Bean Ball

Lately players have taken to vigilante actions in the majors.

I mean yesterday Chris Sale was suspended 5 games, the Royals have had 9 suspensions, and we are ending the 3 week of the season.

Baseball is not a violent contact sport, a slow paced methodical game predicted on thought, decisions, sudden actions, reflections and more thought.  Yes there are actions, triple to the wall, double plays, a line shot down the 3rd base line, and home plate collisions, but so much of the game is pitch by pitch combat.

40 years ago, Reggie slugged 47 home runs, a lot in the post 60's high mound era dominated by arms like Koufax, Seaver, Marichal and Gibson, McLain, the great Orioles rotations.  Then the hitter re asserted themselves.  Frank Howard, Killebrew, Reggie, Bench and so on.

Pitchers pitched inside, brush-backs, chin music, the odd plunk on the ass.  Ron Hunt took 56 such free passes. Minoso made a career out it. Rod Carew crowded the plate and dis Don Baylor and others.  Yes there were a few donnybrooks that broke out, but 2015 so far is marked by brawls, retributions, and hit batters, the on purpose type,and the throws behind batters.

We have had warnings, and maybe it will settle down, but I have noticed that batters are crowded the box more. They want reclaim that outside part of the plate. 

Luckily we have not had the Conigliaro results of fastballs at the heads of batters, but I am worried. That pretty much ended a promising career of Boston Red Sox outfielder Tony C.

But 3 weeks in, it is an almost everyday occurrence.  I am sure new MLB czar Rob Manfred is watching with concern, as he has had umps and officials take managers aside pre game and give them the "talking to" . We will see if it wains but I have my doubts.

Today's athlete is over reacting to his man hood, his lively hood being threatened.  Brett Lawrie's hard slide against KC's SS Escobar brought out the benches,  and he was hit and it has caused a rivaled series with Royals and A's to be potential martial arts display in June when they next meet.

I hope it ends, pitchers need to pitch inside, and batters need to not feel their manhood is at stake every time a pitch approaches them.. It is a part of the game.

So will fights continue, but just after every errant pitch.  Reggie knew it, Bautista does too.