Tigers' Ausmus suspended 1 game for outburst

Detroit — Tigers manager Brad Ausmus saw it coming.

And, sure enough, it came.

Prior to Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Twins, Ausmus was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his epic tantrum during Monday night's 10-8 victory at Comerica Park. About an hour before first pitch, it was announced he was to serve the suspension Tuesday night.

Hours earlier, Ausmus said he hadn't yet heard from Major League Baseball yet, but clearly he expected to in short order.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll hear something at some point," Ausmus said.

Bench coach Gene Lamont was to manage in Ausmus' absence.

Ausmus took his ninth career ejection -- second this season -- as a manager Monday night following a disputed third-strike call on Nick Castellanos in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The situation had boiled over from previous complaints of Doug Eddings' zone, and Ausmus went nose to nose with Eddings -- before thrilling the crowd by kicking dirt on home plate and ripping off his navy-blue sweatshirt and covering home plate with it.

TV mics also caught several bits of foul language during Ausmus' tirade.

"Brad lost his mind," Castellanos said. "And it was a lot of fun."

The Tigers had seen their 8-0 lead dwindle to 8-7 at the time of the ejection, and Ausmus already was on edge, snapping at reporters twice during a pregame session Monday when asked about his job security.

Asked how he was feeling Tuesday, he said, "I feel good every day."

It's just a part of the game, and he wasn't expecting any ill feelings to longer toward Eddings and the other members of the crew.

"In my mind, it's over," Ausmus said. "I can't speak for them, but I don't take it personally coming the other way.

"The vast majority of umpires put it behind them. Umpires are probably better than the players at putting it behind them."

The tirade was slightly reminiscent of a meltdown former Tiger Torii Hunter had last season for the Twins; after his ejection, he started ripping off pieces of his uniform and chucking them on the field.

The Tigers later that season had some fun at Hunter's experience, Anibal Sanchez and others mimicking the eruption during a batting-practice session before a game against the Twins.

Asked if Ausmus will catch similar heat throughout the season, Castellanos suggested he would.

Especially if the team keeps winning ballgames.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984