Beaning and Baseball Etiquette

[Solon]

I remember listening to Tony Kornheiser's show after the whole Clemens and Piazza thing. Clemens was going to have to play them again and bat and they were discussing whether or not the pitcher had to throw at Clemens when he wasn't even with the Mets the year before when everything happened. Anyway, Tony's advice to Clemens was to bean the first batter with the first pitch so he'd get thrown out and not have to get plunked himself. And if he only got a warning he was to bean every batter until he got tossed. I thought it was brilliant. Too bad Clemens didn't take his advice.

When Clemens went to teh Astros, I wanted someone to bean him in his first NL at bat, in honor of every AL leadoff man.

[MarkGrace]

When Clemens went to teh Astros, I wanted someone to bean him in his first NL at bat, in honor of every AL leadoff man.

That's another reason I prefer the NL. Pitchers don't get to buzz guys without facing potential repercussions.

[Pheidippides]

I've always felt a little sorry for Ventura. If you watch the incident there is a moment right before Ryan starts pummeling him where Ventura pauses. I get the feeling he suddenly realized that fighting a 40+ year old legend is a no-win scenario. Of course Nolan just took the opportunity to give him a power noogie.

Here's the full video. I'd never seen the entire thing before.

[ame="http://vimeo.com/5119582"]Robin Ventura Charges Mound Against Nolan Ryan on Vimeo[/ame]

Looks like one of the Rangers' coaches got a nasty gash from a Sox player in the secondary brawl (was that Bo Jackson?). Also, I was not aware that Ryan didn't get tossed. Hilarious that the pinch runner got picked off at first too.

[MarkGrace]

Outside of the self-enforcement that goes on by throwing at guys, it's interesting what a brawl can mean in terms of the team. Having been in a few dust ups, there is a sort of camaraderie, or showing of support, that goes with clearing the bench when a teammate charges.

In college we had once particularly nice nice brawl (which actually stemmed from what was viewed as a cheap shot on a tag), and after the game I remember the team captains basically going up to every player and taking stock of who was and who wasn't out there when the fight broke out. There were a handful that didn't go out, and boy did they take some serious shit.

During that exchange, after most people and the pile were separated, I remember my buddy came walking out of the mess with blood gushing down his face. He had caught a spike just under his eye. Ouch.

[Surfah]

Outside of the self-enforcement that goes on by throwing at guys, it's interesting what a brawl can mean in terms of the team. Having been in a few dust ups, there is a sort of camaraderie, or showing of support, that goes with clearing the bench when a teammate charges.

In college we had once particularly nice nice brawl (which actually stemmed from what was viewed as a cheap shot on a tag), and after the game I remember the team captains basically going up to every player and taking stock of who was and who wasn't out there when the fight broke out. There were a handful that didn't go out, and boy did they take some serious shit.

During that exchange, after most people and the pile were separated, I remember my buddy came walking out of the mess with blood gushing down his face. He had caught a spike just under his eye. Ouch.

You played in college? Have you ever shared this before?

[MarkGrace]

You played in college? Have you ever shared this before?

JUCO. And yes.

Played with and against some pretty good players (lots of d&f's in the CA JUCO system) but I was not very good.

[Clark Addison]

I know that most baseball fights are pretty tame, but if I am on the Texas Rangers during the Ryan/Ventura brawl, I think I give Bo Jackson a wide berth.

I saw Ozzie Guillen in the middle of things there. Good to see he has matured and calmed down in the intervening years.

[Surfah]

JUCO. And yes.

Played with and against some pretty good players (lots of d&f's in the CA JUCO system) but I was not very good.

Sweet. I didn't know.

As a kid growing up I was a pretty decent ball player. But once I got to HS I had to choose between baseball and volleyball because they were in the same season. I wonder what would have happened had I chosen baseball. Probably the same thing that happened with my volleyball career. Nothing. But I like to think I could have been as good as Il Padrino.

[wuapinmon]

Baseball is the one sport that I've always loved, though I've fallen out of the habit of watching it since grad school, and of following it since I quit doing fantasy baseball with my brothers-in-law so I could finish my dissertation.

As far as beaning goes, I think it's silly, but I don't want it to stop. One of the worst things I've ever seen on the diamond was the whole Piazza/Clemens thing with Clemens throwing back the broken bat at Piazza, like he meant for the bat to come at him. I've read that Clemens was so worked up that he thought he was fielding a ball, but that still doesn't explain why he threw it at Piazza (or in his general direction).

I agree with Solon, I really hoped that Clemens would just get beaned a few times at first to remind him that things are different in the Senior Circuit.

[cougjunkie]

I wish it would have been Lincecum or Cain that would have drilled Fat Fielder. Not Zito and his 82 mph heater.

[Jarid in Cedar]

I wish it would have been Lincecum or Cain that would have drilled Fat Fielder. Not Zito and his 82 mph heater.

Maybe they could have brought Armando Benitez out of retirement to do it.

[Surfah]

Is Fielder still proclaiming to be a vegetarian?