Umpire Schrieber apologizes for making contact with Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez

Umpire apologizes for making contact with Ordonez

MINNEAPOLIS — Umpire Paul Schrieber has apologized for making contact with Detroit Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez during a confrontation Wednesday night.

In the seventh inning against Minnesota, Schreiber called Ordonez out on strikes. Ordonez argued that the pitch was low. As Schrieber spoke to him, the umpire placed his hand on Ordonez’s back and steered him toward the dugout.

Schrieber read a brief statement before the Tigers-Twins series finale on Thursday.

“In yesterday’s game, after I called Magglio Ordonez out on strikes, I inadvertantly placed my hand on his back and ushered him away from home plate so I did not have to eject him for arguing balls and strikes,” Schrieber said. “I should not have placed my hands on him, period. For doing so, I apologize to both Magglio Ordonez and the Detroit Tigers.”

Ordonez said he was surprised when Schrieber put his hand on his back, but added that he didn’t think Schrieber “had any bad intentions.”

“You’re not supposed to do that,” Ordonez said on Thursday morning before the Tigers-Twins series finale. “If you touch (an umpire), you get suspended. I’d be home.”

Tigers manager Jim Leyland was ejected for coming to Ordonez’s defense and said that was as fired up as he’s been since he took over as manager of the Tigers in 2006.

Throughout a managing career that started in the minor leagues in 1971, Leyland said he has never seen an umpire make contact with a player like that. But he also made a point to say that there was no ill will toward Schrieber.

“I want to defend the umpire in a sense that he did not do it with any intentional, physically really, challenge of the player or anything like that,” Leyland said. “I have no problem with that umpire. I do have a problem with what he did. You can’t do it. But it wasn’t something that was a violent gesture. I think he was just saying, ‘Hey, that’s it. Get out of here.’”

If a player makes contact with an umpire, that player is almost always suspended. It was not immediately clear what kind of punishment Schrieber might face for doing the same.

The Associated Press left a phone message with Mike Port, Major League Baseball’s vice president of umpiring, seeking comment.

“I hope the umpire doesn’t get suspended or something because I don’t think the man did it with any malice or tried to create a problem,” Leyland said. “It was just a reaction. It was a reaction he shouldn’t have had, but I don’t think it warrants any type of discipline, maybe other than a fine. I hope we both get fines and turn the page.”

Crew chief Joe West said Schrieber “shouldn’t have put his hands on him, but he was trying to keep the man in the game.”