As reported by the AHP blog, Angels pitcher John Lackey was ejected after throwing two pitches in his season debut Saturday. His first pitch was behind the head of Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, and the second one plunked Kinsler in the rib cage.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia plans to discuss the matter with MLB, writes Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

Manager Mike Scioscia plans to contact Bob Watson, baseball's vice president of discipline, rules and on-field operations, and Mike Port, vice president of umpiring, in an effort to get some clarification on rules regarding warnings and ejections.

Last week in Anaheim, before a series between the Angels and Red Sox, umpires put the teams on alert because of the Josh Beckett-sparked benches-clearing incident between the teams the previous time they met, on April 12.

When Boston right-hander Justin Masterson threw a pitch behind the back of Torii Hunter, both benches were warned, meaning another similar pitch would result in the ejection of the pitcher and that pitcher's manager.

But there was no such "heads up" from the umpires before this weekend's Angels-Rangers series and no warning when John Lackey threw his first pitch of the game behind the head of Rangers leadoff batter Ian Kinsler.

When Lackey hit Kinsler with his next pitch, he was ejected by home-plate umpire Bob Davidson.

"We have to get this criteria uniform, because I've seen it happen against us, and a lot of leeway is given, and we didn't get that today," Scioscia said. "As wrong as we know Bob was in his evaluation, it certainly wasn't John's intent to hit Kinsler.

"They gave us a heads up against Boston, the ball goes behind a guy's back, there's a warning. Today, no heads up was given; unfortunately, John's first two pitches, he's trying to go inside and he hits Kinsler. But the intent wasn't there."

Scioscia has said his team doesn't play that way, and I believe him. The Angels have a strong reputation as a good team throughout the major leagues, and it difficult to think Scioscia would tell his pitcher to headhunt to start a game. Why would the Angels want Kinsler on base, especially in front of a power Rangers lineup?

Lackey was also making his major league debut. It doesn't make sense for him to be headhunting in this incident. He's trying to go out there and give his team a few innings, especially with the Angels bullpen pitching as badly as it has been.

Lackey's ejection was a strange one by home-plate umpire Bob Davidson. I don't think the intent to do harm was there.

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