Gabe Kapler’s managerial career with the Phillies is not off to a great start.
In addition to making more pitching changes than he had actual pitchers in the last game of the series (seriously, he had to go to position player Pedro Florimon amidst the blowout) and getting awfully close to doing so in the other two games of the series, Kapler really screwed up a very basic part of managing: having a reliever warm-up before you bring him into a game.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Braves were beating up Philly starter Vince Velasquez and that was when Gabe Kapler decided to bring in Hoby Milner in relief. The problem? Milner had not warmed up yet and that is when the fireworks started.
For what it is worth, Snitker had every right to be pissed. After the game, crew chief Jerry Layne explained very bluntly that the Phillies were absolutely in the wrong, understood why Snitker was upset, and that he was just trying to protect Milner from injury even though by the rules he should not have been allowed a full warm-up due to the Phillies’ ineptitude and subsequent stalling. Layne also said that whoever on the Phillies side that was responsible should have to answer to Major League Baseball.
While some (including yours truly) have issues with the umpiring crew punishing the Braves for the Phillies violating the rules, it appears as though the incident did indeed get the attention of MLB and the Phillies are going to get a stern talking to.
Sources: MLB determines that umpire Jerry Layne handled Phillies' pitching change in the right way, given the circumstances; the Phillies will receive a formal warning letter from MLB.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) April 1, 2018
One can understand the umpiring crew’s position that they did not want to jeopardize Milner’s health given the situation, but then one must also wonder the purpose of the prescribed limits involving warm-ups and pitching changes if they are not going to be enforced in games.
Regardless, to say that the first series for the Phillies and its new manager was embarrassing may be a bit of an understatement.