How does Hunter not get tossed?

[MDK02]

I hope the umpire gets suspended. Between tossing Norris and tapping Hunter in the face, he was completely out of control.

Imagine if a player touched a ump in the face like.. there should be a suspension for the ump here. While Hunter was out of line and being an idiot these are grown men, the ump can't be tapping him on the face.

[Tx Oriole]

Give him another one in the ribs tomorrow and I guarantee he'll tossed then after he charges the mound.

"Nicest guy in baseball" my ass. I hope we give him something to think about inside tomorrow.

Jerk like that couldn't have played during Bob Gibson's day. I am sure it hurts to

be hit damn don't act like an asshole about it. And no I wouldn't hit him again.

Not the way umpires toss the pitcher now days.

Like the way Norris is. Good pitcher that takes no crap from anyone.

[Mayor McCheese]

I hope the umpire gets suspended. Between tossing Norris and tapping Hunter in the face, he was completely out of control.

he was trying to cover his mouth / stop him from jawing...

During the incident, Hunter was taken aback when Nauert put his hand on Hunter's face as the outfielder was shouting in the direction of the Orioles' dugout.

"That's my guy," Hunter told The Detroit News of Nauert. "He was trying to cover my mouth. I've known him too long [to be upset]. He was just saying to me, 'C'mon, T. You're way better than that.' And he's right.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10925060/umpire-paul-nauert-touches-face-detroit-tigers-outfielder-torii-hunter-benches-clearing-incident-mlb-investigate

[gmelson26]

I disagree about the ump. It was way too slow and forceless to be called a slap.. at least where I come from. I think it was just trying to get Hunter to stop facing and going off at an Oriole and focus on him in an attempt to lower the aggression level.

[Tx Oriole]

I agree, particularly with the bolded. There is no need to have 50 guys milling around when tempers are high.

If nothing else it will help the umpires control things by keeping down the sheer numbers.

Phooey! It's baseball. Not some damn sissy sport. Baseball was better in the

1960's.

[MurphDogg]

I disagree about the ump. It was way too slow and forceless to be called a slap.. at least where I come from. I think it was just trying to get Hunter to stop facing and going off at an Oriole and focus on him in an attempt to lower the aggression level.

Not sure who you are disagreeing with, nobody called it a slap. The bottom line is that umpires shouldn't be initiating physical contact with players.

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

Not sure who you are disagreeing with, nobody called it a slap. The bottom line is that umpires shouldn't be initiating physical contact with players.

He was trying to break up a fight. I see nothing wrong with that if he knows the player well as Hunter insinuates.

[scotty37]

I dont think Bud threw at him intentionally. Like someone else said, it bothers me that Hunters response was rewarded by getting Norris tossed. Maybe this will be the wake up call for some of our guys.

Norris has been continually growing on me this year, and after last night, I will be ordering a 25 jersey soon. He has become one of my favorite players on this team.

[LAOSfan]

I have a different take and I think if the uniforms were switched, most on here would agree. While I didn't think Norris intended to hit Hunter and I do like Norris, I also think he is a hot head who escalated the situation unnecessarily both after Hunter was hit and said something, and then on his way to the dug out. I was in San Fran last year when Norris pitched and he couldn't control his emotions in the first two innings of that game. (Eventually he settled down and ended up pitching a nice game). Would like to see Bud calm it down a bit as it may help him on the mound. And, as Buck said, "have you ever been hit with a 95 mph fastball before?" I'm sure it doesn't feel good and then when you consider it was immediately after a HR, the natural reaction is going to be something like Hunter's reaction.

[MDK02]

He was trying to break up a fight. I see nothing wrong with that if he knows the player well as Hunter insinuates.

If the ump was arguing with someone and Hunter tapped him on the face like that, I have a feeling he wouldn't be too happy with that. Some of these umps feel they have authority above all during the games. Bottom line is, I think both players and umps should be penalized for these things in the same manner, whether he has known the guy for a long time or not.

[Ruzious]

C'mon Murph, just touching Hunter in a non-threatening manner is hardly cause for suspension.

As for Hunter and Norris - both were at fault. Norris - at minimum - trying to brush Hunter off after giving up a homer. Hunter was crowding the plate too much in that situation, imo - knowing the pitcher was po'd about giving up a homer. If Norris really wanted to hurt him, he wouldn't go after Hunter's ribs.

[olehippi]

Norris was coming out of the game anyway, so being tossed didn't really matter, except for resulting fine from MLB. Hunter became even more upset when umpire Paul Nauert tapped him in the face in an effort to calm him down. What's with that? A player touches an umpire and he gets tossed immediately. Just an overall unnecessary nasty scene.

And, after watching the replay a number of times, I think the pitch from Norris had intent written all over it.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v32819409/detbal-benches-clear-after-hunter-hit-by-pitch/?query=torri%2Bhunter

[TouchemAll]

Give him another one in the ribs tomorrow and I guarantee he'll tossed then after he charges the mound.

"Nicest guy in baseball" my ass. I hope we give him something to think about inside tomorrow.

On THIS we agree I love having Norris on this staff give'em something to think

about other then getting comfy up there and TAKING GOOD CUTS. Nicky got two chin busters and the O's didn't cry about it. :agree:

[gmelson26]

Not sure who you are disagreeing with, nobody called it a slap. The bottom line is that umpires shouldn't be initiating physical contact with players.

Touche. My bad.. had to reread it. My mind read slapping instead of tapping. Yeah definite difference between the 2. Still I don't really mind what he did as I felt it was in an effort to get Hunter from continuing to elevate the level of tension between the two.

If MLB wants to come down on him because there are currently clear double standards in terms of player/ump contact, I would not be opposed. But if MLB is fine with an UMP making contact in a good faith effort to diffuse a situation that is fine with me as well.

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

Norris was coming out of the game anyway, so being tossed didn't really matter, except for resulting fine from MLB. Hunter became even more upset when umpire Paul Nauert tapped him in the face in an effort to calm him down. What's with that? A player touches an umpire and he gets tossed immediately. Just an overall unnecessary nasty scene.

And, after watching the replay a number of times, I think the pitch from Norris had intent written all over it.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v32819409/detbal-benches-clear-after-hunter-hit-by-pitch/?query=torri%2Bhunter

The umpire was attempting to stop Hunter from jawing. Ideally in that situation you don't touch the player, but I think it's far from a big deal. It was very innocuous and Hunter supported that with his quote.

I don't think Norris tried to hit him. I think he came up and in and missed. He may have been trying to brush him back. I was trying to read his lips and I gestures, but couldn't quite figure out what he was saying. I don't think any of this is a big deal. Hunter has every reason to be pissed and Norris has every right to stand up for himself. This kind of stuff happens in sports. You play with emotion.

The most ridiculous part of these things in the bullpens emptying. The dugouts don't need to empty, but at least they are close to the action. I guess the bullpen guys are bored and need some excitement.