Umpire Joe West Suing Former Catcher Paul Lo Duca For Defamation Over Story Told On Podcast

Lawsuit

Former major league catcher PAUL LO DUCA is being sued by umpire JOE WEST for defamation over comments LO DUCA made on THE ACTION NETWORK's "THE FAVORITES" podcast in APRIL, reports USA TODAY.

The suit, filed in NEW YORK on TUESDAY (10/22), alleges that LO DUCA told a story claiming that when LO DUCA was with the NEW YORK METS in 2006-07, WEST gave PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES closer BILLY WAGNER a better strike zone in exchange for WAGNER letting WEST drive his 1957 Chevy. In addition, LO DUCA claimed that he had been thrown out of games 15 times and WEST was responsible for eight or nine of the ejections. WEST's suit notes that he was only once in the 2006-07 seasons the home plate umpire for a METS-PHILLIES game and WAGNER did not pitch, and that LO DUCA was ejected eight times in his career and WEST only did so once.

LO DUCA was among the hosts of THE ACTION NETWORK's show on SIRIUSXM FANTASY SPORTS RADIO and has done horse racing analysis for the NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION and TVG. He has also been a frequent guest on podcasts at BARSTOOL SPORTS and THE RINGER.

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