Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier looked to be losing fans after he was caught flipping the middle finger at a photographer during batting practice as well as flipping off his bat. After ending a 30 game hitting streak on May 7th with a .379 average, Ethier went into a slump and watched his average drop 68 points to .311 come May 25. In what may have been an intentional message in a game against the Astros, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly used Ethier as a pinch-hitter midway through the game but told Ethier not to take the field the next inning. Mattingly decided Jay Gibbons was the better replacement. The "plan" may have worked; Ethier is 8 for 16 in his last five games since the little exchange.
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