Steinbrenner fined for criticizing umpires

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Posted: Saturday October 10, 1998 09:20 PM

George Steinbrenner (left): "[Hendry] saw it, but he didn't call it. [Fryman] was blocking the guy's ability to throw. I think it was a very poor call." AP

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Going into Saturday, the New York Yankees and George Steinbrenner had more $25,000 fines than wins in the AL championship series.

Steinbrenner was fined $25,000 by the AL president Gene Budig on Friday for his criticism of the umpires after a disputed play that led to Cleveland's 4-1 victory over New York in Game 2. The Indians also won Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

The Yankees owner was critical of what he described as "atrocious" calls by home plate umpire Ted Hendry on Wednesday night.

"My concern was inappropriate comments that impact the game and the profession of umpiring," Budig told NBC.

A day earlier, the Yankees were fined $25,000 by the AL for violating media access regulations issued by the commissioner's office.

Hendry did not call interference against Travis Fryman after Tino Martinez fielded his bunt up the first-base line. Fryman, who ran to first along the infield grass and not in the designated box along the foul line, was hit by Martinez's throw in the back.

While Chuck Knoblauch argued the call, Cleveland's Enrique Wilson scored the go-ahead run in the 12th inning.

Asked if the call was correct, Budig said, "It was correct in the judgment of the crew chief, Jim Evans. ... He is one of the best that we have."

Budig also said Hendry was not fined, and he praised the umpiring crew, saying it had 123 years of major league experience.

Informed by the network of Budig's fine, Steinbrenner said: "He has to do what he has to do. ... He has that right, doesn't he?"

Steinbrenner had said after Wednesday's game that it was "too bad this great game had to be decided by a call like that."

"I've been around this game 25 years, and the umpiring was atrocious both ways," he said, referring to Hendry's ball-strike calls as well as Fryman's baserunning.

"He [Hendry] saw it, but he didn't call it," Steinbrenner had said. "He [Fryman] was blocking the guy's ability to throw. I think it was a very poor call."

Steinbrenner had also said the American League should be stripped of its authority over umpires.

"You bring the officiating under the commissioner's office. It doesn't belong under the league offices," Steinbrenner said.  

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