What kind of punishment are you expecting for Hammel?

[Can_of_corn]

Okay, this is just simple logic, people. If Hammel can't hit his spots, therefore giving up three gofer balls in a row, how the hell do you think he can suddenly gain enough control to actually throw at someone's head? It's the Ricky Vaughn argument. Walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches, the next one plunks the batter and he's tossed. Like he suddenly gained control for that.

Not only that but when exactly do pitchers practice throwing shoulder high sliders?

[ShaneDawg85]

I don't for a second believe he was looking to hit anyone. I've no doubt Hammel was pissed, in fact you could see it right after giving up the third home run, as he just stood there with his hands on his hips completely perplexed. While you can still be looking to hit someone with a non-fastball pitch, I don't believe that was his intention. Moreover, hitting the guy in that situation was one batter closer with nobody out to turning the lineup over again, which I can't imagine any pitcher being stupid enough to do something like when they've just given up three consecutive home runs. Wendelstedt, however, whose strike zone was already non-existent and squizzed Hammel several times throughout the game, didn't even give him a warning or anything. I don't know what the rules are and whether it's simply at the discretion of the umpire, but even if it is, he doesn't even get warning? That's garbage.

[callahan09]

I just don't buy this story that a grown ass man is so petty, childish, stupid, immature, insecure, illogical and emotionally wreckless to throw a pitch at a man on purpose who did absolutely nothing to him besides exist after some other guys hit home runs off him. What a joke.

[Catch 8]

First thing that came to mind (after the ejection) was what Hunter Wendelstedt's suspension would be. This does not sting for just one game; it affects our bullpen, one that we really need with this staff. If he's collecting a small fee and umpiring, fine. But he is a well-compensated MLB umpire. He should be disciplined. This wasn't ball/strike/out/fair/foul business, this was an umpire essentially playing the game.

[AlbionHero]

First thing that came to mind (after the ejection) was what Hunter Wendelstedt's suspension would be. This does not sting for just one game; it affects our bullpen, one that we really need with this staff. If he's collecting a small fee and umpiring, fine. But he is a well-compensated MLB umpire. He should be disciplined. This wasn't ball/strike/out/fair/foul business, this was an umpire essentially playing the game.

9/10 times a guy hits someone after giving up 3 homers, you'll be ejected. MLB does not tolerate going after batters if you're mad about your performance, so Wendelstedt did exactly what MLB would want him to do.

[El Gordo]

Trade Hammel- this guy is a complete headcase joke- like all of our pitchers.

DO NOT resign Weiters. Guy can't call a game/hit for anything. Subtraction of these two = more wins.

PERIOD.

Who writes your material? You're in the wrong line of work. You should be an upholsterer.

[ShaneDawg85]

Trade Hammel- this guy is a complete headcase joke- like all of our pitchers.

DO NOT resign Weiters. Guy can't call a game/hit for anything. Subtraction of these two = more wins.

PERIOD.

So you replace Hammel with Jurrjens/Britton/Steve Johnson/Chris Davis/Dave Johnson, etc. and you replace Wieters with Taylor Teagarden and Chris Snyder. Oh yeah, that definitely equals more wins.

[Can_of_corn]

9/10 times a guy hits someone after giving up 3 homers, you'll be ejected. MLB does not tolerate going after batters if you're mad about your performance, so Wendelstedt did exactly what MLB would want him to do.

Which is eject someone on reflex before considering the full situation?

Somehow I don't think so.

[Can_of_corn]

So you replace Hammel with Jurrjens/Britton/Steve Johnson/Chris Davis/Dave Johnson, etc. and you replace Wieters with Taylor Teagarden and Chris Snyder. Oh yeah, that definitely equals more wins.

It's a TWTW issue, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

[callahan09]

9/10 times a guy hits someone after giving up 3 homers, you'll be ejected. MLB does not tolerate going after batters if you're mad about your performance, so Wendelstedt did exactly what MLB would want him to do.

Can you provide me any examples of a pitcher purposefully hitting a batter because they gave up some home runs and they were "mad about their performance?" Who does that? Who has done it? What is the point of such a petty and childish act? It just sounds ridiculous to me.

[Catch 8]

So then, you think over a 50% chance of the time he throws that pitch in that situation, he'll hit the guy up near his head? Thats the only kind of argument you can make it for it being a better chance it was unintentional.... and if thats true, then why is he throwing a pitch that'll likely hit the guy in the first place if he doesn't want to hit him?

Plus, Hammel knows as well as anyone that if you hit a guy in a situation like that, you're going to be ejected. Why throw anything inside for the first pitch?

Wieters set up down-and-away. It was a slider from a pitcher who had no command all afternoon. So you think, following the 3 home runs, that Hammel should have resorted to exclusively low-and-away stuff for the rest of the inning? That is strangling a pitcher's balls. Your speculation is a conspiracy theory.

[El Gordo]

9/10 times a guy hits someone after giving up 3 homers, you'll be ejected. MLB does not tolerate going after batters if you're mad about your performance, so Wendelstedt did exactly what MLB would want him to do.

You speak for the MLB do you? I believe it's a judgement thing; he doesn't want the game to get out of control. I don't know why he didn't warn Hammel and both benches. That would have been the thing to do.

[Can_of_corn]

Can you provide me any examples of a pitcher purposefully hitting a batter because they gave up some home runs and they were "mad about their performance?" Who does that? Who has done it? What is the point of such a petty and childish act? It just sounds ridiculous to me.

I can think of a couple former O's who I could see doing it.

[PaulFolk]

Can you provide me any examples of a pitcher purposefully hitting a batter because they gave up some home runs and they were "mad about their performance?" Who does that? Who has done it? What is the point of such a petty and childish act? It just sounds ridiculous to me.

Armando Benitez!

[Catch 8]

9/10 times a guy hits someone after giving up 3 homers, you'll be ejected. MLB does not tolerate going after batters if you're mad about your performance, so Wendelstedt did exactly what MLB would want him to do.

Hunter Wendelstadt and other MLB umpires know baseball; no one throws at a hitter with a breaking pitch. Those don't send a message, they merely put another runner on. MLB knows this.