granted there's no excuse for their lackluster play, but it's gotta be tough that every night you're down 3-4-5 runs in the second inning. Just like basketball teams getting down big early, they tend to use all of their energy just tryin to get back in the game, only to poop out at the end. Of course last night Lester didn't even have to throw strikes and they wer still called and Guthrie didn't get one corner and was forced to groove everything. Again just like in hoops, the Superstars get the calls and the rest don't. And geez, you'd think that maybe by now they'd change the way they pitch to Youklis and Drew. If you take away the games they've played against the O's, they'd both be having just average years.
Posted by: David | July 4, 2010 10:55 AM
This is the kind of stuff Trembley should have been doing 3 years ago...
Posted by: PG | July 4, 2010 11:52 AM
Good for Sammy. I dont think it will help, though, The talent is inferior and there is such a culture of losing in the organization that it breeds frustration and anxiety that lead to poor performance. It will take a major house-cleaning of players, coaches, managers, and scouts and a renewed effort at talent recruitment and player development to right this ship.
Posted by: willycee | July 4, 2010 12:14 PM
pizza johns more like it. that place rocks. let them rebuild the o's!
Posted by: popodan | July 4, 2010 12:40 PM
Wigginton as the O's all star is a travesty! First, he has done nothing in a month - he was 4 for his last 41 coming into last night and he has 1 HR in about 150 at bats. In other words he had a career two months and it's over. Second he is a disaster defensively and has cost his team 5 or 6 games with his glove.
Berken would have been a better choice and now even Adam has better numbers , but the only possible choice from this team is Nick Markakakis.
Yes his RBI totals are down, but he is hitting over .300 with RISP, so obviously no one is on base in front of him. Also, anyone that watches a game sees that the opposing managers obviously think he is the O's best player, based on the number of 3-1 and 3-2 curve balls he sees, thus he is among the league leaders in walks. His on-base percentage is near .400 and he's an outstanding defender, solid base runner etc....
Nick is also leading (or close to) the league lead in doubles and he has the highest BA of any active player that has never made the all star team.
By September Wiggy will be hitting .230 with 15 or 16 homeruns - just pathetic.
Posted by: Jeff | July 4, 2010 12:50 PM
Jeff - By July 31st Wigginton will be playing elsewhere . . . so let's hope that he heats it up!
Posted by: Ray | July 4, 2010 1:13 PM
You want to go off on someone Juan? Take a look at Lugo (bonehead baserunner to begin with) JOGGING to 1st on what turned out to be a triple when the right fielder lost his fly in the sun. Didn't anybody see Luke Scott do the same thing and get called out for it by the media? How could anyone make the same mistake in the same season? Somebody in this organization needs to make an example of someone that doesn't hustle. Wouldn't Lugo be the perfect guy to release and set an example with? I'm sick of watching millionaires not run out flies and grounders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: coach4life | July 4, 2010 4:20 PM
I think we should keep Samuel. He was a player and knows how the game should be played. I don't believe our players are untalented; they have not had the coaches (hitting or manager) that they needed. We have not had a core group to build around for years because of the crazy trades of the Orioles. My vote is for Samuel.
Posted by: emjay | July 4, 2010 6:38 PM
Good for Samuel! Someone in this organization has got to show some heart!
Posted by: Jerry L. | July 4, 2010 10:43 PM