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Published in the Asbury Park Press 5/24/03
By SCOTT STUMP
STAFF WRITER
LAKEWOOD -- After last night, no one can question the devotion BlueClaws' head groundskeeper Bill Butler has to his field at FirstEnergy Park.
In what may be a first in South Atlantic League history, to say nothing of professional baseball as a whole, Butler was ejected by the umpires in Lakewood's rain-shortened 3-0 win over the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators last night in the ultimate "only in minor league baseball" moment.
"Bill was arguing that the field was unplayable and that the rain was going to continue for the next two hours," Lakewood general manager Geoff Brown said. "I guess the umpires' opinion was that the field was still playable."
Butler was unavailable for comment after the game. In his 13-year career, Butler has won "Field of the Year" with three different teams in the SAL, the Eastern League and the Carolina League. He also has worked as an assistant under George Toma, the head groundskeeper of the Kansas City Royals.
The fun started with one out in the sixth inning, when the game was halted because of the torrential rain that was starting to form puddles in the infield. While the umpires were trying to decide whether to have the tarp rolled out, a red-faced Butler walked up to them clutching a computer printout of the radar from the immediate weather forecast.
An argument ensued and Butler was ejected after reasoning that the tarp should have been rolled out much sooner. Even to seasoned baseball men, it was a bizarre moment.
"I've never seen anything like that, and (Phillies minor league field coordinator) Bill Dancy has been around longer than me and he's never seen that," said Lakewood manager Buddy Biancalana. "Bill is very committed to his field. He does a great job."
Butler was trying to preserve a field that has been battered by rain nearly all season. The BlueClaws are scheduled to play the Lake County (Ohio) Captains tonight at 7:05, and the forecast for today calls for more bad weather.
After a 50-minute rain delay, the umpires called the game to help the BlueClaws (16-31) win the final game of their three-game series against the White Sox affiliate. Lost in the theatrics was an excellent outing by Lakewood starter Francisco Butto, who only gave up four hits in six innings to throw the first complete-game shutout by a BlueClaws pitcher this season. The win also halted a four-game Lakewood losing streak.
"Butto has had two really good outings in a row," Biancalana said. "He got a lot of outs early in counts (last night)."
The BlueClaws scored all three of their runs on errors by Kannapolis (21-25). Designated hitter Mark McRoberts started if off by singling and then scoring with two outs on a dropped fly ball by Intimidators left fielder Jon Cavin for a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Lakewood tacked on two runs in the sixth when Kannapolis catcher Charlie Lisk threw a ball into left field on a rundown play at third. That gaffe allowed both McRoberts and Jeremy Isenhower to score.
After Chris Roberson walked with one out, the rain came down harder and Butler went out to have a word with umpires Brandon Cooney and Steven Cummings after they stopped the game. The next thing he knew, Butler was history.
"I don't think anybody has ever seen anything like that," Brown said.
Published in the Asbury Park Press 5/24/03
By SCOTT STUMP
STAFF WRITER
LAKEWOOD -- After last night, no one can question the devotion BlueClaws' head groundskeeper Bill Butler has to his field at FirstEnergy Park.
In what may be a first in South Atlantic League history, to say nothing of professional baseball as a whole, Butler was ejected by the umpires in Lakewood's rain-shortened 3-0 win over the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators last night in the ultimate "only in minor league baseball" moment.
"Bill was arguing that the field was unplayable and that the rain was going to continue for the next two hours," Lakewood general manager Geoff Brown said. "I guess the umpires' opinion was that the field was still playable."
Butler was unavailable for comment after the game. In his 13-year career, Butler has won "Field of the Year" with three different teams in the SAL, the Eastern League and the Carolina League. He also has worked as an assistant under George Toma, the head groundskeeper of the Kansas City Royals.
The fun started with one out in the sixth inning, when the game was halted because of the torrential rain that was starting to form puddles in the infield. While the umpires were trying to decide whether to have the tarp rolled out, a red-faced Butler walked up to them clutching a computer printout of the radar from the immediate weather forecast.
An argument ensued and Butler was ejected after reasoning that the tarp should have been rolled out much sooner. Even to seasoned baseball men, it was a bizarre moment.
"I've never seen anything like that, and (Phillies minor league field coordinator) Bill Dancy has been around longer than me and he's never seen that," said Lakewood manager Buddy Biancalana. "Bill is very committed to his field. He does a great job."
Butler was trying to preserve a field that has been battered by rain nearly all season. The BlueClaws are scheduled to play the Lake County (Ohio) Captains tonight at 7:05, and the forecast for today calls for more bad weather.
After a 50-minute rain delay, the umpires called the game to help the BlueClaws (16-31) win the final game of their three-game series against the White Sox affiliate. Lost in the theatrics was an excellent outing by Lakewood starter Francisco Butto, who only gave up four hits in six innings to throw the first complete-game shutout by a BlueClaws pitcher this season. The win also halted a four-game Lakewood losing streak.
"Butto has had two really good outings in a row," Biancalana said. "He got a lot of outs early in counts (last night)."
The BlueClaws scored all three of their runs on errors by Kannapolis (21-25). Designated hitter Mark McRoberts started if off by singling and then scoring with two outs on a dropped fly ball by Intimidators left fielder Jon Cavin for a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Lakewood tacked on two runs in the sixth when Kannapolis catcher Charlie Lisk threw a ball into left field on a rundown play at third. That gaffe allowed both McRoberts and Jeremy Isenhower to score.
After Chris Roberson walked with one out, the rain came down harder and Butler went out to have a word with umpires Brandon Cooney and Steven Cummings after they stopped the game. The next thing he knew, Butler was history.
"I don't think anybody has ever seen anything like that," Brown said.
