Seattle Mariners’s second baseman Chone Figgins and manager Don Wakamatsu fought in their dugout Friday during the team’s latest defeat, indicating that all’s not well in their camp. It is the second time this season that the two fought with each other publicly. The latest incident happened when Wakamatsu pulled Figgins midway through the fifth inning of the 2-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Wakamatsu and Figgins got into a heated confrontation when the latter was pulled from the game after allowing an errant relay throw from left fielder Michael Saunders to skip by him. The two were separated when teammates and coaches jumped in. The fight between the two was not immediately known, until Josh Wilson was announced as a pinch-hitter in place of Figgins. Television replays showed the altercation with Jose Lopez in the middle trying to separate the two. Earlier, in June, Figgins and Wakamatsu had their first altercation when the manager bumped the second baseman from the No. 2 spot in the order to No. 9.
The latest incident came after Wakamatsu’s management has been criticized for his team committing baserunning gaffes routinely. Though Figgins and Wakamatsu know each other for years with the Angels, there seems to be tension brewing between them for a while. Critics say the current Figgins-Wakamatsu feud will be a difficult one for the team to manage. Moreover, there is a feeling among some players that Wakamatsu forced Ken Griffey Jr. out of the Seattle, but the manager denies the charge outright.
