You can't discuss this without discussing Wednesday's game. Crisp, attempting to steal second, had Bartlett drop his knee in front of the bag as Crisp was sliding head first. He took offense. A couple of innings later, he attempted to slide into second again, this time feet first (but not high) and took out Iwamura pretty hard. Maddon and the Rays took offense, and there was a shouting match between Maddon and Crisp. And talk about retaliation, and comments from Crisp indicating that he was expecting to be thrown at. Which he promptly was, in his first at-bat. Which is how the whole event occurred...

Thanks, Lyford.

Coco's an idiot - he should get a 10 game suspension. He took out Iwamura last nite and Shields drilled him in the thigh. No reason at all for him to charge the mound. With Papi on the DL he's an idiot to get suspended.

Crisp should have went in feet first, in the 6th inning and "taught" Bartlett why you don't block the base on that play. If he would get spiked he probably would knock it off. Crisp had every reason to be upset, it was unfortunate for Awkimora to be the guy he retaliated against, but that's hardball. Also if someone threw a 90 MPH fastball at me, I might take the bat out to the mound and let him have it. Also the rays were prepared for what happened by the way they were on top of Coco, Gomes and Crawford should both get suspended for their roles as well as Crisp and Shields.

Then Scott it is perhaps fortunate that you do not play baseball. Using a bat as retaliation is not wise.

Coco went in with the express purpose to hurt Aki on that slide yesterday. He even threw an elbow to the groin. The slide was bs. But then he cussed out Joe Maddon from the dugout. The Rays had no choice but to hit him tonight and from that moment on what was is what was.

And Bartlett tried to give Crisp a concussion in the 6th. What's your point, that it's ok when your guys retaliate but not when the other guys do? If your rookie-ass middle infielders feel the need to play like that, what is Crisp supposed to do, keep sliding headfirst until someone manages to actually concuss him? If you or Iwamura has a problem with a (low!) hard slide, maybe talk to Bartlett and get him to knock it off 'cause he's putting both of the middle infielders at risk?

There will be multiple suspensions out of this, but the biggest should go to Gomes and Crawford, who were banging on Crisp when he was pinned to the ground under a pile of Rays. That was truly dangerous and absolutely inexcusable.

I like when the Sox fans come out to defend goonish play by one of their own, kind of like when Yankee fans do the same.

Coco's play wasn't goonish; someone tried to hurt him and he retaliated. That's pretty natural for anyone, and practically an involuntary reaction for a professional athlete. He plainly does have to be suspended because charging the mound just can't be tolerated. (And I think Bandit is right, anyway -- the fact that retaliation is so natural for pro athletes doesn't mean it isn't really stupid!)

Oh, and I can't stand the Red Sox, so I'm certainly not a fan coming out to defend them.

I might take the bat out to the mound and let him have it. That should be a 30 gamer - Coco knew he was going to get drilled - Shields didn't throw at this head - he should have walked to 1B - instead he hurt his team - now Ellsbury and Ortiz are out and he's going to get suspended. He's wanted out of Boston all year - maybe this is his chance.

Aki was on the receiving end of the spikes up slide by Shelly Duncan too.

So, now we have a triangular rivalry?

Coco went coco.

First if someone is going to slide head first why shouldn't the infielder drop a knee and block the bag? I thought that was how the game was played. Is this not the reason you slide feet first? When you go in head first you risk getting your hands banged up. Coco didn't know this?

Now for last nights HBP. Why was Coco so upset? He knew it was coming and Shields didn't go up on him. Since when do you charge the mound on a pitch that hits you in the thigh? Shields had no choice but to hit the guy. Coco got his pay back the night before and the Rays didn't go charging at him. Coco should of been happy Shields didn't put one in his ear hole. I'm sorry but coco should of stfu and just took his bag.

I have no problem with what the Ray players did to Coco. Coco wanted to fight. He got his wish. I been in a few scraps and we never exchanged rules before hand. The Rays wanted to kick his ass and he made it possible.

Was this the first time Coco gave the Sox's fans something to cheer about?

Oof. I was wrong.

I've checked out the clips and interviews, and now I just have to agree with Bandit completely. Coco is simply an idiot.

As I am not a fan of an AL East team, I think I can be a little more objective. I like what I see of TB. Years past they seemed to accept being NY/Bos/Tor doormats. We can argue about the specifics of the events of the last couple night, but we can't argue that this is a team that won't just lie down and take what comes their way. Emphasis on the word TEAM. Regarding Bartlett blocking second it is similar to the rule regarding a catcher blocking home. If you have the ball before the runner gets there it is fine if you don't then it is wrong.

The oddest dustup was Youkilis-Ramirez in the Sox dugout, after the main brawl. There's lots of speculation that Youkilis might have said something about Ramirez' less than enthusiastic participatiopn in the brawl, but nobody knows for sure.

Really, some kind of conflict between Type-A-Kevin and Let-Manny-Be-Manny may have been inevitable.

josh gets it.
coco got a boo-boo on his finger because someone blocked the base on him?? please. he should learn how to slide. and then a bush league slide into a guy who had nothing to do with the play? weak, but whatever. if he wants to set himself up to get beaned, that's ok with me. but if you get hit in the butt, you walk to first base. you don't throw a hissy fit and charge the mound. bush league, pure and simple.

It should be pointed out that this is the same Rays team that broke the wrist of a Yankee catcher in a spring training game, and their manager Madden shrugged off the roughness of the play by saying it's "hard nosed baseball". Maybe Coco retaliating was dumb, but Bartlett's play against him was stupid, too. And it was Shields who decided to drill Coco instead of pitching behind him or throwing a couple inside.

The Rays are more at fault for this one.

honest question: how was bartlett's play wrong? i really don't understand. he tried to block the base....so? isn't that part of the game? i mean, if he tries to block the base and you go in legs first then he pays the price. but is it illegal/wrong to block the base?

honest question: how was bartlett's play wrong? i really don't understand. he tried to block the base....so? isn't that part of the game? i mean, if he tries to block the base and you go in legs first then he pays the price. but is it illegal/wrong to block the base?

b - the only base you're supposed to block without the ball is home - if you try to block any other base I believe technically it's interference and secondly it's open season. You rarely see anybody get spiked anymore but if you're trying to block any other base it's spikes high.