On his way through the Wrigley Field tunnels Sunday to his first media briefing as interim manager of the Cubs, Alan Trammell almost ventured into the umpires’ dressing room.
Oops. Not such a good idea, considering what happened to real manager Lou Piniella, who began serving what sources said would be a five-game suspension for his run-in with umpires the day before.
Piniella’s status is pending an appeal by telephone Monday to John McHale Jr., executive vice president of Major League Baseball.
But rarely does MLB reduce a manager’s penalty, especially after its discipline of Piniella included a fine for “aggressive and inappropriate actions,” including making contact with umpire Mark Wegner “on multiple occasions.”
Piniella denied making contact with Wegner except to kick dirt onto his shoes.
A subdued Piniella did not meet formally with reporters Sunday, though he did say he “wasn’t expecting anything until the early part of the week.”
Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said he was not surprised at the speed of the decision, especially after umpiring crew chief Bruce Froemming said he would phone in a report Saturday instead of mailing it.
“[Piniella] was going to get one game no matter what happens,” Hendry said. “Hopefully we get how we feel across [to McHale] and see what happens.”
Piniella charged from the dugout in the eighth inning Saturday after Angel Pagan was called out on a close play at third base, which helped lead to the Cubs’ sixth straight loss and 10th in their last 12 games. Piniella’s frustration had been building.
“It all starts with playing bad baseball,” Hendry said. “When you play as poorly as we have now for a few weeks, then a lot of frustration sets in because you have guys who care and who expect to win and who expect more out of themselves.
“[Everyone] was extremely disappointed, frustrated and upset, so when that happens, things sometimes get to the boiling point. Lou, in his heart, when he went out there he thought the call was blown, and then he was man enough to admit that it wasn’t.”
In a bit of irony Sunday, Trammell ran out to third base in the second inning to argue a call with Froemming. Trammel didn’t have to say anything, as Froemming convened the other three umpires and ruled Alfonso Soriano’s hit a home run into the left-field basket, not a double.
