SAN DIEGO _ One day after Padres infielder Manny Machado was suspended one game for allegedly making contact with an umpire, the Major League Baseball Umpires Association took to social media to voice displeasure over discipline that it described as "inaction."
The umpires' union, in particular, pointed out a bat throw that Major League Baseball did not mention when announcing Machado's suspension (which the player has appealed).
"Violence in the workplace is not tolerated, and offenders are dealt with severely and even made example of for the good of it's (sic) employees, as well as the company itself," the association wrote on Twitter. "Is this truly what MLB wants to teach our youth?"
The umpires association's post was accompanied by several hashtags, including #disappointed, #TemperTantrum, #Nonsense and #RepeatOffender.
A lengthier opinion of the suspension was posted to the union's Facebook account.
Saturday's ejection was the fifth of Machado's career and his first since June 7, 2016.
Home plate umpire Bill Welke had called out Machado on strikes and ejected him after Machado approached him. Machado immediately threw his helmet to the ground but has denied making contact while yelling in close vicinity with Welke.
Machado threw his bat toward the backstop before he was corralled to the Padres' dugout. He continued to berate Welke from the dugout railing before retiring to the visiting clubhouse.
"He pointed but I was way too into the zone of letting him hear what I had to say on what I thought about the whole call," Machado said Monday. "I didn't touch him. I didn't think I touched him. The video says it also. Like I said, we're going to appeal it. I think we've got a good case. I don't think anyone has ever gotten suspended a game for arguing balls and strikes. I think that's a little too much, a little unjustified, but there's a process to this and we're going to go through it.
