I think they hit Andino on purpose.

[Jagwar]

I only have one problem with the notion that it was intentional.

Why hit Andino when you have him in a 1-2 hole with two outs in the 9th?

[waroriole]

I'm curious why warnings were issued after Bobby V spoke to the ump. It seemed fishy to me.

Yeah, it was even more cowardly of him. He hits our guy, and then runs and begs the ump to tell us not to hit him back. No wonder the guy has no respect around baseball. He's a coward.

[waroriole]

It also confirms what I already believed about Bobby Valentine. What a low class fool. He wasn't even involved last year. His role should have been to calm feelings of retritbution down.

He would have to have the slightest bit of respect in the clubhouse to do that.

[notyourbuddy]

Bobby V is a coward and a douche-bag. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he put "the hit" on. Would surprise me even less if he thought "that's just good baseball."

On one hand I want to see him jobless on the other hand I like the fact that he is single-handily destroying a division rival in the Red Sox.

[Jagwar]

Perfect time to hit him IMHO. Doing it there makes it more likely that he is relaxed and worrying about protecting the outside corner.

I'm not sure I buy it. Your logic hinges on the assumption that Melancon was looking for a chance to hit Andino.

If it was the first pitch of the AB, or down 1-0 or 2-0 in the count maybe. But it is beyond stupid to put anybody on base when you are trying to keep it a 2-run game going to the 9th.

[LA2]

I only have one problem with the notion that it was intentional.

Why hit Andino when you have him in a 1-2 hole with two outs in the 9th?

Because Valentine, who knows he's gone already, doesn't care about winning as much as he cares about settling various scores or appearing to. He also knows the O's just do NOT lose when leading after 7 innings. Valentine wants to leave looking tough and Boston-loyal, since he's incapable of looking smart or wise; it's his only choice these days. Look at yesterday's loss to Tampa Bay and ask whether those are the decisions of a manager playing to win.

I know that's just armchair amateur psychologizing, but.

[Camden_yardbird]

Here's what happens if the Orioles retaliate.

The player gets thrown out. The teams were warned.

The league says that there will be some sort of punishment after a review.

The Orioles make the playoffs and face the Yankees in the ALDS.

The league issues a 5 game ban to said reliever.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I'm convinced it was intentional and said as much in the game thread. I don't think they aimed for the head but they definitely meant to hit him in that situation. The dream scenario is a 12-0 lead in the 9th tomorrow with Strop on the hill. Pedroia at bat. 96 MPH in the numbers.

[Slappy]

This just in: Kevin Gregg signed to one pitch contract, on a plane to Boston.

[LA2]

I'm not sure I buy it. Your logic hinges on the assumption that Melancon was looking for a chance to hit Andino.

If it was the first pitch of the AB, or down 1-0 or 2-0 in the count maybe. But it is beyond stupid to put anybody on base when you are trying to keep it a 2-run game going to the 9th.

Valentine knows he has almost no chance to win when down to the O's after 7 innings. So other objectives emerge.

[Jagwar]

Because Valentine, who knows he's gone already, doesn't care about winning as much as he cares about settling various scores or appearing to. He also knows the O's just do NOT lose when leading after 7 innings. Valentine wants to leave looking tough and Boston-loyal, since he's incapable of looking smart or wise; it's his only choice these days. Look at yesterday's loss to Tampa Bay and ask whether those are the decisions of a manager playing to win.

I know that's just armchair amateur psychologizing, but.

Yes... you are reaching, unless you have special powers to know exactly what motivates Valentine to call for a pitcher to hit an opposing player when the game is definitely still in reach.

[LookinUp]

But it is beyond stupid to put anybody on base when you are trying to keep it a 2-run game going to the 9th.

Not when the only thing you're playing for is 1) a draft pick and 2) the off chance that your team decides to start playing for you.

[Jagwar]

Valentine knows he has almost no chance to win when down to the O's after 7 innings. So other objectives emerge.

I understand your bias. I just don't think that Valentine has ever revealed that type of managing style.

[Ampontan]

The dream scenario is a 12-0 lead in the 9th tomorrow with Strop on the hill. Pedroia at bat. 96 MPH in the numbers.

I prefer extremely hard slides that take out middle infielders at second or the catcher at home and preserve plausible deniability.

[Jagwar]

Not when the only thing you're playing for is 1) a draft pick and 2) the off chance that your team decides to start playing for you.

That just doesn't make sense. Even if I believed anything you just said, there were 3 other ABs where he could have plunked Andino without giving up on the game.