Major League Baseball

Leyland says increased tension with umps a problem

Published Jul. 6, 2011 10:22 p.m. ET

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Jim Leyland is feeling more friction between umpires and teams in recent times and says it has become a problem in baseball.

A day after the Detroit manager was among three ejections in the Tigers-Angels game, Leyland said something needs to be done to improve relations between the sides.

''We have to work harder to eliminate some of the tension,'' Leyland said before Detroit played Los Angeles on Wednesday. ''You can feel it. That's just not a good situation. That usually causes blowups.''

On Tuesday night, Leyland and Tigers ace Justin Verlander and Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu were tossed in Detroit's 1-0 loss.

Leyland was ejected before the seventh inning during a prolonged argument with first base umpire Joe West. It was Leyland's second ejection in nine days.

The veteran manager said Joe Torre has been working to solve the issue in his new role as Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations.

''The tension level is much more than it should be, between managers, players, coaches, umpires,'' he said. ''I know Joe is trying to get it resolved. But right now, the tension seems like it's almost worse.''

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he hasn't noticed increased problems between his team and umpires, calling the recent influx in ejections ''cyclical.''

''I think it's contingent on some circumstances,'' Scioscia said. ''You have two teams competing, and if someone misses a call, someone's going to contest it. But I haven't noticed anything that would point to it being anything but random. There are going to be arguments, and sometimes guys are going to be ejected.''

Last fall, the players' union asked for a meeting with umpires to discuss troublespots. A planned meeting was postponed in December, but representatives of the union for players and umpires met with management in spring training.

Abreu was ejected in the first inning after arguing a strikeout call by umpire Angel Campos. Scioscia said he thought Campos was a bit quick in tossing the Angels' No. 3 hitter.

Leyland was eventually run in the seventh after giving West an earful from the second inning on. He though West incorrectly called Howie Kendrick safe on a close play at first base in the bottom half of the second. Kendrick came around to score the game's lone run on Erick Aybar's double.

Verlander was being removed for a reliever with two outs in the eighth when he was ejected for exchanging words with the umps.

Leyland said it's just not just the umpires who are at fault, but players and managers also need to do their part in an effort to reverse course.

''I'm not criticizing anybody,'' Leyland said. ''I'm making the point that we all need to work together to resolve this situation, because it's getting out of hand.''

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