Prince Fielder got plunked by Guillermo Mota in the ninth, and then this happened:
Fielder took off for the Dodgers' side of the stadium after the final out, shouting obscenities all the way to the clubhouse door. Several teammates trailed behind him in a surreal scene, but Bill Hall and Casey McGehee got a firm grip on Fielder while a wall of security blocked his way.
Obviously Fielder was hot about Mota's pitch! Listen to him unload in the post-game interviews!
"He came inside. It just got away from him. It happens. That's baseball. He tried to come inside."
Er, yeah. I can only assume that by that point he had had a conversation with his union rep or the lithium had kicked in or something. Best part: he claimed not to recall that whole storm the clubhouse incident from a few minutes prior. That ought to keep the fines and suspensions at bay!
What kills me about this is that, though I think the code of plunkings in baseball is totally stupid, within the context of that code the Mota plunk was totally legit. Manny Ramirez had hit a homer and a two-run double by the time he came to bat in the seventh, and the Brewers were losing ugly when Chris Smith hit him. That happens from time to time, and when it does, the plunking team has to expect that someone on their side is going to get hit in return. Fielder is the obvious target for that, and as long as the ball hits the dude on the rump or somewhere similarly padded (which is everywhere on Fielder), folks tend to move on. Why Fielder flipped like he did is beyond me, especially given Ryan Braun's whole "tell Mr. Selig, we'll see what happens. It's going to be interesting" business and subsequent beanball war with the Pirates earlier this season.
It's as if someone needs to write down all of the unwritten rules for the Brewers, because they clearly don't understand them.
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posted this on the previous entry but ...
Mota has found himself in similar situations before ... He would regularly hit Mike Piazza, and one year in Spring Training, after a plunking, Piazza went after him in the bullpen down the foul line. Choked him I think. The following spring, he drilled him again, and Piazza memorably charged the mound as Mota threw his glove and fled as Joe McEwing and Jeromy Burnitz tore out of the dugout after him. So basically Mota is a real douche.
I think it has to do with the fact that a) Manny getting hit was obviously unintentional (I'm not even sure it hit skin... the one replay I saw made it look more like the Craig Biggio-Baggy-Jersey-Special) and b) it happened with 2 outs in the 9th inning of a 13-run blowout. I'd like to think that the butt-whooping the Dodgers were on the verge of completing was enough payback for the accidental nature of the Manny HBP. Plus, with Torre warming up a relief pitcher in that situation - I repeat, 2 outs in the 9th inning of a 13-run blowout - it just makes it seem even more pre-meditated.
Not that I think Prince was right to do that. He obviously acted stupidly. But I have a hard time thinking that this was clearly within the letter of the unwritten rules (of which I rarely have a complaint about).
So... Manny gets a pitch inside that looks to have been about 6 inches high and inside that may (or may not) have brushed him. Prince gets one 2 feet inside and is totally plunked in a 13 run blowout with 2 outs and no chance of retaliation "in the game" by what appears to be one of the biggest d-bag pitchers in all of baseball. Dodgers = Cowards. I expect the final game of the series to be heated.
wait a mintue.. TWO dodgers were hit by the Brewers in that game.
You're talking d-bags here? Fielder's the "Prince" of them. This is BASEBALL. The Brewers plunked two Dodgers, and the Brewers HAD to know one of them was going to get hit. Like the article said, everybody in the stadium knew it was going to be Fielder - and the big wussy's sniveling because it hit him in the LEG? C'mon. This is baseball. That's how it works. Those of you who don't understand that? Synchronized swimmers NEVER intentionally throw at other swimmers - so that might be more your speed.
Does no one recall Catalanotto having his feet pulled out from under him w/that pitch by Kuroda?? And Mota just walked off the field into the dugout w/no acknowledgment to Fielder... THAT'S the problem. It wasn't just the Smith/Mota hits that p'd everyone off.
Way to do your research, Mr. Calcaterra. And by research, I mean, "Way to read the AP story about the game without bothering to actually see if there was any malicious intent behind the Brewers plunking Ramirez."
As an avid baseball watcher of almost three decades, it's my understanding that it's appropriate to retaliate when a teammate takes a purpose pitch between the shoulder blades, not when his uniform gets ruffled by an 84-mph "heater" that was roughly three inches off the inside of the plate and that you wouldn't have guessed hit him except for a dramatic performance rivaled only by his attempt to explain away a Major League Baseball player taking a female fertility drug.
Or maybe I don't understand the "unwritten rules" either.
Fielder should have just charged the mound during the game for all the fans to see. If you are going to talk about "unwritten rules" if I guy hits you then charge the mound to retaliate. If Mota is sticking up for his team, then Fielder should stick up for himself and his team. You are going to get suspended for doing what he did anyway, so why not have a good ol' fashioned bench clearer.
Fielder should have charged the mound? At his weight, the only thing he's charging is an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet on his American Express.
Mike
Glad you are so perfect. Do you insult the developmentally disabled and handicapped too, or do you save your insults for heavier folks?
His weight isn't part of the real discussion here.
Hey, I only insult disabled and handicapped children.
"and as long as the ball hits the dude on the rump or somewhere similarly padded (which is everywhere on Fielder),"
The writer got his digs in too.
And it isn't harmless as long as people have feelings, to me.
You're really quite sensitive, aren't you, Nan?
Guillermo left the mound as soon as he let it fly, and there was a pitcher up getting ready in a game with 2 outs, no one on and a 13 pt lead. You missed the ball on this one, Mr C. Just the opposite of what happened to Prince.
Oh, and that Dodger reporter that called Prince Cecil is about as smart as you are.
They're runs in baseball, not points.
This is a total non story.This is wuss baseball and does not even come close to matching the bench clearing brawls of the past.The real story here is the whipping the Dodgers gave the Brewers.If Prince Feilder has anything to be mad about it's playing on an inept team.
Joe Torre having someone up in the pen throwing says he's as guiilty as Mota.
Insulting the Brewers does not make it any less poor sportsmanship.
I don't respect ANYONE who doesn't speak to their Father to spite him.
I hope Fielder's career is ended by an injury for a dose of humble pie.
Do you actually know why? There's his side, his dad's side (who doesn't deny some of the allegations) and somewhere in the middle, the truth.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/31874
What does this have to do with this story?
We watch sports for the sport and the the drama. 90 mph fastball with intent is not new to the sport. Admitting it is!We all know when a payback is coming in any sport. Who watches car racing for just the race. Putting another driver into the wall doing 180 mph for payback is not smart but apart of the sport. Do we look for payback when a co-worker does us wrong at work? Do we charge their cubical and have an office clearing brawl. Why have fielder charge the mound to prove his manhood, giving his money away paying the fine. Just have the pitcher plunk one of theirs next game. Oh, that would be today! Stay tuned...
OK. I apologize for dissing the Brewers.I am much happier to see a player or players with emotion in them than those that just don't care. Sometimes a team needs to have a fire lit under their buts in order to kick them into gear. However as a player it would seem much better to win than to lose. Brushback pitches and retaliation are part of the game .If a team doesn't protect it's players it loses its hunger to win.
You ever read up on any of the Cecil-Prince history? It's not pretty, and I think that Prince has many strong reasons not to associate with his father.
A REAL MAN would hit Manny.......... He HIT THE HOMER, DOUBLE AND HAD THE RBI'S....... BUT NO, Mota hits Fielder,,,,,,,,,,,, I like the guy who threw the BAT IN THE MINORS A FEW YEARS AGO............ SOMETIMES I feel like HITTING Craig on the HEAD, JUST TO WAKE HIM UP..........
The score was 11-3 and Mota beaned him??What the @!$%# is that?? It's obviously retaliation for a hit baatsmen which I did not see, so can't say the nature of it. But bean guy and be winning 11-3. That's not part of any 'unwritten ruule' youGod damn moron. Prince has been hit more than an other player in the league --so bite me.