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The sentiment that MLB umpires need to be held accountable for questionable actions has risen as of late – especially in the wake of Bob Davidson’s recent suspension and the league’s investigation into a spat between Laz Diaz and Yankees catcher Russell Martin.

On Friday, it became clear that Commissioner Bud Selig also believes that accountability carries over to the media as well, at least as it relates to their thoughts on said subject.

During Wednesday night’s broadcast, White Sox television announcer Ken Harrelson launched into an on-air tirade after umpire Mark Wegner ejected both Chicago pitcher Jose Quintana and manager Robin Ventura for Quintana’s enforcement of one of baseball’s “unwritten rules.”

Quintana (and Ventura, by association) were tossed in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s Sox-Rays game after the righty threw behind Tampa’s Ben Zobrist – an act perceived as retaliation by Wegner, even though no warnings were issued after Alex Cobb plunked Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski in the previous inning.

Following the incident, Harrelson thrilled (or maybe frightened) viewers with a rant that included the following comments:

“He threw him out of the ballgame, you've got to be (expletive) me! What are you doing Wegner? You got to be kidding me. That is so bad that is absolutely brutal. That is unbelievable.

"I'll tell you what, they have got to start making guys be accountable. That is totally absurd. Here's an umpire in the American League that knows nothing about the game of baseball. They have got to do something about this. They have got some guys in this league that have no business umpiring. They have no business umpiring because they don't know what the game of baseball is about."

That rant, and most likely the latter insinuation, led to “Hawk” getting his wings clipped a little bit by the Commish.

"I talked to Bud Selig yesterday," Harrelson told ESPN Chicago on Friday. “We had a talk. Actually, Bud talked and I listened. If it was a prize fight, they would have stopped it in the first round.”

Harrelson also said that he had spoken with White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf about the incident as well, but it doesn’t appear there will be any further discipline against the play-by-play man.

Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroYES