Mike Matheny ejected for first time as Cardinals manager

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was ejected for the first time in his managerial career after arguing a call at second base in the tenth of the Cardinals 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is experiencing many new things in his first season as a manager in Major League Baseball.

Matheny has quickly had to learn how to handle a bullpen, juggle a lineup filled with injuries, and manage a team that has been assigned a tough travel schedule to begin the season.

In Tuesday night's 3-2 extra innings loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Matheny experienced something else for the first time as manager of the Cardinals.


He was ejected from a Major League Baseball game for the first time as manager.

Matheny was ejected in the tenth inning after a questionable call took place on a stolen base attempt by Cubs outfielder Tony Campana.  It looked as though Campana may have beaten Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina's throw to second, but rather than slide into the bag, Camapana slid into Greene's foot and it did not look as though he touched the bag until after Greene had touched him with a swipe tag.

The umpire called Camapana safe, pointing as though the speedy outfielder had beaten the throw, and Greene immediately began to argue, even grabbing his foot to suggest that Campana had grabbed it and not the bag, as the replay showed.

Matheny immediately came to Greene's defense.  Matheny got in the face of second base umpire Bill Welke and clearly expressed that he felt Welke had missed the call.

It looked as though Matheny was almost politely yelling at Welke, who took the wrath of Matheny well before tossing the former catcher.  

Matheny was certainly heated and you could feel his intensity through the camera, but he certainly did not make a fool of himself as some managers have done when being ejected for arguing a call on the field.

It was Matheny's first ejection as manager of the Cardinals and it is almost a guarantee that it will not be his last either.