Drop the Gloves?

Happy Tuesday Bunters!

By now I am sure you have learned that Shane Victorino has been handed down a three-game suspension after the bench clearing brawl that occurred in San Francisco late Friday. In addition to the suspension, Victorino will have to pay a fine for an undisclosed amount. Three additional players will have to pay undisclosed fines also (Polanco and the Giants’ Ramirez and Whiteside) but will face no further disciplinary action.

I don’t know about you, but I think that is some REAL bullshit. Call me crazy, but MLB’s position that Victorino exhibited “aggressive actions” while not calling out Ramirez or Whiteside also is just plain wrong.

If you watched the same game that I did, then you must undoubtedly be doing some serious SMH-ing after learning that Victorino would be the sole player facing suspension (the Phillies have already announced that the suspension will be going through the appeal process). I think it was obvious that Ramirez hit Shane on purpose. In my book, that alone should have been considered an “aggressive action”. Now I have never been beaned by an intentional pitch before but I’m pretty sure that I would have had the same reaction as Victorino. Who wouldn’t?! But what really gets my goat about the whole thing is the reaction from the Giants players as Victorino angrily walked towards the mound. I swore I saw the Giants’ Whiteside jump right into the melee by tackling Polanco. Somehow, MLB saw something different because neither Ramirez nor Whiteside are facing suspension. Victorino’s reaction while understandable was excessive especially regarding shoving the umpire. That definitely put Victorino in the MLB doghouse and is definitely suspension worthy, as he completely lost control at that point. But to not punish the initial intentional hitting of Victorino by Ramirez or the despicable action by Whiteside in addition to Victorino’s freak out is absolutely mind boggling. If any one of these guys deserves to be suspended, then every one of them should.

In hockey, a third or fourth line may be intentionally put on the ice to start a fight. NHL coaches may see a good brawl as the spark to light up their players’ lackadaisical efforts. However, baseball is not hockey.  I appreciate a good goon fight as any other rabid Flyers fan but that kind of crap doesn’t belong in baseball.  No matter what reason Ramirez had for intentionally hitting Shane, it’s WRONG.

BTW… I am really sick of this whiney crap by the Giants about Rollins stealing when the Phils were up by 6 runs. Oh Carlos Beltran… you say that wouldn’t have been something you would have done? Well, no shit Sherlock. That’s because YOU are a lazy piece of crap that needs to learn how to keep your damn mouth shut. The San Francisco Giants are the reigning WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.  They also had 12 more outs to make as JRoll pointed out.  That means that any team who plays them should protect a lead by any means possible, especially when that team is trying to beat them for the chance to play in the next World Series. That’s Baseball 101.

Questions? Comments? Email me! DiamondGirl215@philliesbunts.com

Have a great week!

-xo

DiamondGirl215