Sweet Lou banished for 4 games

[chisox]

Cubs manager Lou Piniella has been suspended for four games following
Saturday's altercation with an umpire. Latest details:
http://email.chicagotribune.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBQwE0Jxc6Z0G2E0Idy10AC

[Panamaniac42]

Lucky guy. Hope he has a stress free vacation before he returns to that mess.

[DaYanks24]

It will certainly help his blood pressure.

[ace]

I think it's about time to take this one-trick pony out to stud. I am so glad the Yanks didn't hire the baffoon this offseason.

[RYMASTER or Ryan_Yankees]

Shouldn't the umpires who put their hands on him be suspended as well? Is there not a double standard there?

[GoRasner]

I think he should be sentenced to having to wear a straight jacket at ballgames. His altercations should be all the more amusing. Throw in some fake tranqualizer darts for the decorative touch.

[Hitman23]

This is so stupid. Just like in the NHL, they are trying to pussify MLB. Can't kick dirt on an umpire. Can't retaliate for HBP. Not so long ago these were both common. Yet at the same time players and coaches are criticized for apathy.

you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Gotta love how things are spun no matter what the circumstance to make someone look bad so news and papers can justify their existance.

[In Mo I Trust]

I'm not the biggest Torre fan at the moment but I sure am glad we aren't subjected to Lou's tirades.

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

Personally I think he should be forced to spend his suspension filling in for Phillip Wellman with the Mississippi Braves.

[SportzStooge007]

I think Lou Piniella lost it a little with the umpire, but a four game suspension for kicking some dirt and throwing a hat? Come on. That's a little steep.

I would've suspended him for two games, tops.

Like someone else said, managers arguing with umpires, retaliation to hit batters were commonplace and made baseball interesting. I think these types of things, short of fights, should be condoned to a certain extent.

Kicking a little dirt isn't going to kill an umpire. I find Gary Sheffield's recent action (throwing the bat at umpire, and then threatening to fight him) was far more offensive and distruptive than kicking dirt and throwing a hat.

[mrmike98]

Looks like his act ain't goin' over too well:

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseb...-cub05.article

[Toaderly]

I think it's a joke. Four games? Give me a break. If MLB is trying to turn the game into a kinder and gentler version, they're going to lose some of their fanbase. Not that I watch the game for bench clearings or managers going ape on the field, but if they want to put Prozac in the Gatorade, then they should be operating golf or tennis.

[ZYANK]

Personally I think he should be forced to spend his suspension filling in for Phillip Wellman with the Mississippi Braves.

I saw that clip on ESPN, cracked me up. I loved the grenade, that was a perfect landing!

[jlw1980]

This is so stupid. Just like in the NHL, they are trying to pussify MLB. Can't kick dirt on an umpire. Can't retaliate for HBP. Not so long ago these were both common. Yet at the same time players and coaches are criticized for apathy.

you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Gotta love how things are spun no matter what the circumstance to make someone look bad so news and papers can justify their existance.

I get a little sad when I hear my dad talk about how pitchers used to pitch inside to brush back a batter, and of course in retaliation it was commonplace. I feel like I'm getting a pussified version of things. Add all the B.S. Bud Selig has done - Wild Card, interleague play, LDS - and I wish I could go back in time. It's all crap.

[ZYANK]

Bud Selig has done - Wild Card, interleague play, LDS - and I wish I could go back in time. It's all crap.

And selling out to Fox for games on Saturdays, and ESPN for games on Sunday night.

[35Knucklecurve]

Just make Lou shine the ump's shoes and get on with it. Earl Weaver was the gold standard for arguing with umpires. Watching him turn his cap around so he could get right in the ump's face (or chest, since Earl was about 5'4") was hysterical and he kicked up a lot more dust than Lou without getting a 4 game suspension that I can recall, although it's been a long while. I've seen far too many players and managers ejected in recent years for what amounts to very minor infractions. A batter can't even turn around and look at some home plate umpires after a borderline pitch without him yanking his mask off and going theatrical. A player, manager or coach can appeal a fine or suspension, but if an ump clearly blows a call (and there have been some real doozies this year alone), you may hear one admit he was wrong, but that's it. If you make enough bad calls, there should be some sort of system of accountablilty.

[yankeebot]

I know I'm a little late with this but I think what Lou did was with the intent of drawing attention away from the Zambrano/Barrett fight and towards himself. It worked.

[4bronxbombers]

Lucky guy. Hope he has a stress free vacation before he returns to that mess.

How true!

[teknetic]

And selling out to Fox for games on Saturdays, and ESPN for games on Sunday night.

Seeing that the NBA is going back to NBC next year made me weep realizing MLB hasn't, Bob Costas was the man

[4bronxbombers]

LMAO at "Sweet Lou."

[BillBuckner]

The way the umps have been calling games so far this year, all I have to say is "Go Sweet Lou, Go!"