Boone defends Rizzo reaction

BALTIMORE—ANTHONY Rizzo got ejected for the first time this season on Thursday. The Yankees first baseman said he was tossed by home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez in the top of the eighth inning of the Yankees 9-6 loss to the Orioles for shouting “the same pitch, same pitch,” from the dugout after he had been rung up on two pitches he felt were low. He shouted out after he felt Gonzalez called a pitch in the same location as a ball to Giancarlo Stanton.

“Obviously the replays showed it was clear. The next pitch to G from the dugout, first pitch was pretty much the same pitch, even looking at and all of a sudden, that pitch of the ball I said ‘same pitch, the same pitch’,” Rizzo said.

Gonzalez tossed Rizzo from the dugout. He felt that Gonzalez was being overly sensitive because they were looking at ipads in the dugout, which do not have live feeds, but players have used to critique umpires calls.

“We know that right now with ipads in the dugout that there’s a lot of sensitivity and (manager Aaron Boone) asked, Is it because of the ipad? We get the answer ‘yes.’ And they’ve just changed the whole ipad thing to where you don’t get your actual live feed until the next inning,” Rizzo said. “So if that’s a warranted objection then you better keep your mouth shut and asleep because we should be getting ejected.”

Arm issue: The Yankees prided themselves on their pitching depth coming into this season and now it may get tested early. Not only did big league reliever Chad Green leave Thursday’s game with the dreaded forearm discomfort, but top pitching prospect Luis Gil left a minor league game Wednesday night with an apparent elbow injury.

Gil was scheduled to see team doctor Chris Ahmad on Friday. The right-hander pulled himself from his start with Triple-a Scranton in the fifth inning Wednesday night. The Times Tribune of Scranton reported that it is an elbow issue.

“I know he left the game and I know he’s scheduled to see the doctor tomorrow,” Boone said before Thursday’s series finale against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Boone also said that he believes this is a new injury for Gil, who does not have a history of elbow issues.

Both Gil and Green are scheduled to see team doctors on Friday.