ARod hit by pitch

[Puig66]

Baseball polices itself.

I agree with most of what has been said here. Dempster made a statement for BASEBALL. He stood up for the history of the game. A-Rod did deserve to get plunked (as long as it wasn't at the head) but he had the last word. Instead of losing his composure, he held it together and came back and homered off of Dempster. As much as some of you hate the guy, that's pretty impressive.

That's why we're here commenting on it. The "unwritten rules". It got our attention. And that in itself says it all. What a great game baseball is.

Bottom line, if this continues, sooner or later Mr. Rodriguez, love him or hate him, will probably lose his cool and charge the mound. A player can only take so much.

I look forward to the next chapter.

[Phil316]

Plus with his age and 211 game suspension it might have been the last chance Dempster had to make that statement. I highly doubt a young pitcher would have gotten away with it. I think it showed plenty of class burying the ball in A-Rods ribs instead of his teeth lol.

I am over Alex Rodriguez and his denials. Ban him for life. Baseball would be better without him and his traveling side show.

[coxfan]

Deliberately throwing at a batter is an inexcusable act, especially if it's retaliation for a HR. it's one of those "traditional parts of the game", like umpire "human error" that should be corrected rather than forever defended.

Years ago players complained that Roger Clemens took it to another level by deliberately throwing fast balls behind batters' heads just to intimidate them. Players made it clear that even "unwritten" rules didn't allow that, but he felt they didn't apply to him. I think I recall that Selig suspended him once for so doing, and Clemens immediately threw at the first batter he faced after the suspension. Clemens is lucky he didn't seriously hurt a batter. If he had, the Mitchell Report might not be his biggest problem.

Years ago Dave Justice was sent sprawling by a knockdown pitch that just missed him. He hit the next pitch far into the seats and gave the pitcher a priceless look of defiance as he rounded the bases. I've called that situation a "justice HR" ever since.

[Wrigley2010]

When you repeatedly disgrace the game by cheating and lying the only one who should be called classless here is Arod. Look at it from Dempsters side. He's had a clean career and been a successful MLB pitcher in both the bullpen and as a starter. He is a veteran and someone who has always been held in high regard by his teammates and fellow players. How much better would his career numbers be if he had pitched on equal ground? What's it like for him to have to answer constant questions about steroids in baseball? What's it like for him to pitch to a guy he knows is cheating and should be suspended?

If someone disgraced your profession over and over again would you stand up or sit back and let it happen? Pitchers have been throwing at batters intentionally for longer than any of us can remember. It's part of the game whether we like it or not. He did not throw at his head which would have changed the entire look of this situation. He stood up for the game we all love while keeping within the boundaries of the rules of baseball... can't say that same for Arod.

[Jim65]

If Dempster is so angry about players cheating, he should demand the union not defend players who use peds. Throwing at ARod accomplished nothing except getting himself suspended .

[coxfan]

Jim65 is correct, and some players and former players are urging similar approaches to give less support to PED users. Unfortunately, the union is legally bound by procedures inherited from previous MLBPA administrations; and those aren't easy to change.

[slab0meat]

So any pitcher that's been caught breaking the rules.. if a batter isn't happy with him for what he's done, can he just walk up to him and crack him in the ribs with his bat? The "unwritten rules", including beanballs being intentionally thrown, and often followed by another, are the biggest crock of shit around. Would that be ok, since the bat wasn't aimed at the pitcher's head? The justification for potentially injuring someone (minor or severely) is laughable. Have a problem with a guy that badly and need to confront him, but you need a hardball to do it with? Boy, that's being a real man.

This is coming from a Yankees fan who has never liked Rodriguez. I also don't like the "unwritten rules", as said.


And the others who are at home, suspended... that "they OWNED it" is laughable... more cheaters who got caught for their "mistakes" .. yep, some mistakes. Would any of them have "OWNED" it if they weren't caught, or kept on their merry cheating lives?

[Puig66]

When you repeatedly disgrace the game by cheating and lying the only one who should be called classless here is Arod. Look at it from Dempsters side. He's had a clean career and been a successful MLB pitcher in both the bullpen and as a starter. He is a veteran and someone who has always been held in high regard by his teammates and fellow players. How much better would his career numbers be if he had pitched on equal ground? What's it like for him to have to answer constant questions about steroids in baseball? What's it like for him to pitch to a guy he knows is cheating and should be suspended?

If someone disgraced your profession over and over again would you stand up or sit back and let it happen? Pitchers have been throwing at batters intentionally for longer than any of us can remember. It's part of the game whether we like it or not. He did not throw at his head which would have changed the entire look of this situation. He stood up for the game we all love while keeping within the boundaries of the rules of baseball... can't say that same for Arod.

I agree in every respect.

All I can add is my feelings about the steroid era. Obviously everyone is bothered by it. Just look at the discussion here for proof.

It will take years for the jury to be out on how to handle the cheating era. But in the meantime, I have to admit, there are a few guys I can't help but like that we all know cheated the game. And for that they will pay the ultimate price of never seeing Cooperstown. McGwire, Sosa, A-Rod, and Manny are all on my "like" list. There was just something about these guys and what they did that struck a cord in me. The personality aspect of it also comes into play. But in the end, they cheated the game. They tarnished the great records of past superstars who exhibited their skills on a mostly level playing field.

So if any of my guys mentioned above were at the plate today, and they got thrown at 4 times in a row until a nice bruise was left, so be it. That's the game of baseball, and I have no problem with it.

[xpress34]

But in the meantime, I have to admit, there are a few guys I can't help but like that we all know cheated the game. And for that they will pay the ultimate price of never seeing Cooperstown.

There was just something about these guys and what they did that struck a cord in me. The personality aspect of it also comes into play. But in the end, they cheated the game. They tarnished the great records of past superstars who exhibited their skills on a mostly level playing field.

So if any of my guys mentioned above were at the plate today, and they got thrown at 4 times in a row until a nice bruise was left, so be it. That's the game of baseball, and I have no problem with it.

I can concur with this, my guys are McGwire and Giambi.

The difference between them and the A-Roids, Sosas, Bonds, ManRam, etc are that McGwire and Giambi both were visibly upset and embarrassed by their mistakes and they both still treat fans with respect.

ARod, Bonds, Manny, etc like to deny, deny, deny and treat the fans like 2nd class citizens - and in Manny's case, show what a true coward looks like by running away instead of facing his 100 game suspension like a man.

Just my .02

[Puig66]

I can concur with this, my guys are McGwire and Giambi.

The difference between them and the A-Roids, Sosas, Bonds, ManRam, etc are that McGwire and Giambi both were visibly upset and embarrassed by their mistakes and they both still treat fans with respect.

ARod, Bonds, Manny, etc like to deny, deny, deny and treat the fans like 2nd class citizens - and in Manny's case, show what a true coward looks like by running away instead of facing his 100 game suspension like a man.

Just my .02

In Manny's case, I don't believe he's in "denial" mode. He just claims to be a man of faith now, and avoids the issue as much as possible, addressing it with "I have made mistakes but have changed my ways" comments. So it's clear he's fessed up.

I also agree that McGwire and Giambi handled it all with much more class and dignity. I would even go as far as saying I completely forgive McGwire. The pain displayed in his "confession speech" when he came out on his own accord and offered that he had used steroids his whole career, was a powerful statement about the man himself.

If anyone of these guys were to squeak in the back door at Cooperstown, I would say McGwire would lead the possibilities. It would be a statement, a "check" for character. There are other "cheaters" who were far more talented than the one-dimensional McGwire (Bonds for one, but I don't see ANY quality, other than obvious raw talent, that makes Bonds worthy of enshrinement. He was despicable to his core, completely void of conscience in his only goal to cheat the most hallowed record in baseball).

That said, I don't see that happening. The bouncer at the back door is a WHOLE lot bigger than Mark in his prime. The nameplate on his jacket reads "Respect D. Game". Some things can be forgiven. But they should never be rewarded.

Bram