Andre Ethier flips photographer the bird, and it's a mini-Internet sensation

Ah, the age of the Internet. Things happen and the news travels quickly. Good news, bad news, personal news. Also pictures.

Andre Ethier is about as savvy on new media as any Dodger on the club.

Which clearly means, he should have known better than most how his "incident" would play out, not to mention just known better.

Ethier made a silly, childish mistake Monday, when irritated with a photographer during pregame batting practice, he flipped him the bird. Actually, he then slipped his bat under his left arm and gave the double salute.

Naturally, these photos eventually made their way to the Internet, which quickly made Ethier the Dodgers’ topic de jour.

Ethier met with reporters Thursday before the Giants game, and though he did eventually apologize, to say he was contrite would be stretching things.

He spent the first few minutes with reporters trying to make light of it.

"They really weren’t supposed to release this photo shoot yet," Ethier said. "It was an inspirational piece and they asked me what I thought of Dylan Hernandez at the time. It was based on the L.A. Times beat reporters.

"Steve [Dilbeck]’s photos haven’t come out yet. I was hoping T.J. [Simers] would be here. I have them on my phone, the rest of the photos. It’s kind of a theme piece. They were supposed to be intimate. I thought the photographer was going to wait for my OK to release it, but obviously they were very excited to get the images out."

This line of conversation went on for some time, too long really, and when pressed, Ethier kept trying to have it both ways.

Was he ticked at that moment: "I wasn’t [angry] at all. If you’re going to stand there and take the same picture for 15 minutes, what’s the difference between the first and the 15th minute? It just got kind of annoying. I guess I slipped up, and that temper you guys sometimes like to write about, got ahead of me and I didn’t use my head and use the best judgment in that situation. I made a mistake of it and it’s unfortunate."

Was he sorry: "I’m sorry. It’s a dumb incident. Obviously it’s an age when someone can’t wait to plug their flash drive in their computer and get their 15 minutes of fame off of something and try to make a name for themselves. Obviously this is what this person is about. You have to always watch your guard and watch who you’re dealing with out there."

Or just be a tad smarter, like Ethier the would-be team leader should have been.

This is hardly the worst thing to happen to the Dodgers this season -- it wouldn’t even make the top 10 -- but it is embarrassing. Still, even though Major League Baseball is aware of the photos, it’s hard to imagine there being some serious punishment, if any at all.

"We’ll talk to the appropriate individuals,"said MLB spokesman Pat Courtney. "We’ll see where we are after we talk to everybody."

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said he had already spoken to Ethier, and he and General Manager Ned Colletti would probably meet with him again this weekend in Chicago. Expected message: Be smarter.

"It’s something we don’t condone,"Mattingly said. "I’m not going to sit here and say it’s OK and try to make any excuses for it."

ALSO:

Frank McCourt urges judge to rule on Dodgers-Fox contract

Jamie McCourt asks judge to order sale of Dodgers

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Andre Ethier smiles during batting practice on Wednesday. Credit: Kirby Lee / U.S. Presswire

Comments

[Dodger Dog]

He flipped the bird? Oh no! Call the PC cops... who really cares about this stuff. Drive the freeways at rush hour and try not to see a bird flying around.

[16blows]

In the words of Jack Buck, "I don't believe what I just saw!"

No way... uh huh, that was obviously photoshopped. I mean really, our darling little MVP/Triple Crown favorite slappy 'e' would never ever do something so childish.

He's a 'superstar' you know. He's almost 30 now. He's matured. He's a team leader - embraced said himself in pring training - even went so far as to ask donnie baseball just how that being a leader thingy works because evidently slappy 'e' didn't know. So one rookie went to another & offered a Frampton - "I want you, show me the way - everyday". Alas, probation period violated, he'll now have to change that plea to nolo contendre.

One baseball Milton has replaced another... a suspension is in order.

[OldBrooklynFan]

What can I say?

[HI Dodger Fan]

come on steve, this is a non-story. how this team is being run, how it's built, how it's managed and the player's performances are the only stories we really need to hear about. outside activities or actions that affect the above also should be reported. but if ethier is pissed at a photographer, or reporter, or the guy in the car that just cut him off, and he flips the guy off, really, is that a story? i think not.

[Tony Fernandez]

Non-story. Don't care.

[Andre Ethier's Banker]

I would react the same way as Mr. Eithier if I found out my employer can't make payroll.

[vtadave]

The LA Times hasn't reported the rest of the story. Ethier actually saw Frank McCourt standing behind the photographers, but he didn't want to admit that he gave the finger to his (for now) boss.

[hempy]

last year i got booted from the stadium for doing the same thing. i havent been to a game since.

[AJ]

"...a silly, childish mistake" "to say he was contrite would be stretching things."

The Times makes excuses for this arrogant jerk. He got mad because a guy just doing his job snapped some photos?

Ethier must translate into ingrate. Spoiled, petulant jerk. The apples don't fall far from the McCourt tree do they.

Would Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershiser, Ron Cey or even Dusty Baker ever have done that. No. They had class. The O'Malley family would never have tolerated that.

Just sign me as, "now an Angels fan forever.

[16blows]

"According to a source, Ethier’s behavior – he dropped F-bombs at photographers while children were nearby – was totally unprovoked. "

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/05/19/mlb-investigating-andre-ethier-of-the-dodgers-for-conduct-at-batting-practice/

____________

"Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself." - Thomas J. Watson

Elementary my dear Watson...

[Tom]

Oh, that's nothing! Frank McCourt has been flipping Dodger fans (and all baseball fans) the bird since he bought the team.

[FormerLifelongDodgerFan]

This is not anything at all, except it definitely makes 16blows smell blood and foam at the mouth. I personally don't care.

[TonyOJay]

Would Jeter, Pujols, Bautista etc do that? He's not even in their league.

[phillydodger]

yes, and he's not hitting either. or leading for that matter. so he's ticked about that, but not nearly as much as the fans.

[California Sun]

I imagine Frank does the same thing when he reads these posts.

[alanw19]

hitless last 21 AB

[Kip]

Could this season get any further down the toilet? I'm sick of Ethier's fragile ego and juvenile temper. Go check out the restaurants in New York or Boston, Andre. They can have you. As far as I'm concerned the whole lot of them can go. They either have no talent or ugly personalities. Keep Kershaw and export the rest of these losers.

[West Coast Ram]

Ethier has been put in a position which he can't be successful. He doesn't have the temperament to be a team leader or it's number one player. He will have his most success when the spotlight is not so bright.

[FormerLifelongDodgerFan]

West Coast Ram, good point. He'll rip it up when he bails on the Dodgers and goes to a real team (the Red Sox).

[Chumpy Kemp]

Congratulations for spitting on the once-proud Dodgers legacy once again.

[LouA]

Big Deal......one of the best players of all time did it quite often at Fenway Park......too much political correctness these days......good grief.....Ajndre seems to be a nice guy whol had enough flashing bulbs......don't blame him

[prw]

The outcry would be far worse if M Kemp have of done this; just saying...

[16blows]

USA Today/February 21 - "Dodgers look to quiet Ethier for leadership"

- such prescient journalism...

a) 'quiet him' as in 'needs a muzzle'

- or -

b) the understated 'quiet elegance' his 'hand jive'?

Not so much a matter quietude as attitude the bane, my opine.

_________

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2011-02-21-168314620_x.htm

"Could he become the face of the franchise?"

- moreso the digitus impudicus...

_________

"It's not the playing side that will dictate the type of player I am. It's the way I handle the ups and downs and the adversity and communicate some of the responsibility" of leadership, he said.

- indeed; so far he appears to be handing the responsibility like that ape from the old American Tourister luggage commercials...

________

"You need guys like that."

- is that a subtle Freudian slip, 'guys' (plural)? slappy did volunteer himself/ had 'how do I do it, donnie?' talks with mr. baseball, so, unless the skipper's genius doesn't translate I'm putting that 'failure to communicate' onus upon the student rather than the teacher.

________

"That's something we've been lacking. The last few years, we've had personalities."

- I believe he might be referencing that guy whose presence in the lineup hid a multitude of baseball sins his (the lack of talent to hit left-handed pitchers, protection in the lineup batting after him); carrying slappy took so much out of the 'personality' that one year he had to take a 50 game vacation & during the middle of the season...

________

"We've lacked those sturdy-headed figures."

- slappy's way of saying he misses Jeff Kent... so do I and Simers.

[Jim Hartnett]

So what's the problem? He flipped a reporter the bird. So what? I'm sure they get get quite annoying at times. I see no reason for him to apologize.