Manager gets ejected three pitches into playoff game, a breakdown
What Happened
In Game 3 of the 1998 American League Division Series, veteran right-hander Dwight "Doc" Gooden takes the mound for the Cleveland Indians. The game is scoreless in the top of the first inning when Gooden immediately clashes with home plate umpire Joe West over a pair of borderline pitch calls. After throwing three pitches, Gooden stares angrily at West, seemingly upset about the umpire's strike zone. Indians manager Mike Hargrove then comes out to the mound to argue with West, defending his pitcher. Hargrove and West exchange heated words, with Hargrove adamantly disagreeing that Gooden's pitches were low. Despite Hargrove's pleas, West ejects the manager just three pitches into the playoff game. As Hargrove departs, he continues to yell at West, telling the umpire not to touch him and that he didn't agree with the calls. West stands his ground, insisting the pitches were low. Hargrove storms off the field, forced to miss the remainder of the crucial postseason matchup. With their manager ejected, the Indians' dugout remains visibly upset. In the next at-bat, Gooden walks the batter, and West stares him down, daring the pitcher to argue further. Gooden does not retaliate, and the game continues. Later in the inning, Boston's Nomar Garciaparra hits a ball off the wall that narrowly misses being a home run. Gooden is right behind the play and sees the runner just barely avoid being tagged out at the plate. However, the home plate umpire rules the runner safe, further frustrating the Indians' pitcher. Gooden's evident frustration boils over, and he has to be held back by his teammates as he argues vehemently with the umpire. An elderly fan in the stands also gets involved, seemingly egging on Gooden's outburst. Ultimately, Gooden collects himself and heads to the dugout, where he is likely to regroup with his manager and prepare to finish out the playoff game despite the early controversy.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentlet's go back to 1998 the ALDS
postseason dot good and on the bump for
the then Indians this one's brought to
you by SeatGeek and he doesn't like that
he didn't get that call use code John
Boy twenty dollars off your first
purchase at Sea geek stares in a little
bit it's 2-0 umpire his name is Joe kind
of looks back says let's get on with it
come on keep playing they put down the
sign another fastball that one is where
doc good and doesn't like that now kind
of looks in he's like God damn where is
it
turns around puts on a little show three
pitches all right my bad sorry I'll stop
manager walks out to the mound Doc's
talking I'm good they're [ __ ] balls
okay
okay
I'm trying to piss you off I'm sorry
they look at each other some more
manager Michael Hargrove comes out he
says they're right down the middle of
the zone are they let's take a look it's
uh I mean he catches it like just barely
below the knees which means it probably
crossed in the zone who knows it's very
borderline manager says like where did
you have it it was down he says no one's
calling that effing ball up it says I'm
telling you it's not down yes it is no
it's not and then he must say it again
like it's not down or he says something
he gets run three pitches into a playoff
game don't tell me what the f is low oh
I'll tell you what the f is tell me
nothing oh did I hurt your feelings
there Joe
I had to tell you that those balls I'd
like you to tell me what to do I don't
tell you what to do and you don't you f
and touch me I
don't you often touch me all I'm saying
Joe those balls are not low
just looks at them but for you to miss
both calls that's why I'm saying I
didn't argue with you I just told you
that and you run my ass for it
and then they talk a little bit more and
then he leaves and he's on his way and
he's going to miss the whole game
besides three calls oh no wait he goes
back for more and it seems like it's a
bit calm and it is the um says Michael
Michael Mike listen to me right now
really yeah right now and then the
broadcast had mentioned that he was
upset about a call in game one of this
series but it was a blowout so he
couldn't argue so my guess is he's
bringing that up and saying and that
call yesterday was crap too and I was
like really right now finally then he
leaves I'm straps on his gear he heads
to the clubhouse can't watch the rest of
the game did get to see those three
pitches though and they were
exhilarating here they are again that
one's low we all agree this one uh this
one uh I don't know borderline maybe the
next pitch is a ball high how about that
so he walks the batter and then the
Umpire stares at him he's like come on
get mad at me again I'm itching get mad
at me again come on let's do it a one
two pitch to the next batter a steel
second overthrow goes to Third
goodin's not having a great time on the
mound and then once this check swing on
Nomar
um says no he did not
and he did so that's also a call that's
just not going Doc's way and uh
Nomar puts one off the wall about a foot
away from a home run in the first inning
it scores one the second runner is
rounding third he's heading home doc
Gooden's right behind him he's got a
great view of the tag gets him the
sleeve moves he hasn't touched home and
the great news is home plate umpire had
a great view he was in perfect position
he saw the whole thing he says safe
says safe and that's just a couple
batters later from the hall ordeal
earlier so that good inside screw this
man I'm out what's wrong with you what
do you got against me Newman's holding
them back and then this super old uh guy
who maybe isn't even that old maybe this
in in 1998 age he's 60 but he looks old
and look he's oh I'm itching and Doc is
uh pissed
it's pissed he's gonna leave he's gonna
throw stuff at the UMP and say that's
for you you clean it up and then he's
gonna walk down the tunnel where his
manager is going to be waiting for him
and say hey man let's crack maybe a beer
and watch this game together throw out
the umps as that sign from the fan
sitting in the seats if you want to be a
fan sitting in the seats you can use
code John Boy get 20 off at SeatGeek
because they're sponsoring this
breakdown thank you to johnboy oh no I
meant thank you to see geek but thank
you to myself too it was fun