Report: Mitch Williams taking leave of absence from MLB Network

Former Phillies closer Mitch Williams will be taking a leave of absence from his duties as an analyst for the MLB Network, according to the New York Daily News.

The decision comes in the wake of a story about Williams berating an umpire at a children's baseball tournament.

The story initially was that Williams had called an umpire at a Ripken Baseball event an obscene name in front of a group of 10-year-olds. Williams - for whom this is not the first instance of rage at a children's sporting event - responded, blaming the umpire for being too aggressive and that it was all on film.

As details surfaced from eye witnesses, it became apparent that Williams' account differed from those who watched it happen.

Calling him "confrontational all game," spectators claimed Williams was arguing balls and strikes the whole time and when ejected by the second base umpire, claimed his comments had been to people in the stands. He then refused to leave the field for 10 minutes while screaming in the umpire's face.

Thanks to negative backlash from the incident, Williams' stock has (almost) never been lower. The MLB Network seemed to note the public response, not standing in Williams' way as he decided to take leave.