Renteria explains ejection: All about having vested interest

Cubs manager Rick Renteria had totally calmed down Wednesday night after being ejected from Tuesday's game against the Pirates in the ninth inning.

Renteria was tossed by home-plate umpire Jeff Nelson for complaining about ball-and-strike calls.

Part of a manager's job is to protect his players and to argue for borderline pitches. A day later, Renteria explained his actions.

"I think every manager does what he feels he needs to do at a particular time," he said. "It's a feel thing. You don't want to go out there and try to embarrass an umpire. They're doing a tough job. Sometimes I think when you're watching a ballgame you let loose, too, and sometimes you get ejected."

This is Renteria's first year as a big-league manager. He has managed in the minor leagues and coached in the majors.

He said the argument was all about each side having a vested interest.

"You have a lot of guys that are working extremely hard to do their job and have a tremendously hard vesting in the outcome," he said. "The umpires have a vesting in trying to do the best they can possibly do on a daily basis. We get emotional.

"When things go awry, you try to address them. Last night, it just so happened."

Assessing Castro's start:

Rick Renteria didn't get to see much of shortstop Starlin Castro in spring training because Castro suffered a hamstring injury early in the Cactus League season.

After a slow start at the plate in the regular season, Castro has 5 RBI in his last three games. He hit 2 homers Tuesday night for the first multihomer game of his career.

Renteria credited Castro for working with coaches Gary Jones, Bill Mueller and Mike Brumley.

"He's been working really hard with Jonesie in the field, and he's obviously been working really hard with Billy and Brum and the hitting guys to try to clean up his approach a little bit," Renteria said. "Again, Starlin is who he is. He's a guy who when he swings the bat he hits the ball hard. He's a dangerous guy.

"Defensively, he made some nice plays (Tuesday). He's been working very hard at trying to improve his game, and he's taken it very seriously. We're very happy that he's gone out, and he has a little jump in his step. He looks like he feels comfortable."