Why the Drew Gilbert ejection is a good thing after Tennessee Vols beat Notre Dame in game 2
Tennessee Vols fans weren't happy on Friday night after star centerfielder Drew Gilbert was ejected in UT's game one loss to Notre Dame. The ejection stemmed from a bad strike call in the fifth inning. Gilbert was heated and dropped a couple of expletives that were directed toward the umpire. As a result of the […]
Tennessee Vols fans weren't happy on Friday night after star centerfielder Drew Gilbert was ejected in UT's game one loss to Notre Dame.
The ejection stemmed from a bad strike call in the fifth inning.
Gilbert was heated and dropped a couple of expletives that were directed toward the umpire.
As a result of the ejection, Gilbert was suspended for game two against Notre Dame.
The Vols beat Notre Dame 12-4 in game two on Saturday, meaning the final image of Gilbert in a Tennessee uniform won't be him getting tossed in the Super Regional. He'll be back in the lineup on Sunday.
Now that we know the Gilbert suspension didn't hurt the Vols (if anything it galvanized them), I think Tennessee fans should look at it as a positive.
While I thought the umpire was too quick to eject Gilbert, I can certainly understand why he did it. It was a bad call, but Gilbert has to show some restraint in that moment — even though MLB players often do the same thing in the same situation.
Moving forward, Gilbert, an always passionate player, has to know he can't put himself and the team in that position again. Gilbert is a player that Tennessee needs on the field if they're going to make a run in the College World Series in Omaha (if they finish the job against Notre Dame on Sunday). They can't afford to lose him again over a bad call.
It's better for the Vols that Gilbert learned that lesson in the Super Regional against Notre Dame instead of in Omaha where the games will be even more intense.
I don't think what Gilbert did should've led to a suspension in game two (that's the rule, I get it, but it's a dumb rule), but the positive is that it's a lesson learned for one of Tennessee's best players.
The Vols play with a lot of passion and that's part of why they've been so good this year. No one in Knoxville wants them to dial it down. But at the same time, the team needs to be smart as they inch closer to their goal of winning it all.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
