CHICAGO – Chicago White Sox star Tim Anderson was ejected Wednesday in a 7-3 viictory over the San Francisco Giants after thinking he was quick-pitched by Logan Webb.
The White Sox were up 2-1 in the third when Anderson came to bat. With a 1-2 count, he was in the batter’s box but not settled into his stance when Webb began his delivery with 11 seconds left on the pitch clock.
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Anderson stepped out and was already walking toward the home dugout when Webb threw strike three down the middle. Plate umpire D.J. Reyburn called Anderson out on strikes, and Anderson then turned back toward Reyburn to argue.
Anderson pointed at his eyes several times, then shouted some profanities — apparently at Webb — from the dugout. He was ejected as teammate Luis Robert Jr. got called out on strikes.
“He says that he wasn't alert yet, he hadn't put his eyes on the pitcher and he just stepped out," Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “Probably could have called time or whatever, but it didn't happen. And then, when he got in the dugout, it's that passion he's got — that passion and fight for the game. I don't have an issue with it.”
Anderson did not make himself available to reporters after the game. The ejection was his first this season and eighth of his career.
Webb insisted he wasn’t trying to quick-pitch him and that they had made eye contact. As for what happened after that?
“He was yelling at me from the dugout for five straight pitches so I looked at the dugout more than a couple of times — once during that rubber event and then after that rubber event,” Webb said. “You can probably see what I said and then he was just yelling back at me. I don’t necessarily think he should have gotten tossed. He was talking to me; he wasn’t talking to the umpires.”
Baseball instituted new rules this season designed to speed up the game, including a pitch clock. And players are adjusting.
“There's still a learning curve,” Chicago's Gavin Sheets said. “I think that Tim felt like the pitcher wasn't looking at him so he kind of stepped out. Obviously, with this clock, you've got to be on high alert at all times.”
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