Every MLB Team's Shortest Fuse

Some of the most exciting occurrences in baseball are when players or coaches get into heated arguments on the field with umpires, especially when said player or coach is ejected from the game. As fans, when we think of our favorite team, we can picture the guy who is usually in the midst of things when tensions start to flare. There's always one guy who loses his cool quicker than the rest.

Through history, there have been certain individuals—both players and managers—who we have connected with such events.

The most popular example would be former Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox, whose 158 career ejections are a major league record. Another example is former Yankees outfielder Paul O'Neill, who tended to take his frustrations out on his bat, Gatorade coolers and the dugout. Even though these two may sound like they acted unprofessionally, they were among the most respected individuals of their eras. All their antics did was provide umpires with some grief and the fans with some entertainment.

So here they are, the guys with the shortest fuses on each MLB team.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Kirk Gibson

Kirk Gibson, the man best known for his dramatic walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, was named manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle of the 2010 season.  

Since then, he has shown he's more than up to the task of managing a major league team, leading the D-Backs into a pennant race with the reigning World Series champion Giants in the NL West during a season where the MLB All-Star game was hosted by his ballclub.

What make Gibson such a good manager this early on are his fiery personality and dedication to his team, which he has shown by already being ejected three times since becoming a manager. Gibson is not afraid to question and argue with the umpires, even if it is at the cost of his own presence within a game.

Atlanta Braves: Michael Bourn

The newest Atlanta Brave, center fielder Michael Bourn, has filled the role of "team hothead," which was recently vacated by all-time ejections leader Bobby Cox.  

Bourn has been ejected three times over his four-year career and seems to be getting more comfortable voicing his opinions at the plate. With Cox gone, Braves fans need someone to get them amped up during games, and Bourn promises to do just that.

Baltimore Orioles: Buck Showalter

Buck Showalter took over as manager of the Baltimore Orioles last season after the firing of Dave Trembley.  As a Yankees fan watching him in the AL East, I have seen firsthand how little it takes to set him off.  

Showalter is constantly yelling at the umpires over balls and strikes, calls at the bases and just about anything else imaginable. A case could have been made for O's closer Kevin Gregg as having the shortest fuse on the team, especially considering his fracas with David Ortiz earlier this month, but in the end I decided Baltimore's manager was more deserving of the title.

Boston Red Sox: Kevin Youkilis

Boston third baseman Kevin Youkilis has earned the reputation as being sort of a hothead over the course of his career. He showed in late 2009 he isn't afraid to get physical, as he charged the mound at Detroit's RIck Porcello, starting a benches-clearing brawl.

Youkilis isn't afraid to let his voice be heard, and he'll often let the umpires know if he is displeased with a call (or with the way a pitcher is pitching to him).

Believe it or not, as I was writing this article Tuesday night while watching the Red Sox game during the Yankees' rain delay, Youkilis was ejected in the bottom of the eighth inning after screaming at the first base umpire, who wrung him up for not checking his swing.  

Youkilis screamed loud enough for TV microphones to pick up, then he could be seen yelling obscenities before being ejected.  It was just the perfect confirmation for choosing him as the Red Sox' representative on this list.

Chicago Cubs: Carlos Zambrano

Carlos Zambrano is the owner of one of baseball's most notorious short fuses.  

"Big Z" has thrown countless temper-tantrums on and off the field throughout the course of his career.  He has actually been called a "clubhouse poison," and although the Cubs have offered to trade him to multiple different teams (most recently the Yankees), everyone has turned them down.  No one wants the baggage that comes along with Zambrano, no matter how well he is capable of pitching.  

After all, what good is a starting pitcher if he gets ejected all the time?

Chicago White Sox: Ozzie Guillen

Nobody embodies the term "short fuse" like White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

One of the most entertaining figures in the game, Guillen frequently rips apart the umpires, the opposing team, the opposing team's manager and even his own players.  

In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who requires censoring during postgame press conferences more than Guillen. If there's a line he refuses to cross professionally, we have yet to see it.

Cincinnati Reds: Brandon Phillips

Brandon Phillips is a nice, fun-loving guy overall.  

When things start to go bad, however, he's usually one of the first ones to let his emotions get the better of him. We have seen him get heated in games before, especially against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, who he has claimed to "hate" on more than one occasion.

Cleveland Indians: Manny Acta

Manny Acta, the man who has led the team that finished fourth in the AL Central last year to a current second-place standing with a shot at the postseason, has an aggressive style of managing.

This is probably due to the fact that he has yet to lead a team to anything better than a fourth-place finish, much less a winning record.

Acta argues umpires' calls and defends his players, even when they are in the wrong. Obviously, his players in Cleveland are responding well to his managing, so his short fuse isn't hurting anything.

Colorado Rockies: Jason Giambi

As a Yankees fan, I understand firsthand how much of a hothead Jason Giambi can be. The burly slugger can get really fired up if he disagrees with an umpire's strike zone.  

Giambi is known for his plate discipline and takes pride in his ability to work the count, so an umpire interfering with one of his greatest skills doesn't usually please him.

Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera

Miguel Cabrera is easily classified as one of the best hitters in baseball.

However, he has some anger problems that exist both on and off the field.  

We've seen Cabrera argue with umpires before, but what is far more concerning are his issues outside of the ballpark, where his excessive drinking has led to domestic violence problems.

Let's all just hope Miggy gets some help and keeps his temper on the field rather than off.

Florida Marlins: Hanley Ramirez

Hanley Ramirez is the face of the Marlins, yet he has some issues on the field.

There has been some concern about his lackadaisical attitude toward the game. He doesn't always chase after loose balls, he shows up late to team meetings and practices, and, overall, doesn't set a good example for the younger players.  

Now, he doesn't quite explode with anger at umpires or opposing players, but he does tend to get heated when things bother him or don't go his way. With not many other tempers present in Florida, Hanley was the best fit for this list.

Houston Astros: Brett Myers

On a team that made most of the headlines this trade deadline for shopping almost every good player they had, Brett Myers is now one of the veterans and leaders of the youth-oriented Astros.  

Myers is a fiery pitcher on the mound, and in mid-July of this year, he was ejected from a game for arguing balls and strikes. The Astros are currently the major league's worst team, and losing all the time usually tends to frustrate players, as I'm sure it has Myers.

Kansas City Royals: Billy Butler

At the very young age of 25, Billy Butler is actually one of the elder statesmen on an extremely young Kansas City Royals team.  

That being said, he has been thrust the responsibility of leading this group of youngsters into the future.  

With a fairly inexperienced lineup at their disposal, the Royals are counting on Butler to mentor the other hitters, and that task is no doubt a hefty one for such a young guy himself.  Butler often takes out his frustration on umpires whose strike zones displease him and opposing pitchers who hit him—and who can blame him?

Los Angeles Angels: Mike Scioscia

The longtime Angels manager is well-known as one of the best managers in the game of baseball.  

Part of what makes Scioscia such a good manager is that he is not afraid to fight for his team and have his voice be heard, especially by the umpires. If he doesn't agree with a call, you can be sure he will be out on that field arguing his case. Sometimes he'll get heated and on occasion get ejected (although not nearly as much as other managers).

Los Angeles Dodgers: Vicente Padilla

Vicente Padilla, currently on the 15-day disabled list, has served as a starter, reliever and even closer for the Dodgers.  

When pitching, however, Padilla is well-known for his tendency to hit opposing batters, especially big-name hitters, leading to the question of whether or not he does this purposely.  

Needless to say, with the amount of batters he drills, there have been conflicts and sometimes bench-clearing incidents between he and some of the batters on the field—most notably between he and former teammate Mark Teixeira, who takes exception to intentional HBPs.

Milwaukee Brewers: Nyjer Morgan

Nyjer Morgan has quickly established himself as a hothead in baseball. He has already been involved in multiple on-field skirmishes, including a very unprofessional incident in Florida last season.  

Morgan was said to be traded from the Washington Nationals to the Milwaukee Brewers because of his inappropriate actions on the field. Since the trade, he has seemingly cooled off a bit, but I think sooner or later the old Morgan will show up again.

Minnesota Twins: Carl Pavano

While Carl Pavano has more commonly been known as "Mr. Injury" over the course of his career, he earned himself a new reputation on May 1 this season.  

That day, after a poor outing against the Kansas City Royals, Pavano picked up a bat after being removed from the game and started wailing on anything he could see in the dugout. The video of this incident got millions of hits, so it's fair to say Pavano is now considered as having the shortest fuse in the Twin Cities.

New York Mets: Jose Reyes

The Mets' All-Star shortstop, Jose Reyes, has put together a MVP-caliber year in 2011 with his explosive bat and dynamic speed.  

However, on a Mets team clearly entering a rebuilding stage, Reyes is relied upon not only to produce, but to carry his team, along with third baseman David Wright. When calls don't go his way, Reyes takes exception and feels the need to argue his case.  

Reyes' and Wright's at-bats are usually the most important in most of the Mets' games, so to see one wasted on a bad call for a strike three frustrates him and can easily set him off.

New York Yankees: Jorge Posada

The Yankee catcher-turned-DH has developed somewhat of a short fuse in the latter part of his career.  

More and more you can see Posada arguing with the umpires over his many called third strikes. Sometimes he has a gripe, but it's more likely he is getting frustrated at his ever-increasing incapability to find success at the plate.  

Posada's career is rapidly coming to a close, and he's having a hard time accepting that.  

Oakland Athletics: Coco Crisp

A's center fielder Coco Crisp's reputation as a hothead goes back to his days in Boston, where he developed his short fuse under the tutelage of one of the game's all-time biggest hotheads, Manny Ramirez.  

Ever since, Crisp has been arguing calls and throwing fits on the field just like Manny.

Philadelphia Phillies: Shane Victorino

Phillies' center fielder Shane Victorino was involved in one of baseball's most interesting ejections two years ago.  

In the top of the seventh inning in a game against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, Victorino was ejected from center field by home plate umpire Ed Rapuano.  

You see, Victorino tends to vent his frustration toward what he deems to be "bad calls" on pitches thrown by his pitchers by waving his arms is disgust out in center. Rapuano finally had had enough and ejected Victorino.  

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't ever recall an outfielder being ejected since I've started watching baseball.

By the way, Victorino claimed to have done it "about 1,000 times this year."  Clearly he doesn't have much patience with umpires.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Clint Hurdle

The Pirates knew they needed a change after posting an MLB-worst 57-105 record, so they fired manager Jim Russell and hired former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle.  

Hurdle is known to have a short fuse, which is actually an important part of his managing style. He has proven this season that his abilities to get in an umpire's face and fire up his players are what make him such a good manager.  

The results?  A winning record and a pennant race. Could the Pirates be the 2011 version of the 2008 Rays? Only time will tell.

San Diego Padres: Orlando Hudson

The "O-Dawg" didn't earn his place on this list for exploding at umpires as much as for blowing his cap on the issue of discrimination in baseball, which he cites as the reason for Jermaine Dye not being offered a contract the last two years.  

Someone should tell Orlando Hudson that the reason Dye wasn't signed by any MLB teams is because he demanded at least $8 million for a one-year deal, even though he is 37 and has deteriorating skills both in the field and at the plate. There are plenty of African-American players in baseball; there's no discrimination in this game.

San Francisco Giants: Brian Wilson

I think all of us have heard about Brian Wilson's dugout incident at Comerica Park.  

After blowing the save and being removed from the game, Wilson and his beard took a bat to a Gatorade cooler in the dugout, beating the life out of it.  

Naturally, TV cameramen caught all of this on film, and it has since received millions of hits on the Internet. Even though he hasn't had a history of dugout violence like this in the past, this one incident is enough to convince everyone he is the owner of the shortest fuse in baseball.

Seattle Mariners: Eric Wedge

Eric Wedge, who took over as Mariners manager this season, has always been known as a hotheaded manager in baseball.

He has already been ejected three times this season, which is understandable with the way his team has been playing. If the Mariners continue to play this way, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets ejected a couple more times by the end of the year.

St. Louis Cardinals: Tony La Russa

Cardinal's manager Tony La Russa has proven over the years that he isn't going to take it if he thinks a call is incorrect or if an opposing pitcher is throwing at his batters. He has gone on to the field to argue countless times and has been ejected a total of 78 times over the course of his managerial career.  

It doesn't take much to set off the manager in St. Louis.

Tampa Bay Rays: Joe Maddon

Joe Maddon has been the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays since the 2006 season, and he has since established himself as one of the best managers in the game. He took a Rays team that finished with the worst record in baseball in 2007 and brought them to the World Series in 2008, and they have been contenders every year since.  

Maddon has a very different managing style than most, often going against the books and numbers, and going with his gut—for the most part, it has worked.  

That is why when something doesn't go his way, he tends to not be too accepting of it. Maddon is often heard barking at umpires during games, and there is a chance of him being ejected on any given night. It doesn't take much to set the Tampa manager off, and once he gets going, he rarely stops.

Texas Rangers: Josh Hamilton

The reigning AL MVP, the Rangers' Josh Hamilton, has had more than his fair share of issues in the past, including drug and alcohol abuse that led to his delayed arrival in the major leagues. He is easily fired up and is not afraid to argue a call he disagrees with, but his inability to accept a mistake made by an umpire shows how far he has come as a person, and how he expects nothing short of perfection from himself and others.

Toronto Blue Jays: Jon Rauch

I think the picture speaks for itself here.  

On July 2, Jon Rauch got fed up with the home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez's balls-and-strikes calls and upon arguing, was tossed from the game.  

Needless to say, Rauch didn't take it too well, and had to be physically restrained by catcher J.P. Arencibia and manager John Farrell. He actually tore himself out of his jersey trying to break free to get to Marquez.  

You have to hand it to Marquez, though. If Jon Rauch came screaming in anger at me, I'd have at least put my mask back on. That guy is scary.

Washington Nationals: Jayson Werth

Jayson Werth has always had a fiery personality dating back to his days in Philadelphia. He has always had a tendency to argue balls and strikes, and easily gets angered by the umpires.  

Although not quite as short a fuse as the outfielder he replaced in D.C. (Nyjer Morgan), Werth is still quite the hothead.