Hot Tempered Scott Budner Ejected
There is never a dull moment with the Chinatrust Brothers’ pitching coach Scott Budner, as the 62-year-old former Seattle Mariners system coach was ejected by the CPBL umpire over a strike zone dispute last night.
*Disclaimer: I am neither a professional player or an umpire. I fully understand that the strike zone we see broadcast on TV can be a little different from the umpire’s perspective due to the camera angles.
Scott Budner Backing His Pitcher
It was the top of the sixth inning and the Guardians had runners on first and second with one out. The Brothers’ starting pitcher Mitch Lively threw out his 102nd pitch of the night, which hit the bottom corner. This was not a strike according to the umpire 楊崇煇 (Yang Chong-Hui).
A frustrated Lively started a verbal exchange with the umpire. Facing potential ejection, which would lead to having to activate the bullpen early, the Brothers’ pitching coach Scott Budner decided to take one for the team and back his pitcher at the same time.
As for what happened next, there no need for a description. Here is the full footage of the cultural exchange:
Budner’s Coaching Philosophy
Since Scott Budner joined the Brothers coaching team earlier this season, one thing that he has been trying to change about the Brothers’ pitching staff is their attitude.
“Be more aggressive on the mound. You cannot be nice when on the mound,” said Budner. “Don’t be afraid to throw inside and challenge the hitters.”
The veteran pitching coach’s teaching seems to be working in the second-half of the season, as the Brothers’ bullpen is currently first in the league with a team ERA of 3.12 as of today.
A Radio Interview with Scott Budner
Taiwan’s ICRT radio station did an interview with Scott Budner back in May. Budner talked more in-depth about his coaching philosophy, the league, his impression of Taiwan, and of course the strike zone.
“I love food, I love the culture, I love the people, the only thing I have a problem here is the umpires need to open up with their strike zone,” laughed Budner. “I’m sure the umpires are nice people, but they just need to loosen up with their strike zone.”
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I think he felt better for a few minutes, then maybe realized that it was overboard what he had said.
He is such a hot-head it is always entertaining to watch. I like grumpy old man as a coach. Having said that, I do like his way of teaching, he is doing the right in my opinion, might not work right away, but results will start to show after couple years.