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Umpire baiter: Watch 6-year-old baseball 'coach' toss bats, balls after ejection

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Major league umpires like Fieldin Culbreth, beware: A 6-year-old baseball "coach" is honing his skills to argue calls during games.

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — This kid has all the moves to make it as a major league manager.

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A 6-year-old boy, serving as an honorary coach for the Kalamazoo Growlers, is getting a reputation as a fiery umpire baiter. "Coach Drake" was ejected by home plate umpire Rob Minter on Sunday after disagreeing with a call, MLB.com reported.

Coach Drake must have been studying tapes of Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Leo Durocher. The boy also channeled some vintage Lou Piniella into his act.

The incident took place during the seventh inning of the Growlers' game against the Wisconsin Woodchucks, MLive reported. Coach Drake came out to protest a call by Minter, in which a ball to the outfield was ruled an out although it appeared the fielder had trapped the ball, MLive reported.

In a video provided by the Growlers on Twitter, the boy stalked to the plate, wagged his finger at Minter and circled the umpire before kicking dirt on his adversary.

Minter kicked the boy out of the game, but Coach Drake did not go meekly back into the dugout.

The boy came out of the dugout with a pair of bats, tossing them like spears toward the umpire. Coach Drake returned to the dugout and grabbed two more bats.

Coach Drake wasn't finished. He charged back out of the dugout with a bucket of baseballs and dumped them onto the field near the foul line. The boy then stomped back to the field and threw his hat onto home plate.

The only thing Coach Drake did not do was toss the bases from their moorings, a la Piniella.

The fans howled their appreciation at Coach Drake's antics, Sports Illustrated reported.

Drake has been featured on social media before but in a less carbonated exchange. On July 5, a trip to the mound during the Growlers' game against the Kokomo Jackrabbits garnered more than 1 million views on social media, MLive reported.

As for his tiff with the umpire last weekend, Drake is waiting to see if he might be suspended.

“Drake is awaiting punishment from the league and is likely to face a multi-game ban as well as a fine garnished from his allowance,” Growlers officials said in a news release.

Cox Media Group

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