NY Yankees Catcher Had His Feelings Hurt By The Umpire In Anaheim

ANAHEIM – Russell Martin had to deal with more than just the Angels behind the plate Wednesday night.
The Yankees' catcher had a bizarre back and forth with home plate umpire Laz Diaz, widely considered one of the most inconsistent umps in the game.

"Laz actually hurt my feelings," Martin said. "The umpire wouldn't let me throw the ball back to the pitcher. That's never happened to me before. That's a good story, right?

"He said that it was a privilege that I had to earn, for me to throw the ball back. Because we kind of got into it with balls and strikes or whatever.

"That was strange. I was kind of mystified."

Martin said the initial refusal came in the second inning, then continued all night during the Yankees' 6-5 win over the Angels.

"Even at the end of the game, after I got hit in the neck, I'm like, 'Can I throw the ball back now?'" Martin said. "He's still like, 'No.' ... Unbelievable."

Martin said he likes throwing the ball back to the pitcher to keep his arm warmed up, especially if there are runners on base during a tight game. Despite repeated requests, Diaz declined to hand the ball to Martin, throwing it back to the mound himself.

"He threw it back – the whole game," Martin said. "I've had umpires wanting to throw it back, and then I've asked them. I've let them know, I like to throw the ball, keep the feel, just for throwing, in case somebody steals.

"He told me I have to earn the privilege. Now, thinking back, I should have shown him the gold Rawlings sign on my glove," Martin said, referring to the fact that he won a Gold Glove in 2007.

Martin used some colorful language while discussing the situation, but he was careful to keep it PG-13 on the field. He said he felt Diaz was trying to egg him on, looking to toss him from the game.

"I feel like that's what he was trying to do," Martin said. "It wasn't going to happen.

Martin must have been very irritated by the gesture, bringing it up unprompted to reporters after the game. He said he's never had any issues with Diaz before, "but I know he can hold a grudge with the best of them."

Martin took a foul ball in the neck late in the game, so Diaz took a walk to the mound as umpires will often to in order to give catchers a minute to recover. Even that gesture wasn't enough to soothe Martin, who has never shied away from speaking his mind.

"We didn't really talk much, until I got hit in the neck," Martin said. "Then he kind of had to go out to the mound. I know he didn't want to, but he did. Strange day. But a good win.”