Joe Girardi was ejected from yesterday's 7-6 Yankees loss to the Blue Jays. Why? Arguing a couple of close calls. Routine, right? Happens all the time, right?

Not exactly. Read this from the above linked recap:

Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected by umpire Marty Foster in the first inning after Derek Jeter was caught stealing third and argued. Replays showed Jeter reached around Scott Rolen’s tag attempt and touch the base.

"I was told by the umpire that I didn’t have to be tagged to be out," Jeter said.

Wait, what? The runner doesn't have to be tagged to be out? Since when? At least crew chief John Hirschbeck has it right:

Crew chief John Hirschbeck did not make Foster available to reporters.

"It would make his actions seem appropriate if that’s what he was told," Hirschbeck said of Jeter. "It used to be if the ball beat you, you were out, but it isn’t that way anymore. It’s not a reason to call someone out. You have to make a good tag."

Well, um, yeah. Following the rules is always a good thing, especially for umpires. I can't believe an umpire actually told a player he didn't have to be tagged to be out. (And it didn't "used" to be that way, either. The ball beating the runner doesn't mean you're out. You had to be tagged. Then, and now.)