Carey Gets Carried Away During Unusual Tantrum

Mild-mannered manager P.J. Carey of Portland snapped during a frustrating stint last week with the Yakima Bears.

Yakima, which has plodded along at a .400 clip this year, won three of four games from the Rockies. Carey obviously noticed that Boise, on its way to winning six of nine, was whittling Portland’s Northwest League Southern Division lead. (Portland, 2-1/2 games ahead, has started a streak during which it plays Boise in eight consecutive games.)

Carey tempered his anger until Yakima’s Kevin Gibbs was called safe at second base on a stolen-base attempt. Most witnesses thought the throw from home plate easily beat Gibbs.

Given Portland’s excellent record for most of the season, Carey has had few reasons to argue with umpires. The Gibbs incident, however, provided him with a perfect forum.

After his ejection, Carey threw a chair onto the field. A sprinkler head followed, although the tosser was never identified.

Carey was spotted twice after the incident. Once, players on the field saw him standing naked in the runway leading to the Rockies clubhouse. Then, suitably attired, he was spied flashing signs from the first-base side of the stands.

Bambino on the field

Everett manager Orlando Gomez has 10 grandchildren, but had never seen one of them until last Monday’s home game.

Daughter Melanie Hernandez surprised Gomez by catching a flight to Everett with 6-month-old Jolanie.

Mother and child were introduced on the field in the sixth inning. The startled Gomez wiped away tears as he returned to the dugout after numerous hugs.

One out to remember

Southern Oregon pitcher Ian Epstein worked the ninth inning for Edmonton when the Triple-AAA Trappers played an exhibition last Monday against the parent club Oakland A’s.

Epstein retired a rather special batter on a pop-up to second base.

The hitter who made a surprise appearance at home plate was none other than Oakland manager Tony La Russa.

Wild thing

Maybe Portland manager Carey has spent too much time watching reliever Brad Reitzenstein.

The right-hander from the University of Portland has allowed just two hits this year. The league is hitting .080 against him.

Yet Reitzenstein has allowed 10 runs in eight innings. His 10 wild pitches haven’t helped the situation.

Carey summoned his erratic reliever in the seventh inning of last Sunday’s win over Yakima. His first two warm-up pitches sailed over the catcher’s head to the backstop. The third bounced five feet shy of home plate.

Reitzenstein didn’t last through the inning.

Around the league

Spokane has lost 12 of 18 games against the Northern Division… . Eugene, with a league-worst 105 errors, could conceivably double the output of Portland (55)… . Northern Division leader Bellingham is 20-4 since its 11-13 start. The Giants won their season series with Southern Oregon 9-1. They are 18-6 at home… . Gibbs has stolen 33 bases in 36 attempts… . Danny Buxbaum has three grand slams for Boise. He also hit two this year for the University of Miami… . Southern Oregon broke an eight-game losing streak on Friday.

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