Weasel of The Week: Jose Urena

It used to be that in baseball, it was accepted that if you were a hot hitter, and had smacked a home run or two or three, you were bound to be brushed back by an inside pitch, just to keep things honest.

Today, emotions run higher than they have in the past. Today's generation of players will take the frustration of a losing season out on the field with them with mayhem on their minds.

Case in point: Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna, Jr. is one of the hottest players on the planet right now. He's hit 12 homers this season, and is a candidate, along with Washington teenager Juan Soto, for National League Rookie of The Year.

In contrast, the Miami Marlins, in year 1 of the Derek Jeter era of ownership (the ex-Yankee star is the face of the ownership group, but I doubt he's the one making the final decisions alone), are in the basement of the NL East. Acuna had burned them earlier in their series this week, and on Wednesday, Marlins starter Jose Urena decided to do something about it.......



Urena was ejected after 1 pitch, the quickest ejection of a starting pitcher in a NL game. John Lackey, when he was with the Angels a few years back, was ejected after just 2 pitches in the first inning. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker was also tossed, and Acuna removed himself from the game after taking the field in the visiting 2nd, as the swelling in his elbow was taking effect. The umpires, really, had no choice but to take action as soon as possible, hence Urena getting the heave-ho after some delay.

With teams more and more skittish about player injuries hurting their bottom lines, pitching inside has become all but obsolete. Urena is a young player with a bright future, one that could be dimmed if they don't rein in his emotions and quickly, before he develops a reputation he doesn't deserve as a headhunter. As it is, his immature lack of patience earns Urena a set of Weasel ears. The Players' Association shouldn't bother appealing any suspension commissioner Rob (Not-so-mighty) Manfred hands out. No coddling the guilty this time.