SARASOTA, Fla. -- The sign from Tigers catcher James McCann called for a slider down, over home plate. Fulmer delivered it on the plate, forcing McCann to block it with his arm. McCann grumbled as home-plate umpire Will Little stepped out to give him a minute to gather himself.
"The umpire comes out," Fulmer said, "and I said, 'Tell [McCann] don't complain about that ball in the dirt, because that's where he asked for it.' He pointed on the plate. I got it down there. I made the adjustment."
And with that, everything was back to normal.