MadMan at Mt Rushmore

MadMan at Mt Rushmore
MadMan

Monday, April 9, 2012

Head-Hunting in Detroit this season?

I am NOT naive. I know that Pitchers throw at Hitters. Happens every day. Happens on every team. Sometimes it seems to "come out of no where" [to the home viewer] due to bad blood for comments and actions not seen by the TV cameras or heard by the Microphones. What I do NOT understand is why when a pitcher throws directly at a batter's head, not once, but twice in a single at-bat, he is NOT thrown out of that game?


Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox game on Easter Sunday [no less!]. Lefty Phil Coke came in and threw at the head of Adrian Gonzales [went behind him, but looked obvious!] Then, next pitch, he hit Gonzalez in the shoulder. Umpires seemed to move on, like it had not happened. They awarded the base to Gonzales, who walked slowly to First, staring at the Pitcher. Given that Gonzalez had homered his last time up, the Manager, Bobby Valentine, came out to complain. Crew-Chief [2nd base] Umpire Dan Iassogna agreed and warned both teams. Valentine came back out. But there should have been an ejection. He clearly threw at the head of Gonzales with the first pitch, and missed. So, he tried another one up high and tight and plunked Gonzales on the shoulder [very near the head].

I know that hit-batsmen are a part of the game, all teams do it, most times they get away with it. But, usually the pitcher throws at the back-side of the hitter, or the leg. To throw one at the head is rediculous. To throw 2 pitches in a row at a batter's head should be automatically an ejection, and ultimately a suspension and fine from MLB.

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