Tyler Collins Apologizes For Obscene Gesture But Is It Enough? [VIDEO]
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers center fielder Tyler Collins directed an obscene gesture at booing home fans after losing a ball in the lights Monday night.
"To be at home and to hear boos after that play hit a trigger inside of me and I lashed out completely inappropriately," Collins said after Detroit beat the Oakland Athletics 7-3. "I'm absolutely embarrassed it happened and I'm very sorry to everybody in Detroit."
Collins extended the middle finger on his left hand and waved it from right to left, and also appeared to yell an obscenity at the fans. He said he could not see the flyball hit by Oakland's Marcus Semien, and an error charged to left fielder Justin Upton allowed Semien to reach third, bringing on the boos.
If you drop a fly ball, you might want to pick it up. You might not want to flip off your fans either. #TylerCollins pic.twitter.com/Y8D8TcmtL2
— Dan Harland (@DanHarland) April 26, 2016
The #Tigers' Tyler Collins let his emotions get the best of him Monday night, then apologized for it after the game.https://t.co/NNABgm1JnA
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 26, 2016
"Clearly, it's something that can't happen," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "I spoke to Tyler immediately in the dugout, in the tunnel, after it happened and I spoke to him after the game. He regrets it."
Regarding Tyler Collins, #MLB -- not the #Tigers -- is the entity with jurisdiction over possible fines/suspensions for on-field conduct.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) April 26, 2016
As for precedent: Jonathan Papelbon was fined and suspended 7 games last year for demonstratively grabbing his crotch toward crowd.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) April 26, 2016
Semien scored after Billy Burns, the next batter, hit a single to end pitcher Jordan Zimmermann's scoreless streak at 24 1/3 innings.
Collins entered batting .100 with one RBI. He has appeared in 88 games over three seasons with the Tigers.
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