Cardinals Manager Mike Shildt Calls Out MLB After Reliever Giovanny Gallegos Forced To Change Hats

Longtime MLB umpire “Country” Joe West has had an eventful week. First, he became the umpire who has officiated the most games in MLB history.

On Wednesday, West was at the center of one of the many controversies he has been a part of over his long career. During the Cardinals-White Sox game, West noticed some sort of substance on St. Louis reliever Giovanny Gallegos’ hat. West made the pitcher change caps, much to the dismay of Red Birds manager Mike Shildt.

Shildt would throw a tantrum, and end up being ejected from the ballgame.

Joe West ejected Mike Shildt
and Giovanny Gallegos was forced to change hats for something on the bill of his cap. Here we go. pic.twitter.com/ZPsL0JLh8v

— Starting 9 (@Starting9) May 26, 2021

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After the game, Shildt didn’t have much to say about Joe West’s role in the cap change. But he did absolutely tear into the MLB. Shildt seems to think the league has been targeting his pitcher for a while, and they chose where and when to make their statement.

“This is baseball’s dirty little secret, and this is the wrong time and the wrong arena to expose it,” the manager said via The Athletic. “… You want to police some sunscreen and rosin? Go ahead. Get every single person in this league. … Why don’t you start with the guys that are cheating with some stuff that’s really impacting the game?”

While Mike Shildt had a big problem with the broader aspect of the situation, Joe West said it was a pretty normal interaction up until he had to eject the Cardinals skipper.

“All I asked him was to change the hat,” West told a pool reporter after the game. “I don’t think he had any problem with it. He said it was sunscreen. When Mike got upset about it, I don’t think he really knew what we were doing. I was just trying to keep the pitcher in the game.”

West would go on to say that even if he didn’t make Gallegos take the hat off, it was likely heading to the MLB for inspection.

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