MLB will suspend Machado for five games. Machado plans to appeal.

[Il BuonO]

This isn't a catcher hugging the plate, it's a big long-limbed dude with a huge back-end and release on his swing. If the catcher had to sit out of Machado's reach he'd be catching knee-high strikes on the bounce.

I don't think Machado was intentionally popping the guy, but I totally get why he'd be rubbed the wrong way getting smacked by an exaggerated follow-through multiple times without a simple, "My B; you straight?"

You're conflating the issues. We weren't talking about the apology but where the catcher setup. All Norris had to do was back up. If I get hit in the head one time that's enough for me.

The apology is a separate issue. I would have, but I won't condemn him for not doing it.

[Stotle]

But it as even Gary Thorne indicated, at is just the long limbed Machado's normal swing, why should he say "my bad?" How can he stop his normal swing???

Because even in the heat of competition players extend common courtesies when their actions potentially cause injury to each other. Not little bumps and scrapes, but potentially serious injuries. When you don't extend that courtesy, players view it as an "F you, I'm happy you got hurt".

That's not how the vast majority of players play the game. Everyone (except for I guess a small sect of prima donnas like Ortiz) understand the game is played hard and there will be dustups and situations where they are on the receiving end of a play that does some physical damage. Players vary as to how much regard they show for the opposition (slide into second is the best example, where everyone goes in hard and the rest ranges from helping the brace the middle-infielder as he's coming down to doing absolutely nothing other than your best to knock the guy over and prevent completion of the play). If the play results in someone getting well clocked, the guys check on each other. Play's done; we both did what we had to do; you cool?

In the heat of the moment, yeah, sometimes this doesn't happen. And sometimes players take offense to that regardless. Manny was having a bad weekend, and sure I get that maybe he wasn't in the mood to offer an apology up. The culmination of events (the reaction to the tag, throwing the helmet, and general jawing, then combined with not extending a generally expected courtesy when you hit a guy in the head with a bat multiple times - intentionally or not), understandably rubbed the A's the wrong way.

If nothing else had occurred, and everything was cool prior to the swings, I'm not 100% sure, but pretty confident, 1) Manny would have apologized, and 2) even if he didn't, the A's wouldn't have reacted anywhere near the way they did.

[Old#5fan]

have you ever said a polite excuse me or sorry, to somebody who clearly walked into you?

Just common courtesy.

I would if I did it but not sorry for someone else walking in to me, unless maybe it was a pretty girl.

[Stotle]

You're conflating the issues. We weren't talking about the apology but where the catcher setup. All Norris had to do was back up. If I get hit in the head one time that's enough for me.

The apology is a separate issue. I would have, but I won't condemn him for not doing it.

I'll leave it at "I disagree." Manny's swing is the exception. Catchers can't lineup in the "safe zone" and still man their position effectively, in my opinion. Is what it is. He'll hit catchers a lot, I assume, because the league isn't going to start setting up four feet behind the dish.

[Can_of_corn]

If that's your swing, you get used to apologizing to the catcher when that inevitably happens. The catcher can't sit four feet behind the plate -- that's lunacy, brah.

Well, sure you do.

[mark_beckens]

If that's your swing, you get used to apologizing to the catcher when that inevitably happens. The catcher can't sit four feet behind the plate -- that's lunacy, brah.

I caught in college and semi-pro. I would try and get as close to the hitter as I could. It helped me catch foul tips and frame pitches. There is a fine line between being close and being too close. When you get your glove ripped off with a swing, you're too close, you move back. If a batter hits you with his backswing, you take a step back to get out of his path. We're not talking 4 feet, we're talking 6 inches, give or take a few inches.

[weams]

I would if I did it but not sorry for someone else walking in to me, unless maybe it was a pretty girl.

Let's just agree the it is proper to be courteous. And that certain social norms are expected of us and the price we pay for civilized society

[Il BuonO]

have you ever said a polite excuse me or sorry, to somebody who clearly walked into you?

.

Probably more like,"Hey, why don't you watch where you're going?"

[Nolanseye14]

I'll leave it at "I disagree." Manny's swing is the exception. Catchers can't lineup in the "safe zone" and still man their position effectively, in my opinion. Is what it is. He'll hit catchers a lot, I assume, because the league isn't going to start setting up four feet behind the dish.

If Manny's swing is the exception why did Norris get hit in the head again last night by Erick Aybar? Seems to me it might be a good idea to back up.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/8877514/v33609049/oaklaa-norris-hit-by-swing-stays-in-game

[Old#5fan]

Because even in the heat of competition players extend common courtesies when their actions potentially cause injury to each other. Not little bumps and scrapes, but potentially serious injuries. When you don't extend that courtesy, players view it as an "F you, I'm happy you got hurt".

That's not how the vast majority of players play the game. Everyone (except for I guess a small sect of prima donnas like Ortiz) understand the game is played hard and there will be dustups and situations where they are on the receiving end of a play that does some physical damage. Players vary as to how much regard they show for the opposition (slide into second is the best example, where everyone goes in hard and the rest ranges from helping the brace the middle-infielder as he's coming down to doing absolutely nothing other than your best to knock the guy over and prevent completion of the play). If the play results in someone getting well clocked, the guys check on each other. Play's done; we both did what we had to do; you cool?

In the heat of the moment, yeah, sometimes this doesn't happen. And sometimes players take offense to that regardless. Manny was having a bad weekend, and sure I get that maybe he wasn't in the mood to offer an apology up. The culmination of events (the reaction to the tag, throwing the helmet, and general jawing, then combined with not extending a generally expected courtesy when you hit a guy in the head with a bat multiple times - intentionally or not), understandably rubbed the A's the wrong way.

If nothing else had occurred, and everything was cool prior to the swings, I'm not 100% sure, but pretty confident, 1) Manny would have apologized, and 2) even if he didn't, the A's wouldn't have reacted anywhere near the way they did.

I understand that and now it seems perhaps you seem to understand why possibly Manny was not in the normal mood to be courteous to any player on the Oakland A's at least at that point in time....

[Stotle]

I caught in college and semi-pro. I would try and get as close to the hitter as I could. It helped me catch foul tips and frame pitches. There is a fine line between being close and being too close. When you get your glove ripped off with a swing, you're too close, you move back. If a batter hits you with his backswing, you take a step back to get out of his path. We're not talking 4 feet, we're talking 6 inches, give or take a few inches.

You had a lot of Manny Machado-sized folks in the box, did ya?

As I said to socalbird, I'm fine just disagreeing. There are courtesies in place for this stuff because the game (especially at the highest level and especially played as hard as it is) can cause some damage. Those courtesies are part of the ecosystem -- it's how players gauge malice or intent. If you want to say Machado has no obligation to apologize and the catcher should adjust as needed, okay. I'm sure there are major leaguers who share that viewpoint. I'm also sure there are major leaguers that well take offense to a hitter handling himself in that manner. Especially when the hitter has a broader "hit path" on the backswing, more likely to ring some bells.

[Stotle]

I understand that and now it seems perhaps you seem to understand why possibly Manny was not in the normal mood to be courteous to any player on the Oakland A's at least at that point in time....

I always understood "why" Machado did what he did (I guess up to the bat throw). I just thought the "why" stemmed from a horrible lack of perspective and thin skinnedness on his part.

[Old#5fan]

Let's just agree the it is proper to be courteous. And that certain social norms are expected of us and the price we pay for civilized society

I agree, but my idea of being curteous would be to aplogize if I did something wrong, like walking in front of someone or bumping into them. If someone does that to me, I honestly don't see why I am discourteous by not "apologizing." Discourteous would be as someone else suggested, saying "why don't you watch where you are going, or "wow that was rude" when someone cuts in front of you (which by the way happens to me daily when I am walking in DC) and I don't say anything, it is what it is - there are a lot of people in a hurry in that city!.

[mark_beckens]

I understand that and now it seems perhaps you seem to understand why possibly Manny was not in the normal mood to be courteous to any player on the Oakland A's at least at that point in time....

With what happen on Friday, we don't know if there this has been going on longer. I'm sure there might have been things said on Saturday and Sunday that made the situation worse. So things get chippy! The last thing you want to do is be nice to someone/team that you currently are having an issue with. Also possible Manny didn't know he hit him, until it was brought to his attention. Just playing devil's advocate here. Only Manny knows the complete truth.

[Stotle]

If Manny's swing is the exception why did Norris get hit in the head again last night by Erick Aybar? Seems to me it might be a good idea to back up.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/8877514/v33609049/oaklaa-norris-hit-by-swing-stays-in-game

Are you really claiming Manny doesn't have a longer-than-typical release and follow on his swing? I mean, I'm all for being convinced, but pointing out a catcher being hit by someone else falls well short of persuasive to my mind.