The Dugout Fight (video on Brewers.com)

[gobrewers2213]

now i think the big question is does this turn us around or end the season?

[bucks2281]

Sorry, but that type of behavior is completely unacceptable. Prince lost his temper on Thursday and now this. It reeks of immaturity. I don't care what Manny said; blindsiding somebody is dangerous, especially your pitcher who is integral to your playoff chances. Sure, flareups in the dugouts are understandable, but flareups in a public forum are open game for questioning and scrutiny -- I'm looking at you, Ned Yost. If Prince had caused Manny to tear up his knee, would Ned have the same attitude?

 

This isn't another case of "boys will be boys." Major League players are valuable commodities. Plus, Prince has let his anger get the best of him three times this week already. Prince, it's time to act more grown up.

[thablingster]

Now this has a top headline on Yahoo! too. Awesome.

 

Well, as many people have said, this can go one of three ways. It can inspire us, make us collapse, or it can have no effect at all. In any case, I just hope that we can draw some positives from it, move on, and get back to winning.

[rluzinski]

now i think the big question is does this turn us around or end the season?

 

I'll take option C: No effect.

[pretendastronaut]

This plus Prince's reapeted shouting of "horse----" at the ump before getting ejected last week doesn't make him seem a very happy man at the moment..

add that to the constant slamming and shattering of his bat...not a happy man

 

 

Sorry for the double quote, but I was going to state both of these things as well. Fielder has seemed peeved for weeks and has been letting his immaturity show all over the field for awhile. So I can't say I'm completely surprised. I think if anything we've had ample evidence of late that Prince really isn't a leader, he doesn't have it together this year at least. But Braun and JJ were right in the mix and taking charge. Overall I don't think the scuffle is a huge deal, it happens, but I think it is more of a concern that Prince's temper is bleeding all over the field. I'm embarrassed every time he stands at the plate shattering a bat on the ground and screaming obsenities.

[pebadger]

The one problem I have with the "this could help" theory is that I have yet to see this team be especially positive in anything other than the best of times. They have, on the other hand, showed a distressing propensity to be tight or otherwise negatively affected by negative situations far too often. Maybe they have, or will be able, to grow up and get past the negatives, but incidents like this tend to reinforce my feelings to the contrary.

[TooLiveBrew]

Yeah, I don't think this will be some determining factor, but the fact that Prince valued his own rage over Parra's well-being is extremely concerning to me.

[LUKE232323]

Just another example of this team faltering due to overall lack of leadership, in my opinion. Last year we had the Braves and Cardinal series blowups, led by the manager, his blowups and horrible decisions, this year it's a dugout fight. I will not be shocked at all if this team just has a horrible last 50 games.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I just watched it again...I loved the reaction of Kendall, it was like he didn't even notice. I'd throw Billy Hall in with JJ & Braun as team leaders.

[Fatter than Joey]

I'm sure there's a scuffle behind closed doors at times that we're not privy to.

 

Scuffling behind closed doors shows a little more maturity though -- "save it for the clubhouse".

[holybannana]

At least this team has emotion and cares. I'd rather this happen than a bunch if guys sitting around not caring. They want to win. They want to do well. When things aren't going well little things turn into bigger things like this.

 

This is a good thing. I'm not saying the team needs to brawl but dang it, it's nice to see they give a crap about this season.

 

And form the video it looks like Manny lipped off and hit a nerve with an already frustrated Prince, who let him know the alpha status of that locker room.

 

I honestly don't have much of a problem with it. So long as these guys are still the same good friends they've been for awhile and I'm sure they are.

 

I guess I'm old school. I don't buy into the media sensationalism and outrage when athletes under intense pressure and scrutiny pop off from time to time. This kind of thing happens to teams that care that haven't been playing to their abilities for awhile now.,

[Fatter than Joey]

I don't buy into the media sensationalism and outrage when athletes under intense pressure and scrutiny pop off from time to time.

 

It's all fun and games until someone breaks a Manny Parra.

[saget]

JJ looked pretty angry.

 

I say they have a tofu-eating contest.

[BoKnowsBall]

I loved the reaction of Kendall, it was like he didn't even notice.

I think that Kendall kinda nonchalantly just asked Manny if he was alright and then made sure that he got his equipment on in time- but I do like his laid back attitude.

 

[holybannana]

I'm sure there's a scuffle behind closed doors at times that we're not privy to.

 

Scuffling behind closed doors shows a little more maturity though -- "save it for the clubhouse".

I agree but this was more or less spontaneous, no? Emotions are high, the pressure is on and things aren't going right. This doesn't give anyone a right to be a jerk, but I'm sure he was at least partially provoked. Not justifying it, but saying that things like this happen sometimes.

 

[brewizard]

I've been saying it all along: Prince has a pretty big chip on his shoulder.

 

JJ is the team leader. Silent type. When he's hot, the team is hot. When he's not, the team is not.

[kramnoj]

Durham had no problem going in and restraining Fielder. Didn't take him long to assume a leadership role on the team.

 

I hadn't noticed the Yost non-move until pointed out. That is weird to me. Maddux and Skaalen didn't have a problem getting involved, but Yost doesn't do anything.

[bullox]

It obviously happened because Branyan was at bat; the dugout was all out of whack with the demigod out of reach.

 

Seriously though, this is not the type of emotion this team needs for a spark. When Braun called out the team to the press earlier in the year - that is a good example of a way to get a team fired up. This is not.

[SheetsCyYoung04]

I see Prince is a chicken. Waits until Branyan is not in the dugout to shove a teammate.

[steve267268]

Yeah, I don't think this will be some determining factor, but the fact that Prince valued his own rage over Parra's well-being is extremely concerning to me.

Yes, but he DID choose to push him instead of throwing a massive punch.

[bucks2281]

I'd bet good money that there are words exchanged in every major league dugout many times during a season. You don't see these types of scuffles too often, though. Most guys keep their composure and combat words with words or simply let it go. Nothing Manny said, short of something pretty extreme, warrants a violent reaction.

 

It's all fun and games until someone breaks a Manny Parra.

 

Very well said. I think the attitudes here would be vastly different if Parra was injured.

[GenoSeligPrieb]

All I know is that, Ryan Braun said, after one of the many beatdowns we suffered at the hands of the Cubs last week, that this is not fun, we're not relaxed. Last year, it was Johnny Estrada. This year's it's Prince. The whole tense atmosphere is starting to remind me of the 2005 collapse, or the 2007 collapse.

 

I predict this year's clandestine contract extension for Yost will come on...let's pick...October 4th.

[yount19.u]

Holy Crap! I guess I missed a lot by turning the game off early. I must say my first reaction was shock and that Prince overreacted. As my mother used to say, "he needs a good talkin' to." After watching the clip a few more times, I agree with others that Braun and JJ showed their true colors by stepping in right away and speaking their mind to Prince. And, I am of the opinion that this may actually be a good thing for this team. They have been so tight with everyone seeming to press as of late. Maybe a good old fashioned brouhaha is what they need to release some pent up frustration and speak their minds to one another. This season has started to remind me of last year, but in reverse. The Brewers have been chipping away at a large Cubs' lead and now a highly publicized dugout fight occurs as the team seems to be hitting rock bottom. Let's hope that rage gets refocused onto the opposing team from now on. Play Ball!

[Skillz168]

Having seen the fight live and then watching the replays a number of times, the whole fight appeared to be set off by one event. Manny and Prince were walking the length of the dugout "discussing" what ever they may have been talking about, but immediately before Prince went at Manny they seemed like they were going to end their discussion and go their seperate ways. At that point Manny swung his coat in disgust and it appeared that on his follow through, part of his coat hit Prince in the face, which then set him off. In fact prince immediately reacted after you see Manny throw his coat in disgust. This is very hard to tell from the replays that are shown on Brewers.com and ESPN.com, but during the game the view was wider and the coat to the face was more apparent in my point of view.

 

Either way this is a very unfortunate event. Whether provoked by a inadvertent swing of a coat or from something that was said, it was a blatant overreaction by Prince in this case. But if it was a coat to the face after a heated discussion, there is certainly an amount of provocation that set him off. Just something to think about before you continue to call for Prince's head.

[holybannana]

Yeah, we just need Yost to get ejected tomorrow and that seems to be the magical formula for success. Team fight followed up by manager ejection = playoffs.