Yanks-Rays brawl

[mdevito]

I'm with you they definitely played it hard too and like I said these guys are playing to make the ML team, they are going balls out, block teh plate prepare to get hit.

[zff4]

The Rays seem to come on strong last year with attitude - they made sure the BoSox didn't come off the field without a lot of dirt on their uniforms. Now they're reminding the Yanks that they're not hypmotized by the pinstripes. Good for the Rays. We could use a little of that moxy.

[GeorgiaBird]

Girardi says what Duncan did was ok because "that is just the way he plays."

So a hustling minor leaguer who makes a clean, hard play in the late innings?

Bush league.

But a guy who slides spikes up after trying to take an extra base just to force the play and get his spikes in?

Part of the game.

Thanks Joe. Just do your run up the pitch count thing on those young arms and the Rays, Os and everyone else will think better of you in due time.

[Jagwar]

Girardi says what Duncan did was ok because "that is just the way he plays."

So a hustling minor leaguer who makes a clean, hard play in the late innings?

Bush league.

But a guy who slides spikes up after trying to take an extra base just to force the play and get his spikes in?

Part of the game.

Thanks Joe. Just do your run up the pitch count thing on those young arms and the Rays, Os and everyone else will think better of you in due time.

Duncan said that he was trying to knock the ball out of the glove. If that's the case, why did he use his left cleat and hit Iwamura's right knee (non glove side)? He also started his slide late, like he was trying to break up a double play or something

He's a punk, and I almost 100% certain he is going to get one in the middle of his back the first time he faces a Rays pitcher this season.

[Balmer Bomber]

I didn't see in the video where the Ray's base runner was gloating after knocking the catcher over. And kudos to the ump at second for noticing Duncan's dirty slide and ejecting him immediately.

[byrdz]

I didn't see in the video where the Ray's base runner was gloating after knocking the catcher over. And kudos to the ump at second for noticing Duncan's dirty slide and ejecting him immediately.

I didn't either, looked like he just went up to the bag to make sure he tagged it.

[Mad Mark]

like a Yankee$ fan trying to defend their dirty, classless players.

This thread is from Baseball Fever...not even the belly of the beast, but a relatively sane, national board.

LINK

[ledzepp8]

While normally Id agree here, I saw the play on youtube and that guy full out tackled the catcher and then appears to be gloating about it afterwards. In either case if the catcher is going to block the plate it's the runners job to score, but as much as I hate defending A yankee in this case it did look overly aggressive. It's almost as if he knew he had no chance of touching the plate so he as going to just take the catcher out hoping the ball might pop loose. But I still say you block the plate then prepare to get knocked around. I remember last year Bako taking one in the chin blocking the plate, it was pretty rough but it's the base runners job to score, just as it's the catchers job to block the plate. Yes it's spring training, but you can't have it both ways. It's all or nothing.

Video of collision at plate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5mrg_AUgE8

Now today I haven't seen video but it sounds like between the quotes and what happened the Yankees were going for blood today. At least Duncan was.

I don't like what appeared to be gloating afterwards, but I don't think it was overly aggressive. That's how players like Pete Rose used to play, players now are just too chicken****.

[mdevito]

It's possible that he wasn't gloating that was just pure speculation on my part, it looks liked a "that's what you get for blocking the plate" sorta thing, but for all I know he could have said are you ok? want me to get some ice and a hot dog?

[NOVA OriolesFan]

Funny how Giradrdi was upset with the incident at home the other day but going for a guy's crotch is just being "aggressive." If I recall the Yanks and Rays have had bad blood in the past. Recall also that despite the fact the Rays haven't been good they've always been competitive with the Yanks. Kinda like how we were with the Red Sox during the Lee Mazzilli years. So yeah go Rays. Don't let the Yanks push you around.

[Balmer Bomber]

I think me calling Duncan a boob yesterday was an insult to boobs everywhere.

"I saw it a couple times," Duncan said Thursday. "I still don't understand why they were as upset as they were."

Either he is:

1. playing this very coy like when a pitcher hits a batter intentionally, everyone knows it, and when he is asked if it was on purpose, he responds with a roll of the eyes and an "It slipped."

2. dumber than the dirt he slid super late on yesterday.

[GeorgiaBird]

Rays claim there was a bounty put on Evan Longoria before the game, which explains the beanball in the first and also Milky Cabrera punching Longoria in the face during the brawl.

Probably impossible to prove either way, but want to just repeat anyway.

Yankees = class

[GeorgiaBird]

The punishment is in...

3 (regular season) games for Duncan

2 for Gomes

3 for Melky Cabrera

Girardi and two of his coaches fined.

[Mad Mark]

The punishment is in...

3 (regular season) games for Duncan

2 for Gomes

2 for Melky Cabrera

Girardi and two of his coaches fined.

Well, that will deter them in the future, now won't it!

[Cokeman]

Here is a link...

Discipline