Cardinals and Rockies players tilt their caps in protest after umpire confronts Dominican rookie

The Cardinals turned a rookie pitcher’s tilted cap into a teamwide statement. Most of St. Louis wore their caps at an angle during pregame warmups Saturday, and many kept them tilted in the dugout during the game. Some players even angled their batting helmets after reaching base. At least some Colorado players joined in before the game.

The gesture followed an incident involving Cardinals rookie Hancel Rincón, who made his major league debut as a reliever Friday night. The 24-year-old wore his cap with the bill pointing left. Umpire Doug Eddings ordered him to straighten it, then confronted him after a Colorado batter complained.

Rincón complied and got Hunter Goodman to fly out. But TJ Rumfield followed with a triple and scored on a wild pitch, and Cole Carrigg then hit an inside-the-park home run. Rincón gave up another single before leaving for Justin Bruihl. During Colorado’s five-run inning, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol came out of the dugout to confront Eddings and was ejected.

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I had a problem with Doug. Just Doug. He took it upon himself to tell our rookie pitcher that the kid ‘wasn’t going to wear his cap like that on my field.’ You have Dontrelle Willis, CC Sabathia, Pedro Strop, a bunch of guys who have worn it much more tilted.

Marmol said afterward that he had a problem with Eddings, not with anyone else. He criticized the umpire for telling the rookie that he “wasn’t going to wear his cap like that on my field.” Marmol cited former major league pitchers Dontrelle Willis, CC Sabathia and Pedro Strop as players who had worn their caps at more pronounced angles, and called Eddings’ conduct “a power trip by someone who, in my opinion, is power hungry.”

Eddings told reporters that he confronted Rincón after a Colorado batter complained. Goodman was the only Colorado batter Rincón had faced at the time, but Goodman told MLB.com on Saturday that he had not complained to Eddings. Eddings and Rincón spoke briefly on the field Saturday night, and Eddings appeared to apologize. St. Louis had rallied to win Friday’s game 7-6 after Panamanian hitter Ivan Herrera hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning.

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That’s just a power trip by someone who, in my opinion, is power hungry.