Iwamura, A-Rod Have Bats Confiscated

NEW YORK (AP) _ Call it a batty bit of gamesmanship. <br/><br/>In a strange sequence Saturday, Akinori Iwamura and Alex Rodriguez had their bats confiscated by umpires during Tampa Bay's game against

Saturday, September 1st 2007, 6:53 pm

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Call it a batty bit of gamesmanship.

In a strange sequence Saturday, Akinori Iwamura and Alex Rodriguez had their bats confiscated by umpires during Tampa Bay's game against the New York Yankees.

First, Yankees manager Joe Torre asked if Iwamura's unusual model, featuring a flat end rather than a rounded one, was legal. Not to be outdone, Devil Rays skipper Joe Maddon asked the umps to examine Rodriguez's bat an inning later.

Both confiscated bats were sent to the commissioner's office for inspection.

Iwamura has been using the same model all season. It was checked by umpires and deemed acceptable during a game at Arizona in June.

``It's like if you took a saw and cut it off,'' Torre said. ``It's got a point on it.''

The ruckus started Saturday with Iwamura batting for the Devil Rays with two outs in the second inning. With runners at first and second and the count 2-2, Torre came out of the dugout for a discussion with plate umpire Kerwin Danley that lasted a couple of minutes.

``That's the only thing I asked the umpires, was to check the bat. I was just curious,'' Torre said. ``I wasn't questioning his player. I was just questioning the bat. Because I had never seen one severed like that.

``I didn't accuse anybody, I just asked the question. Are you allowed to do that?'' the manager added. ``I hate to do this. ... I'm sort of embarrassed to do that.''

Danley huddled with the other umps before they all engaged in an animated discussion with Maddon, delaying the game several more minutes. After the conversation ended, Maddon walked over and spoke to Iwamura, now waiting by the on-deck circle.

First-base umpire Doug Eddings confiscated Iwamura's red bat, which was taken into the umpires' room down the hall from New York's clubhouse.

``They challenged Aki's bat because it has an abrupt end to it, which he's been using all year and has been approved, was approved in spring training. Nike cannot make that bat if it's not approved,'' Maddon said.

Iwamura went back up to the plate with a shiny new bat _ same model _ and struck out swinging on the next pitch. The rookie from Japan was allowed to use that model for the rest of the game, which New York won 9-6.

When Rodriguez stepped to the plate in the third with a runner on second and one out, Maddon came out of the dugout for a chat with Danley. A-Rod's bat was promptly confiscated and taken to the umpires' room as well.

``Joe Maddon contends that there is something inside the bat that alters the distance of the ball. He also is entitled to a challenge by rule so we also honored his request,'' crew chief Dana DeMuth explained.

Maddon said he was just retaliating.

``There's nothing wrong with Alex Rodriguez. He's a great player. It was tit-for-tat entirely,'' Maddon said. ``I said, 'It's an illegal bat.' I said, 'I can't see inside it, but there might be something inside that bat. I don't have X-ray vision. He's got 45 home runs, it's Sept. 1.' That was my argument.''

Using another bat, Rodriguez singled to left field. He also hit his 45th homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the fourth.

``It doesn't matter which bat he uses. It's all about his physical abilities,'' Maddon said. ``He can use a broom handle and be successful.''

Rodriguez laughed the whole thing off.

``I thought it was funny,'' he said. ``I hope I get it back. I like that bat.''

Of course, the most famous bat flap in baseball history also took place at Yankee Stadium, the ``pine tar'' game on July 24, 1983.

George Brett's go-ahead homer in the ninth inning for the Kansas City Royals was disallowed by umpires because the pine tar on Brett's bat exceeded the 18-inch limit, which New York manager Billy Martin pointed out after the ball had cleared the fence.

After a discussion, the umpires called Brett out, sending the slugger into a wild rage.

Days later, American League president Lee McPhail ruled that Brett's home run should count. The rest of the game was played Aug. 18 that year, with Kansas City beating the Yankees 5-4.

Interestingly, the plate umpire who called Brett out 24 years ago was Tim McClelland. Now a respected crew chief, he was the ump who checked Iwamura's bat and deemed it OK on June 18 in Arizona.

``Even before I left Japan, I sent my bat (to see) if it's OK with Major League Baseball,'' a surprised Iwamura said Saturday through a translator. ``I think everything's fine.''