Brushbacks, Hit Batsmen, Ejections in Phils' Spring Training Game

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CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies bring extra pitchers over from the minor-league complex for bullpen depth every game in spring training. For the pitchers, it's a nice little recognition of a job well done. They often don't get in the game, but they get to put on a big-league uniform and put a day's worth of big-league meal money in their pocket.
 
Parker Frazier got even more than that on Thursday. He not only got in the game. He got ejected.

"I don't think I've ever seen that in a spring training game," Frazier said with a laugh afterward. "I'll take the first for something."

Home plate umpire Tom Hallion gave Frazier the boot for hitting Detroit's Derek Hill with a pitch in the eighth inning of a 6-2 loss. Frazier hit Hill with an off-speed pitch, so it clearly was not intentional. But Hallion had already issued warnings to both benches after Zach Eflin had hit Jose Iglesias and Detroit's Matthew Boyd came in close twice against Odubel Herrera. In addition to Frazier, Hallion also ejected Phillies reliever Pedro Beato for hitting a batter in the ninth. Manager Gabe Kapler and bench coach Rob Thomson were ejected with Frazier and Beato, respectively.

It made for a crazy scene, especially in a spring training game.

Herrera believed that Boyd intentionally threw at him as retaliation for Iglesias getting hit. Boyd at first threw over Herrera's head as Herrera tried to call timeout. He then came inside on Herrera. Herrera sidestepped the pitch and took first with a walk.

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"He can't hit me," a defiant Herrera said afterward. "I'm too quick."

Frazier definitely wasn't trying to hit Hill, not with a slider.

"It was a slider that didn't slide," he joked.

Frazier is the 29-year-old son of former big-league pitcher George Frazier. He's a career minor leaguer who has been in pro ball since 2007 and pitched in the Rockies, Reds, White Sox, A's and Diamondbacks organizations. He pitched the last three seasons in independent ball and is in Phillies camp for the first time.

Frazier's fiancee and future in-laws were in from Oklahoma for the game. They expected to see him pitch at the minor-league complex, but instead got to see him experience an eventful day in big-league camp.

After being ejected, Frazier returned to the clubhouse. A text from his fiancee awaited him.

"They wanted to know what happened," he said. "I told them accidental hit pitch."

Kapler wouldn't discuss what he said to Hallion after Frazier's ejection. He said he would respect the umpire's decision because those are the rules.

But Kapler made it clear that he didn't believe his pitchers were trying to hit anyone.

"We have a minor leaguer in the game and he's just trying to make a good impression," Kapler said. "He threw a slider that backed up and hit somebody. Beato is also trying to make a club and make a good impression. There's no reason to not throw strikes. Balls will get away. It's part of the game."

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