Fan Injured - Minor League Brawl

[b.heagy]

Pitcher charged after minor league brawl in Ohio



DAYTON, Ohio (AP)—A minor league pitcher accused of throwing a ball that hit a fan during a bench-clearing brawl was charged with felonious assault.
Peoria Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo was arrested Thursday following the fight with the Single-A Dayton Dragons, authorities said Friday. Umpires ejected 15 players and the team’s managers following the 10-minute brawl.
Castillo, 21, was scheduled to be arraigned Friday, Montgomery County Jail officials said. Video from the game shows Castillo angrily throwing a ball, but doesn’t show where the ball landed.
The fan, who remains unidentified, was treated at Miami Valley Hospital and released, said hospital spokeswoman Nancy Thickel. She didn’t know the extent of the fan’s injuries.
The Dragons are affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds, while the Chiefs are affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.

Three Peoria batters were hit in the first inning in Wednesday’s game between the clubs.
After a Peoria player was hit in the top of the first on Thursday, Castillo hit two batters in the bottom half—one in the head. The second hit batsmen by Castillo, Angel Cabrerra, made an aggressive slide into second to break up a double play.
Castillo followed that by throwing his next pitch up-and-in, prompting Dayton manager Donnie Scott to complain to the home plate umpire. Interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez—filling in for Ryne Sandberg—came onto the field to join the discussion.
The two managers began arguing, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied.
The teams protested the ejections by phone to Midwest League president George Spelius, saying they didn’t want pitchers playing in the outfield to complete the game. After an hour delay, the ejections were reversed and the game resumed. Dayton won 6-5.
Spelius said Friday that he spoke to the umpires about the brawl. He said he needs to read a report, review video footage and talk to team officials before any possible sanctions.
Chiefs spokesman Nathan Baliva said Spelius will handle the issue.
“He’ll hand down the appropriate punishments he deems necessary,” Baliva said.
Reds general manager Walt Jocketty witnessed the fight from the stands. Cincinnati spokesmen Rob Butcher said Friday neither the Reds nor the Dragons would comment.
Sandberg was in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the weekend’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

[b.heagy]

Found it on yahoo,sports. All over the news as well.

[PudgePollyMillerFan]

Wow....just watched the videos on youtube........that guy is nuts......he should be sitting in jail...hopefully he will get jail time for that......fist fights are one thing...but throwing baseballs at 90+mph at players/fans is just plain stupid...hopefully his career is done.

[OaklandAsFan]

Wow....just watched the videos on youtube........that guy is nuts......he should be sitting in jail...hopefully he will get jail time for that......fist fights are one thing...but throwing baseballs at 90+mph at players/fans is just plain stupid...hopefully his career is done.

that idiot Frank Francisco threw a chair at a fan in Oakland a few years back and he got some community service and still pitches for the Rangers so I doubt this guy will get much but a slap on the wrist.

[David]

A collector who was at the minor league game said that the pitcher was attempting to throw a bat when he was restrained.

[Dewey2007]

This is kind of stuff always seems to happen every once in awhile.

I remember when Mario Soto of the Reds threw a ball at a player who was charging the mound. From what I remember it missed the guy which was a good thing because Soto could throw pretty hard.

Also, does anyone remember when Albert Belle was with the Indians he hit a fan in the chest with a ball who was heckling him about his drinking problem.

[AWA85]

That was just bad. Don't know what the Peoria player was even thinking throwing that ball like that even if it had gone into the dugout.

[chakes89]

I work there and saw a majority of the brawl with my own eyes

In my 3 years of working at that stadium I have never see or been a part of a more tense and hostile crowd than I did last night