Florida’s series-clinching win over Georgia on Sunday was marred by the events that transpired after the final out of the eighth inning.
Closer [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] had come in with the bases loaded to get the Gators out of the jam and into the final frame. He struck out Payton Harber and celebrated by pumping his fist and shouting while looking toward the Georgia dugout.
Neely said something encouraging to himself and his team — I’m no lip reading expert but it’s fairly clear he said “come on” as the adrenaline surged — and home plate umpire Brian deBrauwere ejected him for what could only have been unsportsmanlike conduct directed at another team.
The biggest problem with this questionable ejection isn’t that it was unjustified, though. Neely is going to miss Florida’s upcoming weekend series against No. 6 South Carolina, according to the NCAA 2023 and 2024 Rulebook Section 27-E.
“Whenever a pitcher is ejected for disputing an umpire’s decision or for
unsportsmanlike conduct or language directed at an opponent or umpire
(including a post-participation ejection), the suspension will be for a total of four (4) games,” reads the rulebook.
The worst part about the bogus ejection for #Gators closer Brandon Neely is that he's going to miss the South Carolina series because of it.
Here's what the NCAA Baseball Rulebook says about pitchers being suspended for four games following any ejection: pic.twitter.com/uMRd2iB8Hm
— David Rosenberg (@DavidRosenbergg) April 17, 2023
Florida’s options behind Neely aren’t bad, but he’s their best bullpen arm and the SEC leader in saves. Not having him during a series against a top-10 club is like starting a chess game without a knight or bishop. It’s one more arm that Kevin O’Sullivan will have to dig into the bullpen for at some point over the weekend and makes the end of close games far more uncertain than usual.
DeBrauwere’s decision has the potential to lead to Florida’s first series loss of the season and isn’t something the fanbase is likely to forget any time soon. An appeal could delay the suspension, but the likelihood of it getting overturned is slim based on similar situations from the past.
There’s been no official word on Neely’s suspension, but the assumption here is that the NCAA is going to enforce its own policy.
The likely options to replace Neely are [autotag]Phillp Abner[/autotag] and/or [autotag]Ryan Slater[/autotag]. They have been the most consistent arms out of the bullpen this season and offer Sully a lefty and righty option. Platooning them over the weekend seems realistic knowing that Neely will return after the week.
It’s an unfortunate hurdle Florida has to jump, but the Gators are good enough to overcome it and clearly took exception to the ejection. If UF can provide the kind of offense it did immediately after the incident took place, it won’t matter who O’Sullivan throws.
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