Suspensions

Many of you have probably seen the brawl(s) the other day between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.  It started, it is claimed, weeks ago with the deliberate, so claim the Tigers, beaning of some of their players.  I don't know about the intent of the pitchers back then or even a couple the other day, but throwing at players is serious business.

Being hit by pitches can put players out of action for weeks and even months, if not whole seasons.  Just look at the number of players who have lost time after being hit.  Sometimes careers can be ruined.  Remember Tony Conigliaro?  And Ray Chapman was killed by a pitch thrown by Carl Mays.

Regarding the past, some might say, "Yeah, but those players didn't wear helmets."  That's true, but how many pitchers were throwing balls at 98 mph, too?

Even if not leading to serious injury, those pitches can hurt!  I remember two instances of being hit.  Both left imprints of the stitches of the ball on me--once my chin and the other my side.  And these pitches weren't 90+ mph!

I guess it's always been part of the game, tossed in with a little macho behavior, maybe false teamwork, etc.  You hit my teammate, so I'll hit yours.  That players can be hurt, seriously hurt, well, that's the breaks, no pun intended.

The MLB response, that is, the suspensions, seems bad.  The man who dished out the penalties, Joe Torre, is a hall-of-famer due to his managing years with......the Yankees.  Why was he allowed to make the decisions?  Even if the man is honest, and I have no reason to believe he isn't, the appearances are suspect.

OK, Miguel Cabrera received a seven-game suspension, I suppose for starting the whole thing.  I don't claim to know for certain, but do batters who charge the mound, something Cabrera didn't do, get something equally severe?

Why did the Yankee catcher get so many days off?  OK, he threw a couple of punches, but he was just trying to defend himself.  If needed, suspend him for a game or two.

The Tiger manager was suspended for a game; the Yankee manager didn't receive one.  Hmmm......  I wonder why.  Isn't it, considering Torre's connection to the Yankees, a legitimate question?  And from what I saw, the Yankee manager was far more animated and vocal than the Tiger manager.

What about the Yankee, whose name I don't remember, who is clearly seen sucker punching at least two Tigers at the bottom of the pile?  They were cheap shots on players unable to defend themselves.  That guy received about half the time off as Cabrera.  They were blatant cheap shots!  Hmmm......  Can I ask another question?  Aren't the Yankees in a pennant race, with this cheap shot artist one of their key players?  Again, perhaps that has nothing to do with anything, but the perception remains.

No doubt, at least in my mind, was the next Yankee pitcher throwing at the Tiger catcher's head.  At least I hope not.  But, he did hit him in the head, with a 98 mph pitch.  These are major leaguers.  A major league pitcher has to have some control over his pitches.  He didn't mean it?  OK, but that's not necessarily relevant.  In the NHL, players are penalized for high-sticking regardless of intent; they, as NHL players, are expected to be able to control their sticks.  Hmmm.....

And, almost laughable, a Tiger pitcher who said he deliberately hit the last of the hit batsmen was suspended, too.  His "crime" seems to be telling the truth.  I wonder if he hadn't said he did it on purpose if he'd have been suspended.  Two Yankee pitchers who hit batters weren't suspended.  I'm not sure either of them were deliberately doing it, but......  But the one tendered the excuse that "it slipped."  Did you ever have a throw "slip" out of your hands/fingers?  How much juice did you have on the throw?  98 mph?

I have already commented on how bad I think many of the MLB umpires are on balls and strikes, esp if those electronic boxes on the television screens are remotely accurate.  I don't pay attention to the NBA, which the last time I watched it with any regularity it often resembled the WWF when it came to fouls and violations.  (The stars rarely fouled, but, if they missed a shot or lost the ball, were always fouled.  My contention is these guys are very good officials, so they must be getting orders to call games the way they do.  Isn't that the WWF?)  One of my buddies said on every single NFL play, a holding call could be made--and on some plays they are.  But, then, why only on some?  Of course, I rarely watch the NFL or even big-time college football either.

Hmmm......  Maybe I've stumbled on a reason why.