I'm in love with the Portland Pickles. There, I said it.
I've known about the West Coast League team's existence for about 10 minutes and I'm lovestruck. First, the name Pickles is a delight. Second, their mascot is Dillon the Pickle and I want to be his best friend. Third, they have a manager who can toss umpires.
As far as the last one goes, it's not exactly true. But, their manager's awe-inspiring performance sparked his team to its second walk-off win in three nights.
Minor League Coach Ejected, "Tosses" Umpire
umpire gets thrown out twice pic.twitter.com/5KpnoZ8mQn
— Portland Pickles (@picklesbaseball) July 9, 2021
RELATED: Umpire "Robs" Home Run for Player Missing Home Plate
Meet Portland Pickles manager Mark "Mags" Magdaleno. Again, awesome name and an even better nickname.
Mags isn't too happy with a balk call in the top of the eighth inning against the Cowlitz Black Bears. He voices his frustration to the infield umpire so boisterously that he gets into a little bit of a pickle himself.
The umpire tosses Mags, which only gets him more riled up. He heads directly to the umpire, points, and gives him a taste of his own medicine. His gum flies out in the act, but he's not done. Mags "tosses" the ump AGAIN. This guy is inventing new rules on the spot. You have to tip your cap to him.
Unfortunately for Mags, the guy who tosses first always wins. That's how the rules work. However, his ejection gave the Pickles a spark.
The Black Bears scored the go ahead run in the top of the ninth to take a 4-3 lead.
Two Pickles reached base to bring up third baseman Leo Mosby. Mosby ripped a single to right center to bring in the tying and winning runs. This isn't Mosby's first rodeo, either. It's his second!
Just two nights earlier, Mosby hit a walk-off three-run home run against the same Cowlitz Black Bears. Mosby only needed a little extra boost to freeze the water in his veins. Like any good manager, Mags recognized this and remembered an age-old baseball saying:
"I am rubber, you are glue. Everything you say bounces off me and sticks to you."
