Because grown men throwing temper tantrums may soon be endangered.
In a preseason game Monday, Major League Baseball saw its first use of the expanded instant replay system.
This is great news!
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But there is also reason to mourn.
Because the advent of instant replay could mean a scarcity of disputed calls, and therefore, epic manager ejections. So let's take this moment to appreciate some of the great manager meltdowns of the past.
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Lou Piniella - June 2, 2007
One of the all time greats at blowing up, Lou Piniella even has a signature move -- kicking his hat around the field. Which he enthusiastically employs here. This was his first ejection as Cubs manager, and the crowd is immediately behind him, launching their own hats and assorted detritus onto the field in solidarity.
Best Part: The groundskeeping crew swarming the field to collect the debris at the end.
End result: Lou's Cubs lost, 3-5.
Joe Mikulik - June 25, 2006
The minor leagues are known for having some of the best manager meltdowns around. Frequently, minor league managers will “get their money’s worth” from their ejections in an attempt to raise the profile of themselves or their teams. Here, Joe Mikulik just plain goes ballistic, throwing bases, covering home plate with dirt, throwing bats on the field and more, all while the home team sound system taunts Mikulik with a stream of music and movie clips (the "Who's On First" routine matches shockingly well).
Best moment: After Mikulik throws bats out on the field, the poor bat boy takes a step toward them to clean them up, only to jump back from Mikulik’s re-emergence from the dugout.
End result: The Tourists lost, 2-5.
