Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
March 12, 2008
Bay Brawl

I hope these two teams got it out of their systems:

The benches cleared after New York's Shelley Duncan slid into Rays second baseman Akinonori Iwamura with the spikes raised after singling off third baseman Evan Longoria's glove and trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Duncan was immediately tossed. Tampa Bay's Jonny Gomes was ejected, too, after racing in from right field and barreling into Duncan as other players poured onto the field. No punches appeared to have been thrown as order was restored.

Yankee third base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Kevin Long also were ejected by the umpiring crew, which met with Girardi and Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon before the game.

New York left-hander Heath Phillips was ejected during the first inning after one of his pitches appeared to graze Longoria's shirt. The Rays had already scored two runs and three hits in the inning.

If they haven't it's going to be a very eventful 18 games between the clubs this season.

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Posted by David Pinto at 03:13 PM | Baseball Jerks | TrackBack (0)
Comments

I like it. They wouldn't have done this last year under Torre. A little fire underneath the ass never hurt a team, maybe they'll play like they want a championship instead of a paycheck this year.

Posted by: Jesse R at March 12, 2008 03:28 PM

I like it too. But for a different reason that Jesse. I like that the Devil Rays are basically saying 'kiss off' to the Yankees. Who cares if the Yankees are concerned about their back-up to the back-up catcher? You block home plate, you risk being bowled over. This is why catchers are taught ways to avoid contact and make the tag by taking advantage of angles and footwork. Or, like Scioscia, you're so freaking bulky and immovable that the runner hurts himself more by initiating contact, so you block the plate. The [Don't Call Me Devil] Rays are going to be really good, pretty soon. Why not start punching back a little, or even taking the first swing?

Posted by: Jacob Knabb at March 12, 2008 03:33 PM

Why is everyone so quick to rip Torre? All I've heard ever since spring training started is, "oh that wouldn't have happen with Torre" or "Torre would never stick up for his players". How did this team win 90+ games almost every year (except 2000) with Torre if he did everything wrong?

It sucks being the only rational Yankee fan.

Posted by: Client #9 at March 12, 2008 03:47 PM

The Rays got in repeated fights with the red six in the past - and they still stunk. This will do nothing for their team's play in 2008.

As for the Yankees, it is a bit of testerone-laced actions by Girardi that will probably get a player hurt.

Teams love to replace a low key manager with a tough guy, figuring that they will shake it up and win a few more games. Usually these guys start OK, but they play a football style mentality and wear their players down over the year. Girardi's team may not be 11-20 in May, but can they play .700 ball in the summer?

Posted by: rmt at March 12, 2008 06:04 PM

Damn right this wouldn't have happened under Torre.

Torre (and his teams) has class.

Posted by: mraver at March 12, 2008 08:17 PM

I made my comments on this one earlier when Dave Pinto posted "Photographic Evidence" about Duncan coming in spikes high.

For the Rays part.....my opinion is this new brand of ball they are trying to adopt is coming from much higher than Coach Madden. Perhaps this is coming from the owner. New uniforms, announcement of a new park and a change in name (somewhat) are initial steps in trying to get the public to take them seriously. Thier attitude and spring play are attempts on thier part to get the rest of the league to take them seriously.

Posted by: Leco at March 12, 2008 08:56 PM

Client #9 (congrads on being first to snatch up that tag)

However, to call yourself a rational Yankee fan is really putting yourself out there. I will give you a chance to retract before I feast on that notion like King Louie VIII in a Boston Market. If you're 40 yrs or older I'll buy it. If you were born in the 80's I beg you now......RETRACT !

Posted by: Leco at March 12, 2008 09:07 PM

Posted this under the other post too. Read p. 266 of David Halberstam's book Summer of '49, esp. the paragraph on DiMaggio sticking up for Rizzuto.

Unfortunately, some fans have no sense of history.

Posted by: Mike S. at March 13, 2008 08:54 AM

History? History! We don't need no stinkin History! .......don't need no math or no engliss eedder.

Posted by: Zippercat at March 13, 2008 10:36 AM
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