ARLINGTON, Texas -- New York Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon was apparently so displeased with his team for not seeking retribution against the Oakland Athletics for hitting Justin Turner in the first inning Thursday, he took action.
Immediately after the series finale, which the Mets won 4-1 against the A's at Citi Field, Wilpon scolded the team for not retaliating, two clubhouse witnesses told ESPNNewYork.com.
Turner had been grazed on his jersey by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 13th inning the previous night, forcing in the winning run. It marked the second time in franchise history the Mets had won when a batter was plunked to force in a run and end a game. The other instance came when Daryl Boston was hit, also in the 13th inning, at Shea Stadium on April 23, 1992, to force in Rodney McCray and produce a 1-0 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Apparently upset that Turner had made little effort to evade the Wednesday night pitch, Oakland right-hander Graham Godfrey hit Turner in the leg in his first at-bat in Thursday's matinee. It was seen as intentional in the eyes of many in the Mets clubhouse, with Turner among those in the minority who were unsure if there was any motivation.
Still, the Mets did not seek to hit an Oakland batter in response. Most players were apparently satisfied in letting the incident pass because Turner was hit in the leg -- rather than a spot that might have made him susceptible to injury. They concluded there was a logical reason behind Oakland's likely motivation, and responding would only have brought on ugliness such as Jose Reyes becoming a target.
That did not sit well with Wilpon, according to team sources, and he chided the team in the clubhouse afterward.
Adam Rubin covers the Mets for ESPNNewYork.com.