Yankees' Martin and Umpire Are at Odds ANAHEIM, Calif. - Yankees catcher Russell Martin had an unusual night Wednesday in the Yankees" 6-5 victory over the Angels. He was hit in the neck twice by bouncing pitches, but worse was his bizarre confrontation with the home-plate umpire Laz Diaz. Martin said that he and Diaz were bickering over pitches that Martin felt should have been called strikes, and that Diaz then punished him for it by not allowing him to throw new balls back to the pitcher. "Unbelievable," Martin said before using a profanity to describe Diaz. Martin likes to throw each ball back to the pitcher in order to keep a feel for the ball and keep his arm loose and warm, especially when there are runners on base. Often, after foul balls, umpires will throw new balls back to the pitcher, but Martin said he often asks if he can do it, and he said the other umpires always oblige. But he said Diaz refused his request. "He told me I had to earn the privilege," said Martin, who drew a walk and scored a run Wednesday. "I should have showed him the Gold Glove label on my glove." Martin said he has not had a previous run-in with Diaz. "But I know he can hold a grudge with the best of them," he said.