BaseBrawl Part I

Baseball fans, and really fans of any sport, like a good brawl. Team vs. team, everyone squaring off on the field of play and winging punches. Baseball brawls are different from most of the other sports fights. The batter usually gets plunked by a pitch and he makes the quick decision to charge the mound. It takes less than five seconds for the better part of both teams to arrive at the mound, players from both teams come charging from the bullpens about 100 yards away, and all hell is breaking loose. It looks scary just watching it on television because the players do not know who is coming from your blind side or from behind you and cheap shots abound.

Such was the case yesterday when Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals was hit in the right hip by a 97 MPH fastball thrown by the San Francisco Giants Hunter Strickland. Harper charged the mound and it was a rare case where punches were actually landed by both Harper and Strickland before the mound pileup ensued. When all of the other players arrive is when it gets dangerous as evidenced by Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzjia slamming his shoulder into Giants outfielder Michael Morse's jaw trying to get to Harper. Morse ended up on the seven day concussion disabled list as a result.

Order was restored on the field, suspensions were handed down by the league after the game, and the combatants were saying the right things after the game. The players say the event is over, the problems are solved, but it was also an event that dates back about three years. Harper hit two homeruns off of Strickland in a game about three years ago and this was evidently a little bit of payback because of Harper's perceived unprofessional actions after those homeruns. Baseball players have long memories.

The Kid

There are certain players that I have just enjoyed watching play over the course of their career and Ken Griffey, Jr., also known as "the Kid", was one of those players. I remember when his Upper Deck rookie card came out. I had to have this card. All I got was a box full of commons but no Ken Griffey, Jr., card. My soon-to-be-wife even bought me an entire box of Upper Deck baseball cards and no Griffey, Jr. My little brother goes out and buys two packs and gets a Ken Griffey, Jr., rookie card. I was pissed. My little brother did not even collect baseball cards. 27 years after the fact, I have a confession to make. I stole that card from my brother. He always thought Mom threw it out and I never corrected him. The card still sits in its protective plastic case firmly in my possession.

I watched Griffey, Jr., evolve from a player with unlimited potential playing for the Seattle Mariners into a who realized every bit of his potential. He put the Seattle Mariners on the map. His prolific homeruns, his highlight reel defense, and who can ever forget his race to home plate against the New York Yankees that knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs that season. He played with several other teams in his career but I will always remember his Seattle Mariners years.

When the steroid scandal started rocking professional baseball towards the end of Griffey, Jr.'s, career his name was never mentioned. He was often injured in the latter part of his career and I would love to have seen what his career numbers would have been if the injuries would not have started to mount. I saw part of his Hall of Fame induction speech today and putting the hat on backwards was a classic touch to a Hall of Fame career.

The Punch- Baseball Style

With deference to "the Punch", the shot delivered by Los Angeles Lakers forward Kermit Washington to the face of Houston Rockets forward Rudy Tomjanovich during an NBA game on December 9, 1977, major league baseball had its own version of the punch during a game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. Texas Ranger shortstop Rougned Odor delivered a straight right to the cheek of Toronto Blue Jay outfielder Jose Bautista after a hard slide by Bautista trying to take out Odor who was trying to turn the double play. Bautista was on first base because he had been hit by a 98 MPH fastball thrown by Rangers pitcher Matt Bush who was appearing in his second major league game. The subplots to this confrontation are fascinating.

First of all, not many punches land during baseball fights. Odor landed a punch that any professional boxer or MMA fighter would be proud of. I believe the adage "protect yourself at all times" applies here. Bautista left himself wide open for that shot and Odor took it. This baseball feud has carried over from last season because of Jose Bautista's "bat flip" after a homerun.

This was the last time the Blue Jays and Rangers were going to face each other this season (unless they meet in the playoffs) and it was more than likely Bautista's last at bat against the Rangers. A perfect time to send a message. 30 year old flamethrower, Rangers rookie and former overall number one draft pick Matt Bush, appearing in his second major league game. A perfect way to endear yourself to your major league teammates. He plunks Bautista in the ribs. A beaning that will stay with you for a few days.

Bautista seeks to meet out his own payback with a hard slide. A confrontation was inevitable. Accusations were thrown out by both teams. Suspensions will be handed out by major league baseball. Is "the feud" over? It is, at least for this season. Baseball players have long memories.

The Battle of the Buttheads

According to an article I read on ESPN.com, Coach John Calipari of Kentucky took a shot at Coach K from Duke and because of how Coach K is selling recruits on the advantages of attending Duke and playing for Coach K. One of the top 2017 recruits, Hamidou Diallo, was interviewed by the Louisville Courier-Journal and was asked about the recruiting differences between Kentucky and Duke. He replied that Kentucky was all about preparing you for the NBA whereas Duke offered to set the recruit up for life. Diallo did not say how he was supposed to be set for life but my guess is that involved actually going to a class or two and possibly getting a degree.

First of all, I do not think any high school recruit should be interviewed by anyone in the news media because now Diallo is at the center of a media firestorm that he inadvertently created. I do, however, have to agree with Coach K on this one as he at least alluded to the fact that he will be in college and may accidentally get an education. At Kentucky, the top ranked recruits usually don't have to worry about that as they will barely be there long enough to learn where their classes are and who wants to go to class when you are just there to as a prep for the next level.

The College Basketball Gods

The college basketball gods smiled on me yesterday when Indiana beat Kentucky. The North Carolina Tarheels and the Kentucky Wildcats were headed for a showdown that the college basketball world had already penciled in and maybe Kentucky was caught looking ahead to that game. That was going to be a classic "good vs. evil" matchup and the Kentucky faithful were already looking forward to that game. Coach John Calipari of Kentucky had been very vocal about how he thought Kentucky deserved a higher seed than a #4. North Carolina held up their end of the bracket by beating Florida Gulf Coast and a good Providence team.

I have never been a fan of Calipari's. He is a good coach and has won everywhere he has been but he always operates in the gray area of the rules in recruiting. Massachusetts and Memphis got busted for recruiting violations as soon as he left those schools. Kentucky's freshman class is probably already filling out the paperwork so they can turn pro. That is the state of college basketball today. Kentucky is just at the head of the class as they regularly have up to six of their freshman turn pro after their freshman year. Kentucky has become the face of the "one and done" college player.

Cam Newton Speaks

Cam Newton finally gave an explanation as to why he did not dive for that fumble in the fourth quarter with his team only down by six points with a little over four minutes to go in the Super Bowl. He said his "leg was contorted in such a way" but he never really finished that thought. The replay only shows his leg being contorted when he was headed the opposite way of the fumble.

Newton always gave the reasoning of when a quarterback throws an interception but that is a completely different scenario. When a quarterback throws an interception, defensive lineman see that as an opportunity to legally "block" the quarterback and that usually means laying a cheap shot on the quarterback and drilling him through the ground. The only time Newton made an effort to get the football was when it deflected back by him and he really only gave a half ass effort then.

Just like the Seattle Seahawks and their fans have had to relive the New England Patriots interception at the goal line from last season, Carolina Panthers fans will be reliving this fumble and non-recovery for quite a while. Cam Newton did not see the fumble as a pivotal play in the game. Newton also penned an open letter to Panthers fans promising to continue to "win his way." I wonder if that way is over the top showboating when he wins, taking his football and going home when he loses, and making excuses when the situation demands it.

Kobe Bryant's Farewell Tour

Kobe Bryant's farewell tour around the NBA is starting to wind down and I will be one of the few people on the planet that believes the end cannot get here fast enough. Kobe Bryant came into the NBA out of high school in Philadelphia and was drafted in the first round, 13th overall, by the Charlotte Hornets. He refused to play for the Hornets and demanded to be traded to one of three NBA teams. A trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was worked out and a star was born. There is no denying Kobe's talent and his place in NBA history.

When he announced that this would be his final NBA season an amazing transformation occurred. Bryant suddenly has the congeniality of a game show host, granting interviews and clowning around in front of the cameras. His last appearance in Charlotte really caught my attention. These were the same fans he refused to play in front of to start his career but the same fans that he did not want to miss seeing him play his last time in Charlotte. In a tribute fitting for his final season, Michael Jordan recorded a message that was played for Kobe. Kobe went out and shot 5 for 20 from the field, including 3 for 12 from the three-point line.

The Los Angeles Lakers have sacrificed this season in order for Kobe Bryant to say his good bye's and to receive all of the accolades. He has played his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers and that is a rarity these days in any sport. The Lakers are not a good team this season and Bryant is shooting a career low .355% from the field. He has already played more games this season that he has in the previous two seasons combined. When he scored 38 points the other night that was the lead story on the majority of the sports highlights shows. I will be glad when the spotlight fades.