MLB Players Gone Wild: Gloves Now On Both Hands
June 6, 2008 by Ribbie3b
Filed under Baseball News
MLB players have now put the glove on both hands and instead of a baseball game you get WWE smackdown as one player usually sends both teams ”cannon-balling” onto the field creating utter chaos. Benches have been clearing like window washers in the recent weeks of MLB play. Actions like these will be sure to sell more and more MLB Tickets.
Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, left, has been suspended for four games and fined an undisclosed amount for his part in a shoving match on Tuesday, June 3rd that resulted in the clearing of both teams’ benches. Colorado Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba, right, was suspended three games and also fined.
The most serious fight took place last night (June 5th) when Cocoa Crisp’s milk got a bit sour. Cocoa charged the 
mound, threw a punch, got punched, scratched, thrown out of the game all at the same time. Red Sox tickets have been selling like hot cakes ever since. Alright, maybe not exactly at the same time. Notice (right) how the umpire is pointing to direct Cocoa to first base, not the mound. Cocoa was beaned by a pitch and then beaned again this time with a knuckle sandwich before both benches cleared once again.
Soon after the brawl, a fight erupted in the Boston dugout. TV cameras showed Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis being separated after a quick push and exchangement of words at the end of the fourth inning. Ramirez was then escorted down the ramp into the clubhouse and those who had event tickets to see Ramirez had to do without the outfielder for the rest of the game.
Both teams may have been on edge fighting to take back first place in the AL, but many fans feel the incident was sparked by a June 4th play (below) when Boston Red Sox’ Coco Crisp (AGAIN) slid into Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura, of Japan, while being caught stealing in the eighth inning of their game at Fenway. Trying to knock down the second baseball to break up a double play is always acceptable, in this case however, notice Cocoa’s right arm wrapped around Iwamura’s leg. This is what I mean when I say WWE. This looks like a linebacker trying to drop a running-back before he gets to the goal line. Totally un-excusable!
In most cases, Major League baseball has answered by ejecting players involved with altercations only after a flare up by both teams becomes apparent, not for the individual acts like the tackle to your left. Would Cocoa 
have been ejected if Akinori Iwamura didn’t retaliate? Hell no.
If you look back on the history of the game, some of baseball’s greatest memories are circled around altercations that took place in the heat of the moment. Remember when Roger Clemens and Mike Pizza went at “it” in the 2000 World Series. Piazza of the Mets shattered his bat on a Clemens pitch, and the jagged barrel of the bat dribbled out to the front of the mound. Clemens proceeded to field the bat and throw it at Piazza. The hype and drama surrounding the infamous Subway Series made that series unforgettable. Fans who had World Series tickets will never forget this one.
Fans may argue that charging the mound and trying to kill the second baseman to break up a double play-is part of the game and I know most of you would agree. However, when players get hurt and fighting becomes excessive, the game of baseball becomes tarnished and the respect of players becomes lost from fans of all ages, coaches, and other players.
A cool brawl that errupted during a minor league game…ps..here is your video! Enjoy!
Here are a few rules (written by Brian Watterman from MVN, a Seattle Mariners Blog) players should follow when tempers flare and Cocoa gets Crispy;
1. If you’re a key pitcher, especially the staff ace, and you are not the one actually throwing the pitch, do not get involved in the fight. Felix Hernandez–stay in the dugout.
2. If you’re having a good year, especially in a contract year, stay out of it. If you must be in it, yell and maybe push and shove on the edges.
3. If you’re recovering from an injury, especially a knee injury, Milton Bradley, do not try to pick someone up and risk re-injuring yourself.
4. If you’re the pitcher, try not to throw at the biggest guy on the team. Don’t throw at Richie Sexson, throw at Willie Bloomquist. When he charges the mound, you will not get hit as hard.
5. If you have Tampa Bay Rays tickets you will always be in for a treat!
The videos of Robin Ventura and Nolan Ryan are no longer available. Best I can do….
Jason Varitek gives Alex Rodriguez a face full of catcher’s mitt, setting off a benches-clearing incident July 24, 2004. (Globe Staff Photo / Barry Chin)
MLB Players Gone Wild: Gloves Now On Both Hands…
MLB players have now put the glove on both hands and instead of a baseball game you get WWE smackdown ……
LOL, that is like totally insane! Whats up with these players lately.
JT
http://www.FireMe.to/udi
If you’re going to talk about baseball fights you have to mention the Nolan Ryan head lock beating he gave Robin Ventura.
First of all, it’s COCO, no A at the end. Second, Coco took out Iwamura due to an incident that took place earlier in the game when the Tampa Bay shortstop, Jason Bartlett, blocked the bag by kneeling in front of it when Coco was trying to steal second. Coco injured his finger due to the way Bartlett was obstructing the play. Iwamura got caught in the crossfire with this incident because he wound up covering the bag when Coco had the opportunity to steal second later in the game. Sucks to be Iwamura but Coco was retaliating for Bartlett’s bush league style of play. What really annoys me was just last year Tampa Bay constantly complained about Jason Bartlett’s bush league style of blocking second whenever the Rays played the Twinkies but now that he’s on the team it’s OK. The fact that Jon Jester threw at numerous players later in the game tells me the Red Sox felt the matter was settled when Coco took out Iwamura. The Rays have a history of trying to show up the Red Sox, letting the rest of the baseball world that they can be a tough team despite the fact that, until this year, they really sucked ass. It got to be so bad that umpires would warn both teams at the beginning of the game, BEFORE any animosity could rear its ugly head. Don’t fool yourself and fall into the Bosox hater camp without looking into the facts. I don’t like the fact that Coco took out Iwamura, but he settled the Bartlett matter properly, on the field, in the same game as the original incident.
Oh, yeah, and if you’re going to talk about Red Sox fights, how could you lead with this one? Sure it’s recent but the most memorable was Jason Varitek smashing A-Rod in the face with his glove. I laugh every time I see the photo from that game.
oops! you upset the red sox apologists! hey homer, you don’t do take out slides on STOLEN BASES! the only conceivable time to do a take out slide, and get rough with an infielder is under the guise of breaking up a double play. poor coco, hurt his little finger! man up pansy… if you don’t like the way bartlett blocks the bag then you’ll have plenty of opportunity to spike him in LEGITIMATE situations. taking out iwamura was not only completely MISSING THE POINT, but doing it on an attempted stolen base was even more bush-league than dropping a knee on a runner. also, the fact that shields had the good sense and self control to hit coco ON THE LEG, shows he’s already a thousand times more mature than coco or any red sox pitcher who would have immediately tried to take someone’s head off. get your head out of youkilis’ cornhole and stop defending crappy players that you don’t even want on your team anyways!
Hey Me Too-
So he blocked the bag in a close game? And cocopuff had to retaliate by trying to take out a different player while stealing when they were ahead like 5-0? I don’t know what bush league YOU are from but I call bullsh**. Cocopuff should have walked to first and shut his pie hole.
Attn Me too
I agree with Bobmo
If you are stupid enough to block a base with your knee, it is perfectly legal. However , with the prevalence of head-first slides it is becoming a good idea. Poor, Poor Coco, if he were to slide cleats first he wouldn’t injure his little pinkie. If anyone is bush league, its coco. So stop your pansy-waist whining and go put on your BoSox hat. BTW, the Ramirez-Youklis shoving match was probably because they argued whether or not someone of Crip’s talent should be on the team.
Sox are still bemoaning the fact that he is Damon’s replacement
Harry,
You need to review the rules on obstruction again if you believe that blocking the bag with your knee is perfectly legal. It is ONLY legal if you are in the act of fielding. As for Johnny Judas, I say good riddance. He thew like a girl. I’ll take Coco any day of the week and Ellsbury is looking to be an excellent replacement when Coco’s traded or sent packing.
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A lot needs to be done for this game as their lots of conflicts arise due to misunderstanding for the existing rules as lots has been done for the cricket
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I remember the Nolan Ryan – Ventura fight like it was yesterday. What a Red badass performance from Nolan.
I heard accounts that Ventura thought twice as he was charging because Ryan was a legend and didn’t try to fight back.
Regardless, that was classic.
I remember a fight between the Giants and Cardinals around 1989. Will Clark slid into 2nd base hard and fought Jose Oquendo and Ozzie Smith.
It was memorable and fun.