Dan Bellino took a good look at himself and decided he was in the wrong.
The longtime MLB umpire released an apology Friday after he stared down, and then ejected, Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner earlier in the week during a check for illegal substances. Bellino tossed Bumgarner for cursing at him after the check.
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"When I began my MLB career almost 15 years ago, I received some good advice. I was told to umpire every game as if my children were sitting in the front row. I fell short of those expectations this week. While I can’t go back and change what happened, I take full accountability. I will learn from this incident, and I sincerely apologize," Bellino wrote, as reported by ESPN's Jesse Rogers.
Bellino did not apologize to Bumgarner or the Diamondbacks.
A source told Rogers that MLB disciplined Bellino, but it apparently did not suspend him because Bellino is working a series this weekend.
Bumgarner was tossed after the first inning of Arizona's game at Florida on Wednesday. Bellino, the first-base umpire, felt the pitcher's hand for sticky substances while staring intently at Bumgarner's face. Bumgarner had just had words with home plate ump Ryan Willis while walking off the mound. He thought Willis missed a ball-strike call in the inning.
Bumgarner then said something to Bellino after the check and was ejected.
"I know why I got thrown out, yes," Bumgarner said postgame, per Bally Sports Arizona. "But you guys have seen the video. I don’t know if I can say anything that would make the situation better."
Bumgarner was asked whether he believed Bellino retaliated for the interaction with Willis. He did not give a direct answer.
"You guys have all seen it, and you can go back and see it all again, and it's pretty clear," Bumgarner said.
