The O's-Sox game yesterday proves the need for some sort of preventive discipline for these fights. Lowe whacks Gary Matthews. Lowe starts jawing at Matthews when Matthews tries to steal 2nd. Lowe starts walking towards Matthews. Matthews starts to walk towards him to defend himself. Benches clear. Lowe does not get ejected, though he started the damn thing. The Orioles get two players ejected: the Red Sox just the pitching coach Cloninger.
Baseball needs to do one of two things 1. Eliminate the DH so pitchers can get their comuppance; or,
2. Immediately suspend the first two into the fight for at least seven games.
I'm sick of all these pitchers saying it's part of the game. What they should do to teach everyone a lesson is suspend each player that comes out of the bench like basketball. That sounds crazy but hopefully it could work.
"Catching Hitler was neato!" "Next stop, Hirohito!" Bart Simpson
Originally posted by tomvejadaLowe should've been ejected.
I'm sick of all these pitchers saying it's part of the game. What they should do to teach everyone a lesson is suspend each player that comes out of the bench like basketball. That sounds crazy but hopefully it could work.
The problem with the "third man in" idea is that you have 9 fielders from one team on the field and 1 batter (and two base coaches) from the other.
Originally posted by piemanAnd plunking Matthews in the ass is the same as hitting Ramirez up around the head and shoulders? Nope.
And Willis Roberts taking cheap shots? What a bunch of crybabies.
Erickson couldn't hit the broadside of the barn yesterday. When you still have a chance in the game, you don't go headhunting for no reason. If it was intention, then yeah I can understand Lowe plunking Matthews. That's fine. Matthews was fine with it too until Lowe starts approaching Matthews and that's when all hell broke loose.
Yeah, Roberts gets assaulted by members of the Red Sox and he's the one taking cheap shots.
sportscenter had a quote from lowe saying that he did start it.
"You can't fire a gun in a confined space! What are you tring to do, make us deaf?!" "Just get out of the chopper." "What?" "Get out of the chopper!" "The crops!?" - Jack Lemmon and James Garner, "My Fellow Americans", and the reason I say "The crops?" instead of "Huh?"
Besides, I think they were either trying to plunk Manny or pitch inside. Putting him on base because first is open? Christ, there's a way to do that already, it's called the INTENTIONAL WALK. Would it kill Erickson to throw THREE MORE PITCHES? And they wouldn't even be hard! Just get it 60 feet, 6 inches, without bouncing it like Travis Harper! You hit the star of the team, guess what, we will hit your first batter next inning. We'll be gentle, yeah, but as Tampa Bay learned, do NOT piss us off. We take care of our own.
And as for Matthews, he was jawing with Lowe the whole way to first. Another fact you neglected to mention: The O's were getting nothing done offensively, and they were DOWN 7-0. A steal wouldn't accomplish anything. Pieman's right... it's accepted as part of the game. Stop whining because the players actually came to blows instead of yelling at each other.
I definately have to agree with pieman, too. Beanball wars are a part of the game, sometimes, and when they happen, you take it and keep on going. You want to fight? Sure. Just sit out for a few games. Now, what I DO want to know is how the pitching coach managed to get himself tossed. I can't recall when that's happened before.
You aren't a very bright person, but since you always mean well and you're so likeable, people don't really care.
Originally posted by TheCowI definately have to agree with pieman, too. Beanball wars are a part of the game, sometimes, and when they happen, you take it and keep on going. You want to fight? Sure. Just sit out for a few games. Now, what I DO want to know is how the pitching coach managed to get himself tossed. I can't recall when that's happened before.
He had two Orioles in a bearhug, and I think he got a few shots in. Hey, he's listed at 6'1" and a conservative 265, I think Cloninger can handle himself.
Look, I have no problem with guys hitting each other. So Erickson unintentionally pegs Ramirez. Lowe(who wasn't even paying attention at the time Ramirez got hit) nails Matthews. Matthews is pissed, but goes to first. Lowe(the admitted instigator) keeps jawing and starts the fight.
Look, if Lowe felt like he needed to hit Matthews than that's fine. It's causing the fight afterwards that was the problem.
By the way, Cloninger had Brook Fordyce in a choke hold. He deserved to get ejected because if you watch the footage, Fordyce is turning pink. There is a difference between a baseball fight and assault...
Originally posted by drjayphdPieman's right... it's accepted as part of the game.
Accepted by whom? Not by me, I can tell you that. I don't want to waste my time watching or money attending a game where the highlight is not baseball being played, but rather two teams throwing baseballs at each other and gathering in a heap threatening each other.
Mean Gene: "You know, I don't think it's a question - Goldberg, I don't think it's a question of who's next, I think it's a question of who's left?" Goldberg: "No, see, that's where you're wrong. It ain't who's left, it's - WHO'S NEXT?"
"Just how hardcore am I? Well this morning, I drank milk that was two days past the expiration!" -Norman Smiley
Originally posted by drjayphdPieman's right... it's accepted as part of the game.
Accepted by whom? Not by me, I can tell you that. I don't want to waste my time watching or money attending a game where the highlight is not baseball being played, but rather two teams throwing baseballs at each other and gathering in a heap threatening each other.
it's gotta be the roids, gotta be
"You can't fire a gun in a confined space! What are you tring to do, make us deaf?!" "Just get out of the chopper." "What?" "Get out of the chopper!" "The crops!?" - Jack Lemmon and James Garner, "My Fellow Americans", and the reason I say "The crops?" instead of "Huh?"
It's always been part of the game. Read some history of the game if you don't believe that. Look at the Top 10 Batters hit by Pitch in history and 7 are from the 1890s. Bob Gibson would always drill someone and nobody went to the mound looking for him. Well, maybe once or twice. We're all so freakin' politically correct nowadays that we can't have a nice little baseball fight?? C'mon.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
If "headhunting" remains a piece of the game, I demand that another old school "get even for what you did to me/my teammate" be brought back.....
The Drag Bunt. NOTHING says "you hit me in the head, so now YOU'RE GONNA FEEL IT" more than a great drag bunt down the first base line and running up the pitcher.
Originally posted by piemanIt's always been part of the game. Read some history of the game if you don't believe that. Look at the Top 10 Batters hit by Pitch in history and 7 are from the 1890s. Bob Gibson would always drill someone and nobody went to the mound looking for him. Well, maybe once or twice. We're all so freakin' politically correct nowadays that we can't have a nice little baseball fight?? C'mon.
I'm not denying it's prominance. I'm saying it's not entertaining and it's not "accepted" by everyone. If I wanted ugly punches that never connect, as well as the throwing of foreign objects, I'd watch...figure it out.
Mean Gene: "You know, I don't think it's a question - Goldberg, I don't think it's a question of who's next, I think it's a question of who's left?" Goldberg: "No, see, that's where you're wrong. It ain't who's left, it's - WHO'S NEXT?"
"Just how hardcore am I? Well this morning, I drank milk that was two days past the expiration!" -Norman Smiley