Baseball Fight Thread

[$heriff Tom]

Mise as well start keeping a chronicle of those scuffles that break up a pastoral game of baseball. I am grumpy cause last night I was actually watching Mariners / Rangers, and at around 11:30 decided I wanted to read for a half hour before bed. So I flipped on the music channel (classic rock) and read. Before I turned in I turn the game back on, and they are talking about baseball brawls, and different ways guys act in them. So I am like, GREAT, I MISSED IT.

Richie Sexson charges the mound. I am grumpy again cause I cant access the video from work at this time. But if you go to mlb.com, you can find it. Apparently he made a Hell of a charge. Here is the account on the incident from our friends at mlb.com, reprinted without permission.

SEATTLE -- The location of the pitch, not the intention of it, sent Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson "into a rage" Thursday night, and ended up with him throwing his helmet and then pile-driving the pitcher into the ground.
"I understood the situation, but there is a right way and a wrong way to play the game," Sexson said after the Mariners' 5-0 loss to the Rangers at Safeco Field. "If you hit me below the shoulders, I am fine with that. But get up near the face, [and] I am not going to deal with that."

The Mariners were behind, 4-0, at the time, and two Rangers had reached base when hit by Felix Hernandez pitches. Texas catcher Gerald Laird was plunked with a pitch on his left elbow leading off the second inning, and second baseman Ian Kinsler, who hit a two-run home run two batters after Laird was hit, was nicked with an inside pitch with two outs in the fourth inning.

He glared at Hernandez before taking first base, although TV replays showed Kinsler never made much of an effort to avoid the fastball.

The emotions were getting hotter, and Sexson sensed it when he came to bat with two outs and the bases empty in the fourth inning. He said he expected to become a retaliatory target for Texas left-hander Kason Gabbard.

The first pitch to the 6-foot-8 Sexson was high, but over the plate. Even so, Sexson became incensed immediately. He dropped his bat, took his helmet off, charged the mound, hit Gabbard in the back with the helmet and proceeded to wrestle the pitcher to the ground.

Both benches and bullpens emptied. Former Mariners reliever Eddie Guardado, now with the Rangers, kept incensed Hernandez at bay near first base.

"I'm too old to be doing that," Guardado said. "It was probably good for both teams. It got the heart pounding and the blood flowing, and you saw some good baseball after that. But you never want to see that. We play those guys a lot, and those things are going to happen. Hopefully nobody got hurt. The next time out, I'm going out there in my police uniform with my whistle."

Before order was restored, Rangers outfielder Milton Bradley picked up Laird, carried him away from the action and ended up shoving the catcher several times in the chest before walking away.

Sexson was the only player ejected, and undoubtedly he faces a suspension for his actions.

"I know throwing a helmet is the wrong thing to do," Sexson said. "I know in the end that wasn't the right thing to do, but I lost it. You start thinking about a lot of things there. The whole time I was going to the plate, I said, 'I don't mind getting hit, but keep it down.'

"I knew the situation. Everybody in the ballpark knew what was going on there. Hit me, and I take first base, but don't throw at my head. I'm 6-foot-8. How difficult is it to hit me in the middle of the back or my thigh?

"If he hits me in the face, what are we talking about here? At the time, you are so angry you don't even know what happens for the next five minutes. It's a rage at that point. I wouldn't have been angry if he had kept the ball down."

Gabbard remained in the game, but he walked Miguel Cairo, who replaced Sexson, and surrendered an infield single to Yuniesky Betancourt before being replaced by Franklyn German. It was later announced that Gabbard departed because of bruised legs.

"If we were trying to hit him, we would have hit him," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "If you go look at the replays, Gabbard didn't even come close. Sexson was just frustrated, and things got out of control. You look at the replay -- that ball was over the middle of the plate. He overreacted."

As for throwing the helmet, Washington said, "I thought that was bull. How tall is he? Six-foot-13? Run at a little guy and throw a helmet, that's just frustration. The guy, he's a competitor; he's just frustrated."

Sexson admitted the way the Mariners have been struggling on offense, and the fact he missed Wednesday night's game to be with his child, who was taken to Children's Hospital, probably had something to do with his reaction to the pitch.

"I'm sure it all came to a head right there," he said.

[MSBNYY]

I never knew Sexson was so tall.

[Chris]

How can you read with music playing?

[$heriff Tom]

I HAVE too have music playing. In fact, I hardly ever read a book without any music. To top it, most times I am reading on the train while BLASTING MUSIC.

I do know of a negative....I dont retain what i read as much.

There are certain things I dont listen to, however, usually when I read I listen to slower music, and sometimes I even pick "mood music."

[9]

Total thread hijack, but I EDIT with music on. I find quiet to be too distracting.

Back on topic: Balls, do you not have a TV? How did you not know Sexson was huge?

[$heriff Tom]

No doubt, Cho....I was about to hit you with this...



Not only TV, has he never looked towards first when Seattle has been in town?

[$heriff Tom]

Heres the vid of the fight. "Whoa, hey now!"

Listen for former New York sports maven Dave Sims on the call.

seattle.mariners.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200805092667717

[jwmcc]

that link doesnt work

[$heriff Tom]

Here's some quips from Ranger commentator Tom Grieve, basically crapping all over Sexson and Felix Hernandez after the fisticuffal action.

As Sexson leaves the field: gIf Kason Gabbardfs gonna hit anybody, hefs gonna hit one of their good hitters, hefs not gonna hit Richie Sexsonc You got a chance to hit Ibanez, you got a chance to hit Beltre, two good hitters. You got a guy coming up there that canft hit water if he fell out of a boat, and you think hefs gonna throw at him?h

On Sexson: gIf he doesnft get suspended for a week for that gutless move, I will be completely shocked. Number one, for charging the mound on a pitch that wasnft even close, and then getting 20 feet away, and throwing the helmet at him like a girl. Not to denigrate girls, I donft think a girl would do that.h

On Felix Hernandez, who was more upset than anyone during the brawl: gYou know what hefs upset about? Hefs gotten bombed his last three times out there. The Yankees got 12 hits off him, and the Rangers have five hits and four runs against him. Hefs getting beat, thatfs what hefs upset about.h

After Miguel Cairo walked to finish Sexsonfs at-bat: gHe wouldnft have walked Sexson, he just wouldfve gotten him out.h

When Franklyn German (6Œ7h, 260) came in to replace Kason Gabbard two batters later: gIfd like to see if Franklyn German threw that pitch, what Sexson wouldfve done. He wouldnft have charged the mound if Franklyn was out there.h

After play-by-play man Josh Lewin said gYou, my friend, are gonna be a star on YouTube tomorrowh: gYeah, I probably said way too much.h

[MSBNYY]

Sexson isn't getting a week. He's not a Yankee.

[$heriff Tom]

Way to pay attention to baseball news.

He got SIX games, which was announced two days ago.

[ajfreakz]

it's been reduced to 5 games..

[$heriff Tom]

I had missed this one till I noticed note of the suspensions on the crawl during the draft just now.

LOL @ Vin Scully saying ,during the fight, "thats too bad...it had been a good game till now."

DENVER -- Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba received a three-game suspension and the Dodgers' Matt Kemp was suspended for four games for their altercation during the eighth inning of Tuesday night's 3-0 Rockies victory at Dodger Stadium.
Both players also received undisclosed fines. Unless the players appeal, Kemp's suspension will begin with the Dodgers' game Thursday night against the Cubs, and Torrealba's will begin Friday, when the Rockies return to action against the Brewers at Coors Field.

With one out and Kemp batting, a third strike eluded Torrealba and the ball rolled toward the first-base line. Kemp walked along the line and blocked Torealba's path to the ball. Torrealba moved Kemp out of the way to pick up the ball and make the necessary tag. Kemp pushed Torrealba, who pushed back before a wrestling match ensued and the benches cleared.

Here's the vid

colorado.rockies.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200806042836136

[9]

Red Sux and Rays went at it tonight. The Rays apparently took exception at Coco Crisp's slide into second last night and plunked him. Johnny Gomes was the third guy in, again, roaring in, fists flailing. I hope Joba hits him in the throat.

[ajfreakz]

johnny gomes needs an ass whoopin'

[$heriff Tom]

That was a pretty wild one. Some nice haymakers thrown (and mostly missed)

Enough on the Gomes hating. What did he do wrong here? His pitcher was charged. And how you can call him the "3rd man in" when a pile of 15 emerged at the same time is a bit absurd. But, regardless, if your pitcher is charged by all means go in swinging at the guy heading for him. Thats practically heroic.

Here's vid

mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200806052847841

[ajfreakz]

the problem i have w/ gomes is the guy is known more for being a prick and a bag of douche rather than a good ball player...

i think he needs to refine his ballplaying skills

[$heriff Tom]

the problem i have w/ gomes is the guy is known more for being a prick and a bag of douche rather than a good ball player...

Are you talking about Gomes, or Shelley Duncan? Fits for both. If you want to rip at Gomes, by all means...but I must remind you, we have one of those guys too.

[$heriff Tom]

Here's the skinny...

BOSTON -- The Red Sox and the Rays, the first- and second-place teams in the American League East, respectively, won't see each other again until June 30. That might be a good thing, as the teams seem to need a cooling-off period.

If there was already some tension between center fielder Coco Crisp and the Tampa Bay Rays lingering from Wednesday's game, it reached a boiling point in the bottom of the second inning on Thursday.

Crisp was hit on the right leg by a pitch from Rays starter James Shields, and he immediately charged the mound. Both benches and bullpens emptied, and a fracas ensued.

When Crisp neared Shields, the right-hander unleashed a hard right hook. Crisp dodged the punch and retaliated with a glancing blow of his own.

"Just charged the mound," said Crisp. "He tried to hit me with a haymaker, missed. I threw a punch, I pretty much missed. I was feigning like I was going to go to first base just to get [catcher Dioner] Navarro off me a little bit. The rest went down to the ground."

Navarro tackled Crisp, and a couple of Tampa Bay players -- including Jonny Gomes and Carl Crawford -- took shots at Crisp while he was down.

"I didn't really like the scratches on my face," Crisp said. "People were trying to scratch like we're playing football or something. After that, people were trying to pull my hair. I'm down on the ground. The fight is pretty much over, baseball time-wise. You want to come in late and throw some extra blows, get your little blows in. That's cool. I covered up. It's all good."

Red Sox third-base coach DeMarlo Hale went after Shields.

Crisp and Shields, unsurprisingly, were ejected, as was Gomes.

The incident carried over from an incident in Wednesday night's game.

In the sixth inning of that game, Crisp stole second but injured his left thumb while colliding with the knee of Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett. Crisp, unhappy with the way Bartlett had blocked the base, was thrown out trying to steal second in the eighth. In that instance he delivered a forearm to second baseman Akinori Iwamura as he was finishing his slide.

While making a pitching change, Rays manager Joe Maddon shouted at Crisp, who was standing in the dugout. Crisp shouted back.

It didn't take very long to find out that the hard feelings lingered.

"I'm all about protecting my players," said Shields. "I think what he did yesterday was an absolutely dirty move, and I think it's bush league. And I don't think it's supposed to be in professional baseball. I'm out there to protect my players, no matter what the cost is. If I've got to get out in the second inning, I've got to get out in the second inning. I felt I did it the right way, and he came after me."

Crisp actually agreed that Shields went after him in proper fashion -- at least with the pitch.

"I think Navarro, I credit him, and I actually credit Shields, too," Crisp said. "Even though we went at it, he hit me in the leg, he didn't try to hit me in the head. That's good. He didn't try to kill me. Then I went out there, then he tried to hit me in the head. It is what it is now. I would say tit for tat. I'd say I got the worst of it, because I'm running out there, and they can get to me before our guys can get there to help."

Why was Crawford so incensed that he aimed such aggression at Crisp while he was being held down by other players?

"The fact he slid into Aki hard yesterday and the fact he charged the mound, it set me off when he ran and [then] he decided to try and charge the mound," Crawford said. "That didn't sit too well with me at all."

Shields was replaced by reliever Grant Balfour, and Chris Carter -- making his Major League debut -- pinch-ran for Crisp. Jacoby Ellsbury moved from left to center, and Carter took over in left field.

The prevailing thought after the game is that the situation just might have resolved itself.

"The way it played out, the players took care of business on the field," Maddon said. "And after the incident occurred, I thought it was all over. It's one of those things baseball players do whenever you feel like one of your guys has been unfairly, wrongly attacked, basically. The natural tendency is to defend your own."

The next rebuttal is likely to come from the Major League Baseball office.

"It happens, and I'm sure it will be reviewed by tape numerous times," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "What we wanted to do was win the game, and that's what we did. I know a lot happened in between."

It remains to be seen if the situation will carry over to Tropicana Field at the end of June.

"I don't know if it's over or not, but like I said, tit for tat," Crisp said. "Right now, it's even to me, so it is what it is."

[9]

Yes, but Duncan is OUR prick and OUR bag of douche. ;D

[Chris]

Hey, all I'm sayin' is based on those top two photos, Coco has nice ring form!

[ajfreakz]

supposedly crisp is a former youth boxer...

[9]

With a name like Covelli Crisp, he'd better have grown up with the skills to flash dukes.

[Jason Giambi]

My name is SUE, HOW DO YOU DO?

[Jason Giambi]

way for shields to almost throw his arm out. that's why you have Gomes on the bench

[$heriff Tom]

Oh, and funny how even Yankee fans are "split on the issue." Checking my Myspace bulletins, and Cuban Monica designated Gomes her "Hero of the Week" for going in throwing punches at Boston uniforms.

How quickly some forget his outlandish behavior and the rancor some of you others feel. As to me, I simply think in both cases Gomes was justified.

[$heriff Tom]

Fists didnt fly, but this verbal exchange is pretty cute.

Mientkiewicz reacts to Johnson
Utility man calls Diamondbacks pitcher 'mentally weak'

PITTSBURGH -- One day after going face-to-face with D-backs starter Randy Johnson, Pirates utility man Doug Mientkiewicz wasn't in the mood to hold anything back.

The two got into a verbal spat in the Pirates' 5-3 win over Arizona on Monday after Mientkiewicz stepped out of the batter's box, and then after stepping back in, called time again as Johnson was beginning his windup. Johnson took exception to Mientkiewicz's actions and immediately began barking at the Pirates' infielder.

When Johnson stepped off the mound and started toward home plate, Mientkiewicz went toward him, going face-to-face with the 6-foot-10 Johnson. Both benches emptied onto the field; however, no punches were thrown.

After the game, Johnson played off the incident, saying: "It didn't bother me at all. If it would've, [Mientkiewicz] would probably be on a stretcher, and I'd be out of the game."

On Monday, Mientkiewicz had a chance to respond to Johnson's comments.

"I've been on a stretcher before and, technically, he's been out of the game for three years in my mind," Mientkiewicz said, alluding to Johnson's seasons with the Yankees and his injury-plagued 2007 campaign. "That just shows me how mentally weak he is. That's why he got out of [New York]."

Johnson played in New York from 2005-06 before returning to the D-backs rotation in '07.

"New York beat him down, let's put it that way," said Mientkiewicz, in no mood to apologize for his outspokenness. "He doesn't have intimidating stuff anymore, so I'm not going to stand for it."

Once play resumed following that third-inning fracas, Johnson threw two straight balls, which handed Mientkiewicz a five-pitch walk. Johnson committed a throwing error on the following play before a five-pitch, bases-loaded walk later in the inning that forced in Pittsburgh's first run of the game.

Johnson said afterward that his unraveling had nothing to do with his exchange of words with Mientkiewicz. Again, however, Mienkiewicz adamantly held a different opinion.

"It affected him completely," Mientkiewicz said. "I know how mentally weak he is. I tried to take the high road, [but] not anymore."

The Pirates and D-backs will face each other one more time this season in an Aug. 4-6 series in Arizona.

[$heriff Tom]

Arrest made after Minor League fracas
Benches, bullpens empty in ugly first-inning incident in Dayton

Peoria pitcher Julio Castillo might have turned an ugly benches-clearing brawl into a criminal offense.

The 20-year-old Dominican right-hander was arrested on a felony assault charge Thursday night after heightening an already dangerous situation by hitting a fan with a ball in the first inning of the visiting Chiefs' 6-5 loss to the Dayton Dragons.

Things got heated in a hurry at Fifth Third Field when Castillo (0-2) beaned Dayton shortstop Zachary Kozart with one on and no outs in the opening frame.

Kozart left the game, but the hostility started to build when Brandon Waring grounded a ball past Castillo toward second baseman Gian Guzman. Castillo and Guzman collided as Waring reached base safely, but Guzman suffered a broken leg and left the contest on a stretcher.

Denis Phipps followed with a two-run double and Devin Mesoraco added a two-RBI base hit to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead. Angel Cabrera, who had lifted the Dragons to a 4-3 victory with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth on Wednesday night, was plunked by Castillo.

An agitated Cabrera took first base and Keltavious Jones grounded into a force play, but the Chiefs took exception to Cabrera's hard slide into shortstop Nate Sampson.

Interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez -- filling in for Ryne Sandberg -- came out of the dugout and got into an argument with Dayton skipper, Donnie Scott, who was coaching third. Martinez and Scott appeared to make contact before Castillo inexplicably fired a ball toward the Dragons dugout. The ball ricocheted into the crowd and hit a male fan, causing both benches and bullpens to empty.

Dragons left fielder Brandon Menchaca tackled Castillo from behind as skirmishes broke out all along the third-base line. The fan was taken to an unknown area hospital and his condition was unavailable.

Castillo is expected to be arraigned Friday, but the ramifications from this game will likely be felt by both teams for the remainder of the year, including their final regular-season meeting Friday night.

"Tonight's on-field incident between the field staffs of the Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs was unfortunate and we sincerely wish that it would have not happened," Dayton general manager Gary Mayse said in a team-issued statement.

"We are confident that the footage of tonight's incident will be reviewed by Midwest League President George Spelius and appropriate actions will be taken."

There were 15 ejections issued immediately following the incident. However, umpires went back into the clubhouse and were instructed by Spelius to reinstate all the players and both managers to avoid placing pitchers in the outfield to fill out the lineups. Castillo obviously did not return, and there were no further incidents during the game.

The original ejections for Dayton were: Scott, Justin Reed, Kevyn Feiner, Phipps, Mesoraco and pitchers Henry Arias, Jeremy Horst, Jeff Jeffords and Luis Montano.

Brandon Guyer, Jovan Rosa, Mario Mercedes, Cliff Andersen, Castillo and pitchers Stephen Vento and Audy Santana were sent off for the Chiefs. Martinez, forced into action with Sandberg attending Hall of Fame ceremonies in Cooperstown, N.Y., was also tossed before being reinstated.

Waring singled home a run in the second to give Dayton (20-13) a 5-0 cushion before Peoria mounted a comeback.

Andersen, Jonathan Wyatt and Samson delivered RBI singles in the seventh and Rebel Ridling scored on a wild pitch in the eighth as the Chiefs (21-12) cut the deficit to 5-4.

Cabrera provided some much-needed insurance with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the frame before Peoria again shaved the deficit to one on Rosa's run-scoring double in the top of the ninth.

Derrick Conatser finally ended the contest by recording the final two outs for his first save.

Juan Rafael (1-1) picked up the win in relief, yielding two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

[9]

This was an ugly brawl. From what I've read -- which could easily be wrong or missing details -- the umpires didn't do anywhere near enough to calm things down. And the idiot who beaned the fan is fucked.

[$heriff Tom]

ROYALS AND WHITE SOX RUMBLE!

CBSSports.com wire reports

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Aviles went 4-for-4 with a home run, Zack Greinke pitched well into the seventh inning, and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 14-3 on Sunday in a game featuring five ejections.

There was a bench-clearing brawl in the fifth inning when Royals catcher Miguel Olivo was hit by a pitch from D.J. Carrasco and charged the mound. Olivo, Carrasco and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen were sent to the clubhouse once order was restored.

Greinke (9-7) held the White Sox to three hits and no runs the first six innings, then allowed two runs in the seventh before hitting Nick Swisher with a pitch. Greinke was ejected along with Royals manager Trey Hillman.

Greinke, who lost July 18 at Chicago when he allowed seven runs on 11 hits in three innings, struck out six without a walk in 6 1/3 innings.

Carrasco was just brought in from the bullpen in the fifth inning to replace starter Clayton Richard when he threw a pitch high and tight to Olivo. He ducked out of the way and the ball struck his bat for a foul.

On the ensuing pitch, Carrasco hit Olivo and the Royals' catcher charged the mound. Olivo pulled up as if he was ready to punch Carrasco, a former Royals pitcher, when White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski grabbed him from behind. Olivo instead hit Pierzynski in the head, and by then both dugouts and bullpens had rushed the field.

Richard, who was making his third big league start, gave up nine runs, six earned, on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings, his ERA ballooning to 10.38.

Dewayne Wise's triple in the seventh scored Brian Anderson with the first White Six run. A.J. Pierzynski added a home run in the eighth off Robinson Tejeda.