DETROIT -- A day after he forcefully denounced any suggestion that his players were trying to injure home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott in Cleveland, Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus had still more to say.
Ausmus said he was told that some had criticized catcher John Hicks for not reacting with enough concern when Wolcott was hit by Buck Farmer's pitch in the third inning on Wednesday.
Wolcott had ejected Ausmus and starting catcher James McCann two batters earlier.
"The ball's live," Ausmus practically shouted. "He's got to get the ball. There's a guy on third.