ARod hit by pitch

[GameUsedGR61]

I find it classless to throw at any player. I am a Yankees fan but if you throw at someone three times, you should of been thrown out of the game. I was happy that Sabathia didn't retaliate, but I will not be surprised if someone does in the next series. It was classless when Dempster did it, when Clemens did it, when Chamberlain does it and when Cole Hamels did it on Harper. I know its part of the game but I disagree with it. If you hate someone, strike him out and make him go 0 for 5.

Now if MLB players are upset with it, that is fine. I still don't think throwing at someone justifies it. If an NL pitcher uses a spitball and gets caught, is it justifiable that he must get thrown at. No.

The comment about the fans, that doesnt bother me. Fans cheer for anything. I remember when Michael Irvin was cheered after he hurt his neck in Philly.

[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?

[xpress34]

And now A-Rod is SUING his employer for Medical MalPractice claiming that the Yankees and their Team Doctor intentionally mislead him about his hip.

This guy seriously lives in his own world and just wants to make his own life tougher in the Yankees Organization so he can whine and cry about how badly he's treated later.

[ferro39]

"You don't throw at a guy four times. He violated every code in every way.''
--CC Sabathia