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David Wright, Terry Collins Get In Heated Exchange Over At-Bat, Possible Plunking

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — David Wright was ready to take one for the team. Terry Collins was not going to let that happen.

So the Mets manager pulled his star third baseman.

"In this game there are unwritten rules and one of the unwritten rules is you hit my guy, I'm hitting your guy. They're not hitting my guy tonight," Collins said following the Mets' 8-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night. "He said, 'If somebody should be hit, I want it to be me.' I said it's not going to be you."

Wright was set to lead off the bottom of the seventh. One problem: Reliever D.J. Carrasco had just hit NL MVP Ryan Braun a pitch after Rickie Weeks homered.

Carrasco was immediately ejected by plate umpire Gary Darling.

"I didn't like it. I don't understand it," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

Collins knew what might happen next and he pinch hit for Wright. The star slugger had two of the Mets' five hits off Zack Greinke (4-1), a double and a broken-bat single in the fourth inning — a shard of wood whirling past the pitcher.

Wright and Collins had a heated discussion in the dugout over whether he would bat.

"Terry is the manager, and I've got all the respect in the world for Terry," Wright said. "Whether I agree with it or disagree with it, I respect him. I love playing for him. I've got all the respect in the world for Terry specifically. You get caught up in the moment."

Wright didn't intend to become so animated, where others could see.

"I probably should have picked a better spot for it, but in the heat of the moment I got my stuff on and Terry kind of got me at a moment where I was upset with the situation and got me at a moment that I was pretty hot," Wright said. "It wasn't directed at Terry at all."

Braun, who had a pink welt on his left triceps, understood both sides of the argument.

"I respect the fact that he wanted to stay in the game," Braun said. "I don't fault them for making that decision at all."

Wright had an interesting response when asked about Carrasco plunking Braun, and added he wasn't surprised when the pitcher was ejected.

"I'm not sure why (Braun) got hit," Wright said. "I don't know. I'm not sure if you talked to D.J. yet, but I'm not sure what the purpose was behind that."

Did Collins make the right call? Sound off below!

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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