My View on Greinke-Quentin MLB Brawl
When a batter charges the mound in a game between last place teams, does anyone really notice? Is it a little like a tree falling in a forest; does anyone really hear it?
Is that situation, most often it serves as fodder for ESPN coverage, and probably a snide remark or two from one of the anchors. Baseball jumps in and throws a 5-game suspension or maybe 8-game suspension to players involved and then it is over.
So, when a baseball brawl involves a team, predicted to be a World Series contender (not by me), and a $147 million free agent signee and former Cy Young Award winner who gets hurt, does that change things? To some, I believe it does. For me, situations are situations and should be treated with balance. Injury or no injury, the determination of a penalty should be made based on what happened and not according to whose name, team or player, is on the jersey.
All day, I have heard the storyline involving the actions of Carlos Quentin (.253 BA, 137 HRs) of San Diego against Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers (91-78, 3.77 era). If you didn't hear (don't know how that would be possible) but if so, Quentin, who has been hit by a pitch 116 times, was hit for the second time in three games by an LA pitcher. He says Greinke was throwing at him. Greinke denies it.
Remember, that these two players have a history. Quentin played for the White Sox and Greinke came up with the Royals. During that period a few years ago, Quentin was hit a few times by Greinke.
Back to Thursday night's game, I don't believe it was intentional by Greinke. Why would Greinke throw at Quentin in a game in a 2-1 game with a 3-2 count in the sixth inning. I don't know, just my impression.
After being hit, Quentin took a step toward the mound, appeared to stop, and then rushed the mound after some venom, if appears, was spewed from Greinke's craw.
As a result, a bench clearing brawl occurred between San Diego and LA. After all was said and done, Greinke had suffered a fractured collar bone and is lost for 6-8 weeks. Quentin, among others ,was tossed from a game won by the Dodgers, 3-2. Now Quentin, who is a plate hugger, is being criticized as some type of baseball ogre/moron for his actions. Greinke, who isn't averse to throwing out trash talk, is being treated as a victim.
Radio talk show guys like Adam Schein of Mad Dog Radio (on Sirius) have been letting us know what the punishment should be. Schein suggested 30 games for Quentin. Others, like Chris Russo of Mad Dog Radio, said 10 is what likely would be the penalty. Harold Reynolds of MLB TV suggested somewhere between 5-7 while Bryan Kenny of MLB TV said more harsh punishment was needed, kind of jumping on Schein's penalty suggestion of 30 games MLB's Kevin Millar, a former player, sided with the 5-10 game penalty.
Where do I sit? I absolutely believe that Quentin will be suspended, probably in that 7-8 game range. I think he should be hit with a five-game suspension. Greinke would generally get a three-game suspension but likely will be let off the hook because of injury. Others involved like Matt Kemp will get suspensions ranging from 1-3 games..
As I deliberate my own thoughts on it, I keep wondering is this a much ado about nothing? OK, it was something, Greinke was hurt, but I believe as much his own doing as Quentin. He did not back down and threw a shoulder into the 240-pound Quentin as the San Diego slugger rushed him. Tough-minded, OK. Smart, no way.
As I watched the play, I could see that a little bad blood was boiling between the two players.
Did Quentin overreact? Yes. But, I think he was fueled into rage after Greinke's said something. I don't know what was said but Quentin reacted. Quentin should have just taken his base but he didn't.
Baseball is full of hot heads like Quentin. And when MLB's Bryan Kenny advocates legislating out the batter leaving the box to charge the mound, he seems to be going a bit far. This doesn't happen every night. Baseball is different than other sports I think baseball is just fine.
Yes, injuries come from these hot-headed incidents. This isn't the first, nor will it be the last. As I said earlier, MLB should treat these situations one-by-one. And, MLB's Joe Torre, the former Yankees and Dodgers manager, shouldn't stand up for his former coach Don Mattingly, now the Dodgers' manager. Torre needs to recuse himself and just let Joe Gariogiola Jr., do his job in ruling about on-field actions. Treat this as has been other similar type situations.
There have been incidents in baseball for a long-time. More are coming.
Let's not chop down a trusty old tree over a splintered branch.
Is that situation, most often it serves as fodder for ESPN coverage, and probably a snide remark or two from one of the anchors. Baseball jumps in and throws a 5-game suspension or maybe 8-game suspension to players involved and then it is over.
So, when a baseball brawl involves a team, predicted to be a World Series contender (not by me), and a $147 million free agent signee and former Cy Young Award winner who gets hurt, does that change things? To some, I believe it does. For me, situations are situations and should be treated with balance. Injury or no injury, the determination of a penalty should be made based on what happened and not according to whose name, team or player, is on the jersey.
All day, I have heard the storyline involving the actions of Carlos Quentin (.253 BA, 137 HRs) of San Diego against Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers (91-78, 3.77 era). If you didn't hear (don't know how that would be possible) but if so, Quentin, who has been hit by a pitch 116 times, was hit for the second time in three games by an LA pitcher. He says Greinke was throwing at him. Greinke denies it.
Remember, that these two players have a history. Quentin played for the White Sox and Greinke came up with the Royals. During that period a few years ago, Quentin was hit a few times by Greinke.
Back to Thursday night's game, I don't believe it was intentional by Greinke. Why would Greinke throw at Quentin in a game in a 2-1 game with a 3-2 count in the sixth inning. I don't know, just my impression.
After being hit, Quentin took a step toward the mound, appeared to stop, and then rushed the mound after some venom, if appears, was spewed from Greinke's craw.
As a result, a bench clearing brawl occurred between San Diego and LA. After all was said and done, Greinke had suffered a fractured collar bone and is lost for 6-8 weeks. Quentin, among others ,was tossed from a game won by the Dodgers, 3-2. Now Quentin, who is a plate hugger, is being criticized as some type of baseball ogre/moron for his actions. Greinke, who isn't averse to throwing out trash talk, is being treated as a victim.
Radio talk show guys like Adam Schein of Mad Dog Radio (on Sirius) have been letting us know what the punishment should be. Schein suggested 30 games for Quentin. Others, like Chris Russo of Mad Dog Radio, said 10 is what likely would be the penalty. Harold Reynolds of MLB TV suggested somewhere between 5-7 while Bryan Kenny of MLB TV said more harsh punishment was needed, kind of jumping on Schein's penalty suggestion of 30 games MLB's Kevin Millar, a former player, sided with the 5-10 game penalty.
Where do I sit? I absolutely believe that Quentin will be suspended, probably in that 7-8 game range. I think he should be hit with a five-game suspension. Greinke would generally get a three-game suspension but likely will be let off the hook because of injury. Others involved like Matt Kemp will get suspensions ranging from 1-3 games..
As I deliberate my own thoughts on it, I keep wondering is this a much ado about nothing? OK, it was something, Greinke was hurt, but I believe as much his own doing as Quentin. He did not back down and threw a shoulder into the 240-pound Quentin as the San Diego slugger rushed him. Tough-minded, OK. Smart, no way.
As I watched the play, I could see that a little bad blood was boiling between the two players.
Did Quentin overreact? Yes. But, I think he was fueled into rage after Greinke's said something. I don't know what was said but Quentin reacted. Quentin should have just taken his base but he didn't.
Baseball is full of hot heads like Quentin. And when MLB's Bryan Kenny advocates legislating out the batter leaving the box to charge the mound, he seems to be going a bit far. This doesn't happen every night. Baseball is different than other sports I think baseball is just fine.
Yes, injuries come from these hot-headed incidents. This isn't the first, nor will it be the last. As I said earlier, MLB should treat these situations one-by-one. And, MLB's Joe Torre, the former Yankees and Dodgers manager, shouldn't stand up for his former coach Don Mattingly, now the Dodgers' manager. Torre needs to recuse himself and just let Joe Gariogiola Jr., do his job in ruling about on-field actions. Treat this as has been other similar type situations.
There have been incidents in baseball for a long-time. More are coming.
Let's not chop down a trusty old tree over a splintered branch.
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