Ben Zobrist vs. Phil Cuzzi
Aug. 14 at Wrigley Field
Final Score: Brewers 7, Cubs 0
Ben Zobrist’s animated complaint with plate umpire Phil Cuzzi over a called third strike in the sixth inning led to Maddon’s second ejection in four games, though Zobrist remained in the game.
Zobrist was on deck in the eighth when the inning ended, but instead of going back to the dugout, he approached Cuzzi to tell him he didn’t appreciate being told to “be quiet” after arguing during the previous at-bat.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, the pitch had been called a strike 44.7 percent of the time, and Zobrist said he asked Cuzzi to check the video.
“He didn’t want me to tell him that,” Zobrist said. “I just basically said, ‘Well, that’s why we want an electronic strike zone.’ And that’s what obviously got me tossed.”
When I interviewed Cuzzi the next day, he alleged that Zobrist “just decided he wanted to get himself run.”
“The conversation started cordial, and then he just started to say things that I thought it was best that the conversation ended,” Cuzzi replied. “Whichever came (first), I don’t really remember.”
Cuzzi stood by the call and said MLB graded it as “an acceptable pitch,” meaning close enough. Zobrist had never been ejected.
“I guess even mild-mannered guys can say the wrong thing,” Cuzzi said.
Maddon, who had been tossed two days earlier for arguing an interference call against Willson Contreras, insisted he was not arguing balls and strikes. He said he simply told Cuzzi: “Do you realize Ben Zobrist is arguing with you right now? I mean, that’s got to be a bad feeling.”