Rangers & Blue Jays brawl… Fourteen members of Rangers and Jays disciplined, including Odor (8 games), Gibbons (3 games), Chavez (3 games), and Bautista (1 game)… post 42

[Baldkin]

Jays v Rangers had a big brawl yesterday... started by - a slide at second base.

 

[Ennder]

I bet every player in the league wants to do that to Bautista, he is such a thug.

 

As for Harper, he came on the field after being ejected. That warrants a suspension regardless of what else he did.

 

Also I'm loving that the Royals are off to a bad start~. They don't have much of a minor league system either so this might be a very small window for them.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Jays v Rangers had a big brawl yesterday... started by - a slide at second base.

 

 

 

Let's be honest though. It was "started" by the Rangers hitting Bautista with a pitch in his at bat. The slide at 2nd base was retaliation for the HBP. I'm not saying the aggressive slide was right or ok, but the series of events was started by the HBP.

 

(One might say that the series of events was started by the bat flip in the playoffs last year, but this thing where grown men have to resort to violence because of hurt feelings is super old and tired)

[hawing]

Jays v Rangers had a big brawl yesterday... started by - a slide at second base.

 

It's like real-life Rock'em Sock'em Robots. Right down to the red and blue participants.

[jerichoholicninja]

Jays v Rangers had a big brawl yesterday... started by - a slide at second base.

 

 

 

Let's be honest though. It was "started" by the Rangers hitting Bautista with a pitch in his at bat. The slide at 2nd base was retaliation for the HBP. I'm not saying the aggressive slide was right or ok, but the series of events was started by the HBP.

 

(One might say that the series of events was started by the bat flip in the playoffs last year, but this thing where grown men have to resort to violence because of hurt feelings is super old and tired)

 

I know I'm very much in the minority but I enjoy watching bench clearing brawls and beanball wars. However, the Rangers need to take off their diapers and put on their big boy pants about the whole bat flip thing. It was a big moment in the playoffs for a team that hasn't had success in a long time. Get over it.

[DocLuna7]

Take that Canada!

[1992casey]

I know I'm very much in the minority but I enjoy watching bench clearing brawls and beanball wars.

 

To a point. You don't want a brawl to escalate into punches in the face or something that causes injuries. And you don't want "your" team to be the one receiving a bunch of suspensions. But shoving, wrestling, or plain old yelling can be fun.

 

I always feel that the so-called beanball wars defy logic. You want to "punish" the opponent, yet you reward him by gifting him a base. But whatever. In this game, Fielder was hit in the thigh, and he laughed.

 

Because this is going to be a continuing story and because suspensions and fines are likely to happen, I've split the discussion off into a separate topic.

[FVBrewerFan]

I don't know that I enjoy it, but it doesn't bother me either. I'm probably one of the few old guys left around here that still carries a copy around of the "unwritten rules of baseball."

[DuWayne Steurer]

Jays v Rangers had a big brawl yesterday... started by - a slide at second base.

 

 

 

Let's be honest though. It was "started" by the Rangers hitting Bautista with a pitch in his at bat. The slide at 2nd base was retaliation for the HBP. I'm not saying the aggressive slide was right or ok, but the series of events was started by the HBP.

 

(One might say that the series of events was started by the bat flip in the playoffs last year, but this thing where grown men have to resort to violence because of hurt feelings is super old and tired)

 

I know I'm very much in the minority but I enjoy watching bench clearing brawls and beanball wars. However, the Rangers need to take off their diapers and put on their big boy pants about the whole bat flip thing. It was a big moment in the playoffs for a team that hasn't had success in a long time. Get over it.

 

 

See.... I just think getting mad because someone flipped a bat is the epitome of silliness. I love bat flips. Bat flips are great. Bat flips are the best.

[dlk9s]

Bautista's playoff bat flip was the stuff of legend.

 

And while I give credit to Odor for throwing a legitimate punch, I am quite impressed that Bautista didn't go down. That punch landed square.

 

It is pretty incredible how as soon as baseball players turn pro, they turn into big babies.

[Bombers]

Take that Canada!

lol. That was quite funny. Thanks Doc.

 

I like how the very next person up after the inning ending fight is none other than Prince Fielder who promptly gets plunked by the Jays. Too bad, this is the calm melo version of Prince who just signaled for the pitcher to be tossed. Vs the old school fielder who would have rushed the mound

[reillymcshane]

I like how Odor followed up his big punch by slapping Bautista with his glove.

[StearnsFTW]

I like how Odor followed up his big punch by slapping Bautista with his glove.

 

That was far and away the best part.

 

"I'm gonna knock you into next week, and then, for good measure, I'm gonna pound you on top of the head with my glove".

 

haahaahaha

[NYChez]

That poor kid 3 rows up and 3 seats from the end slept through the whole thing.

[1992casey]

I want to see Zach Davies in a brawl.

 

Back on topic, I suspect that the consequences will be fairly heavy for Jays manager John Gibbons. He was ejected in the third inning, then he came back out onto the field in for the fun in the eighth. The Jays went through three managers yesterday. Acting manager DeMarlo Hale was automatically ejected when Fielder was hit. After that, third base coach Luis Rivera was the one to go to the mound to make the next pitching change.

[MrTPlush]

So a slide that was an every day thing a year ago now demands punches/brawl? Alrighty then...

[homer]

So a slide that was an every day thing a year ago now demands punches/brawl? Alrighty then...

 

 

Pretty sure that was leftover from the bat flip deal.

[jerichoholicninja]

So a slide that was an every day thing a year ago now demands punches/brawl? Alrighty then...

 

 

Pretty sure that was leftover from the bat flip deal.

 

Batista admitted he slid like he did because he was upset because he got hit and he got hit because of his bat flip last year. It just boggles my mind that the bat flip had made the Rangers so upset. Had Toronto drilled someone at the plate or Utley'd a middle infielder I could understand but no one was physically harmed. Grow up, get over it, move on.

[Nottso]

Nobody touched Beltre's head in all this??? Meh. Fire 'em all.

[tmwiese55]

In every other sport celebrating and some degree of taunting and talking trash is completely accepted. In baseball though, you get drilled with a projectice at 100 mph and punched in the face. Yea, makes sense. I'm with Bryce Harper, let baseball be fun.

[monty57]

In every other sport celebrating and some degree of taunting and talking trash is completely accepted. In baseball though, you get drilled with a projectice at 100 mph and punched in the face. Yea, makes sense. I'm with Bryce Harper, let baseball be fun.

 

Yes, being taunted and "trash talked" to is very fun. That's why everyone loves bullies.

 

Football eliminated most celebrations when players took them over the top (i.e. Randy Moss "mooning" the Green Bay crowd and players hiding props in the goal posts to use in their celebrations). I'm sure the concern is that players will continue to try to outdo one another and pretty soon you've got a circus. Do we really want to see players moon-walking around the bases or hiding a cell phone under 2nd base and pretending to call someone to describe the home run they just hit?

 

At some point, respecting other human beings should be considered, and if someone does something to disrespect others, then I can understand when that person/group gets upset about it. And, while some fans may like seeing players "taunt and trash talk," other fans won't want that, and it will turn them off from the game. Personally, I like watching baseball for baseball. I dislike watching someone get "taunted and trashed talked to" in pretty much any situation.

[DuWayne Steurer]

In every other sport celebrating and some degree of taunting and talking trash is completely accepted. In baseball though, you get drilled with a projectice at 100 mph and punched in the face. Yea, makes sense. I'm with Bryce Harper, let baseball be fun.

 

Yes, being taunted and "trash talked" to is very fun. That's why everyone loves bullies.

 

Football eliminated most celebrations when players took them over the top (i.e. Randy Moss "mooning" the Green Bay crowd and players hiding props in the goal posts to use in their celebrations). I'm sure the concern is that players will continue to try to outdo one another and pretty soon you've got a circus. Do we really want to see players moon-walking around the bases or hiding a cell phone under 2nd base and pretending to call someone to describe the home run they just hit?

 

At some point, respecting other human beings should be considered, and if someone does something to disrespect others, then I can understand when that person/group gets upset about it. And, while some fans may like seeing players "taunt and trash talk," other fans won't want that, and it will turn them off from the game. Personally, I like watching baseball for baseball. I dislike watching someone get "taunted and trashed talked to" in pretty much any situation.

 

That's fine. I can respect that opinion. (For the record, I love bat flips all day every day).

 

Regardless of how a person feels about taunting and the game being "fun" or whatever, the response to being "disrespected" should not be hurtling a hard projectile at 90+ mph at another human's body.

 

That the Rangers are still mad about a bat flip from (eight months ago!) Is absolutely mind bogglingly insane! Was it over the top? Yes. (It was also awesome) Is it worth being mad about EIGHT MONTHS LATER? Good God, no. Is it worth throwing a hard projectile at someone for? For god's sake, no. This is primal idiocy, pure and simple.

 

These guys are worried about "feelings" but they're not worried about serious injuries.....

[JohnBriggs12]

Wish they had high definition back in the day when Johnny Logan went after Don Drysdale or when Eddie Mathews went after Frank Robinson when Robinson spiked him sliding into 3rd. Then there was the Gantner, Piniella, Mike Ferraro brawl in 1979. That was a classic.

[tmwiese55]

In every other sport celebrating and some degree of taunting and talking trash is completely accepted. In baseball though, you get drilled with a projectice at 100 mph and punched in the face. Yea, makes sense. I'm with Bryce Harper, let baseball be fun.

 

Yes, being taunted and "trash talked" to is very fun. That's why everyone loves bullies.

 

Football eliminated most celebrations when players took them over the top (i.e. Randy Moss "mooning" the Green Bay crowd and players hiding props in the goal posts to use in their celebrations). I'm sure the concern is that players will continue to try to outdo one another and pretty soon you've got a circus. Do we really want to see players moon-walking around the bases or hiding a cell phone under 2nd base and pretending to call someone to describe the home run they just hit?

 

At some point, respecting other human beings should be considered, and if someone does something to disrespect others, then I can understand when that person/group gets upset about it. And, while some fans may like seeing players "taunt and trash talk," other fans won't want that, and it will turn them off from the game. Personally, I like watching baseball for baseball. I dislike watching someone get "taunted and trashed talked to" in pretty much any situation.

 

Do you watch the NFL? Yes they eliminated prop celebrations, that's about it. Standard first down results in a celebration. Sack the QB, run around and dance after. Huge celebration for every TD, let alone a game winner in the playoffs (equivalent of walk off playoff HR). Then thrown the standard in your face trash talking player do on every play. Umm, I don't think the NFL has a problem with popularity. Do you watch the NBA? It's all trash talking and celebrating for routine 3s or dunks throughout regular season games. The most popular player in the world (Curry) dances and celebrates 3s and even turns and talks trash to the opposing teams bench during the game. NBA is at the height of it's popularity. Which sport does have a problem with popularity, especially among youth? You guessed it, baseball.

[monty57]

There are varying degrees to "retribution":

 

Throwing at the thigh is probably like punching someone in the arm for saying something stupid. Probably acceptable in most of society, and often laughed at (or at least understood) by everyone involved.

 

Throwing at the head is like taking a bat to someone for saying something stupid. Not acceptable in most of society, and should get the person in trouble.

 

Things can go overboard in either direction, but as long as the participants have a general understanding of the boundaries, things don't generally get too out of control. When/if outside forces step in and try to redefine the boundaries to match their beliefs, there is likely to be some backlash. For over a century, baseball has "policed itself," in large part with hitting batters and charging the mound. Those things have generally kept either side from going too far. Considering how many pitches have been thrown in MLB history, charging the mound is about as common as getting struck by lightning twice. Therefore, the boundaries haven't been breached too often, and there probably isn't a big reason to force change.

 

But, if we say "that person's beliefs are more important than yours," and that they should be able to "have fun" at your expense, then right or wrong I would bet that we are going to start seeing more fights in baseball.