Batista suspended 10 games

Dback Jon · April 25th, 2003, 12:33 PM

That is B.S.

Martinez (4), Fassero (3), La Russa (1) disciplined

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Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Arizona pitcher Miguel Batista was suspended for 10 games and St. Louis first baseman Tino Martinez for four games for their fight last weekend.

Martinez

Batista

In addition, Cardinals pitcher Jeff Fassero was suspended for three games and St. Louis manager Tony La Russa for one game by Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline. All four were fined, as were Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny and Arizona coach Eddie Rodriguez.

Batista and Martinez appealed, meaning any penalties will be delayed until after a hearing before Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.

La Russa was to sit out Saturday. Fassero's suspension is to start Wednesday. There was no immediate word on whether they would appeal.

Batista was penalized for "inciting a bench-clearing incident, fighting and throwing a baseball at the head" of Martinez, who was cited by Watson for "charging the mound and fighting."

Watson penalized Fassero "for intentionally throwing at and hitting Luis Gonzalez" after a warning, and La Russa was punished for "comments directed at Batista" and for Fassero's "intentional pitch at Gonzalez after a warning."

Batista hit Martinez in the right shoulder blade in the fifth inning of Arizona's 1-0 win. The two had words from a distance, and Martinez went to first. After Martinez was forced at second, he suddenly made a right turn to attack Batista.

The right-hander threw the baseball at Martinez, missing with it as Martinez threw a punch. Both benches quickly cleared and Batista, constantly backing up, threw a few more punches before Arizona manager Bob Brenly forced him all the way into shallow left field.

Russa and Fassero were ejected in the ninth after Gonzalez was hit in the ribs. Fassero admitted he intentionally hit the batter.

"I don't play this new style of baseball," Fassero said after the game. "I still believe in the old ways, settling scores for teams and stuff like that. I think that's how baseball should be played."

Ryanwb · April 25th, 2003, 12:34 PM

That is ****ed up!

sly fly · April 25th, 2003, 12:40 PM

Crock.

Next time, hit 'em. What the hell was he supposed to do??

Some raging maniac surprises you out of the blue... are you supposed to cower down?

It's not like he picked the ball up off the ground and threw it.

WizardOfAz · April 25th, 2003, 12:45 PM

If nothing else, he had to appeal so that he wouldn't be out of the rotation until Curt and/or RJ are back in the rotation.

moviegeekjn · April 25th, 2003, 12:48 PM

The league is obviously taking into account the difference between everyday players and starting pitchers--a 10 game suspension for Batista = two missed starts.

AZZenny · April 25th, 2003, 02:14 PM

The league obviously has it's head up it's butt. LaRussa incited the whole thing by yelling at Batista the entire time, told Fassero to do the hit, and apparently came back on the field after he was ejected (ERod was fined for yelling at him to get off the field), and he gets only ONE game? Miggy was reacting in self-defense, but he gets a very hard penalty whereas Tino clearly premeditated his part. It may translate to two games, but the role and importance of a starting pitcher is generally greater (and harder to replace) than any one position player. OUTRAGEOUS.

Chaz · April 25th, 2003, 02:26 PM

Here is a quote from La Russa
"My only comment is (about) the perception fans get, because we had more guys fined, that the bad guys Sunday were the Cardinals, It's the opposite. The bad guy was the Arizona guy that instigated the whole thing.''

Tino should have just gone to the dugout. I don't know for sure but I didn't think Batista hit him on purpose. If he didn't then Tino instigated it.

schillingfan · April 25th, 2003, 03:10 PM

I heard that on the radio driving home today and started yelling at the radio "What a bunch of horsebleep". Scared the heck out of my husband who had drifted off to sleep.

unc84steve · April 26th, 2003, 05:59 PM

Tony La Russa (TLR) is a lawyer by education and acts like one. He made the best case possible. That's his right & job--I guess. I detest him more and more.

I root for Arizona more often than not. I root against St. Louis almost always. These are emotional, irrational feelings--obviously. I also fancy that I can detect precise lawyerly language, because I use it myself.

Quote:

When you drill somebody, and you stare him, like he stared...
that is so unprofessional and so intentional-looking...
that, you know, we'll see how MLB handles it.
He just stared at him like "I meant to do it"
the whole time, he stood there and stared. That's so ridiculous.

You can hear TLR on this ESPN web page below. This is on the link mis-labeled "Purpose Pitch: Tony LaRussa believes Miguel Batista intentionally hit Tino Martinez."
Link to ESPN game recap page

Tony doesn't believe that Miguel "meant to do it." It was a 1-0 game in the 5th--the D'backs scored the only run in the top of the inning. Miguel was 3-outs from qualifying from his first win of the year. Miguel's trying to get into the rotation. I detest the Cards, Miguel doesn't. This was the leadoff man on the 1-0 pitch. The D'backs offense was about to become the lowest scoring NL team because LA was going to score 16 runs on Sunday. Tony knew Miguel wasn't counting on extra runs.

TLR ("That Lying Redbird"?) (no please disregard that--"The Lawyerly Redbird") said it was intentional-looking. TLR said that Miguel "stared" (a fact I suppose), "like" (comparison) 'I meant to do it.' (what something TLR is imagining Miguel might be thinking)

LaRussa is very clever. Way too clever. If he were asked the following, I predict these answers:

Did you say you believe Miguel Batista hit Tino intentionally? No

What did you say? I said he stared at him so something intentionally looking.

What's the difference? I can't read Miguel Batista's mind & intentions. It looked like someone who did something intentional.

Huh? Ask Miguel. It's not my job.

He said he didn't do it intentionally. Okay.

Would it make any sense to hit the leadoff man in his situation? No.

Could he have stared after an accident, in an "intentional manner"? Yes

Do you believe Miguel hit him intentionally? No

Why didn't you say so? You never asked me.

Why did you say what you said after the game? I'm paid by the Cardinals to win games and help our club. I thought those comments would help us.

Further details in case anyone wonders if there was any "bad blood" between Miguel & Tino.

Tino got a single on the 1st pitch his only time up. Tino didn't hit a 3-0 HR in a 7-1 blow-out or break some imagined "professional" code. He has one other AB in his career reg season AB vs. Miguel. He went 1-3 in the World Series, a single.

OTOH, Tino hit a game tying WS HR vs. BH Kim. BK is the one who will deck him because of that & because he & Miguel are buddies. Everyone will believe BK hit him unintentionally.

moviegeekjn · April 26th, 2003, 06:30 PM

Legal analysis is probably accurate, as LaRussa's legal background often is utilized to play "mind games" with opponents (or to make opponents think that he's playing "mind games").

However, if you presented this in a court of law, your comments concerning your feelings towards LaRussa and his team would be used against you--either as "irrelevant" or to destroy your credibility as an objective witness.

unc84steve · April 27th, 2003, 11:02 AM

LOL, you're right John.

A "jury" would be instructed to consider my prejudices against Tony LaRussa and the Cardinals--I grew up a Cubs fan (it must have been a latent characteristic--didn't show up TLR started managing there). I'd ask that the underlying "facts" be considered despite my avowed prejudices.

Ironically, I'm being "hypocritical" for carefully using words when I accuse Tony LaRussa of twisting words. I say TLR "certainly knew" that Miguel Batista never intended to hit Tino Martinez--but said that Miguel "stared like 'I meant to do it' ." I accuse TLR in very precice ways myself, "like a lawyer."

But TLR is hypocritical in another way.

Quote:

and you stare him, like he stared...
that is so unprofessional and so intentional-looking...

"so unprofessional"?

TLR accuses Miguel of being "so unprofessional." How? By staring like a macho male who won't back down? IMO, Tony does more "unprofessional" things.

Tony LaRussa's "professions" have been "lawyer," baseball player & manager. He argues like a lawyer & testifies like a witness. However his "court of public opinion" lacks a judge to enforce rules. There are no cross-examining lawyers to expose his distortions & mind games.

LaRussa wouldn't just "stare." He believes baseball "professionalism" involves "old school" fights and bean-ball retaliation. He clearly condones it as the macho gang leader. Some believe agree baseball 2003 should be run like the "Gangs of NY." I'd rather advance beyond that.

But then Tony LaRussa becomes a like a "new school" lawyer. He justifies ambush fights & beanball retaliation with a "they started it--he stared--he looked like he intended it" argument. TLR clearly knows is a distortion. That's how TLR views his "profession." Let me correct that. That's how Tony LaRussa acts like he views his "profession."

p.s. This is how I enjoy baseball. No Cardinal fans should take it personally. I love & admire Cardinals from Terry Moore, Stan Musial, through Bob Gibson, Curt Flood, Lou Brock, Tim McCarver. My mom thinks the birds on the jersey look silly, I think they look like baseball.

AZCB34 · April 27th, 2003, 11:09 AM

Fully expected. It doesn't matter how it started, the minute Batista threw the ball at Tino when he was charging, MLB HAD to hammer him for it. They cannot allow that to happen. It doesn't matter who was right and wrong and it doesn't matter that Batista was defending himself (BTW he didn't have to throw the ball to defend himself).