DBacks- dirty play against McCutchen

[Matthew80]

So Pittsburgh- honest mistake or otherwise- plunks Goldschmidt, taking him out for the season. AZ comes back and drills a fastball into McCutchen's back, and he falls like a video game WWII-type casualty. Now, news is out he's out for a month, although there's no direct link between the plunking and injury (although it's suspicious, to say the least).

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...223308151.html

Just curious to hear others' thoughts on the brand of baseball they have in AZ. I will say that it belongs in AZ if it belong anywhere. Nice to see a little Wild left in the West.

I'm of mixed opinion. I feel very bad for McCutchen, a class act completely innocent of any wrongdoing (save wearing a Pittsburgh jersey, that is), but I like that the word's out you better not pitch TOO inside on AZ. They don't pull punches.

Again, just interested to hear the thoughts of other 54-ers.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by Matthew80

So Pittsburgh- honest mistake or otherwise- plunks Goldschmidt, taking him out for the season. AZ comes back and drills a fastball into McCutchen's back, and he falls like a video game WWII-type casualty. Now, news is out he's out for a month, although there's no direct link between the plunking and injury (although it's suspicious, to say the least).

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...223308151.html

Just curious to hear others' thoughts on the brand of baseball they have in AZ. I will say that it belongs in AZ if it belong anywhere. Nice to see a little Wild left in the West.

I'm of mixed opinion. I feel very bad for McCutchen, a class act completely innocent of any wrongdoing (save wearing a Pittsburgh jersey, that is), but I like that the word's out you better not pitch TOO inside on AZ. They don't pull punches.

Again, just interested to hear the thoughts of other 54-ers.

I watched this play a few times. At first I thought it was out of line but my opinion changed. Goldschmidt was the DBacks best player and is out for the season. I say its just part of the game. McCutchen looked pissed but unsurprised.

[the 'stache]

I think the whole thing is silly. "You hit my best player, so I'm going to pop you best player." It all smacks of recess in grade school. Completely juvenile.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

I think the whole thing is silly. "You hit my best player, so I'm going to pop you best player." It all smacks of recess in grade school. Completely juvenile.

When grown men play a child's game juvenile things are bound to happen.

[Mountaineer1999]

I'm the biggest Pirates fan alive so I am sure I come at this a little biased. That said, Arizona was out of line as always.
The pitch to Goldschmidt ran up and in from a horrible pitcher, Ernesto Frieri. It was no way intentional........ the lead was 8 to 3 I think but if it were 8-8 the Diamondbacks would have reacted the same way so they need to quit using that excuse. The Douchebacks wait until the 9th inning of a blowout loss and put a 95 MPH fastball in McCutchens back. The pitch came after the count had run to 2-0 and the 2nd pitch was a slider away.
Hit someone and get it over with .... and maybe we accept it. From Goldschmidt's reaction... I dont think he wanted McCuthen hit.

[steve B]

Just from reading the articles it seems like Goldschmidt was hit late in a tie game? Like bottom of the 9th?

If there's a spot where you can be fairly sure it's not intentional that would have to be it.

I'm all for the old fashioned "don't lean over MY plate" sort of pitching, even the "don't showboat so much after a HR" message pitches are ok.

But going after an uninvolved player towards the end of the next game? Just doesn't seem right.
If they'd thrown at the reliever the next time they saw him, sure. Maybe even throwing at an equivalent player in the first three innings if there was a good chance you wouldn't see that reliever again.

Steve B

[nolemmings]

Goldy was hit with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth of a 9-4 loss. I was "lucky" enough to have been there. His AB was meaningless due to a bullpen explosion that allowed a 4-4 tie to get out of hand; ironically, he had been given the night off but entered in the 9th in a double switch.

I doubt it was intentional, but it knocked out the Dbacks' best player for the season. If the message was to let the Pirates know not to throw inside unless you can control it, then I would say the message was received. If you don't believe in such messages then fine, I get it, but it has been going on in baseball for a long time and I would not look for it to end soon. BTW, it was the exact time to send that message-- hit the equivalent player when the game is not on the line and when you had an open base. Hit him in a relatively safe spot--the butt is preferred but not where you might break a bone.

Oh and by the way, guess who leads MLB in hitting batters this season-- the Pirates by a large margin with 61-- the next closest is 49. They have almost twice as many as Arizona (32). So Pirates fans, prepare to have your players get plunked on a regular basis if your staff is doing more of the same, and maybe think twice before starting the name calling.

[chaddurbin]

bush league by AZ. the gm and manager would rather settle scores than actually winning games...lol. thanks for not being a threat in the nl west for the next 4-5 years there guys if this philosophy keeps up in the organization.

[nolemmings]

Care to elaborate Quan?

[steve B]

Thanks for clarifying. The articles certainly didn't.

It makes a lot more sense all around that way.
I am in favor of old time baseball stuff, as long as it makes sense. The way the articles had it it looked like retaliation for an accident rather than a message about coming too far in without good control in a situation where it's not really needed.

I do have to say the worst I saw was Gaston ordering some young pitcher to hit a batter, continuing to order it after he failed 2-3 times, then leaving the rattled kid in to take a huge beating since he couldn't pitch anymore. The pitcher was actually coming off the mound gesturing that he wanted out and had no idea what was going on. And Gaston turned away from the field and ignored him the whole time. The announcers were horrified, even the umpire kept looking into the dugout but not actually interfering. And I think the other team actually laid off and ended the inning after scoring a bunch of runs.

Steve B

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Goldy was hit with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth of a 9-4 loss. I was "lucky" enough to have been there. His AB was meaningless due to a bullpen explosion that allowed a 4-4 tie to get out of hand; ironically, he had been given the night off but entered in the 9th in a double switch.

I doubt it was intentional, but it knocked out the Dbacks' best player for the season. If the message was to let the Pirates know not to throw inside unless you can control it, then I would say the message was received. If you don't believe in such messages then fine, I get it, but it has been going on in baseball for a long time and I would not look for it to end soon. BTW, it was the exact time to send that message-- hit the equivalent player when the game is not on the line and when you had an open base. Hit him in a relatively safe spot--the butt is preferred but not where you might break a bone.

Oh and by the way, guess who leads MLB in hitting batters this season-- the Pirates by a large margin with 61-- the next closest is 49. They have almost twice as many as Arizona (32). So Pirates fans, prepare to have your players get plunked on a regular basis if your staff is doing more of the same, and maybe think twice before starting the name calling.

[Matthew80]

Ultimately, Pittsburgh is responsible for players they plunk, accident or not. Frieri can't control his pitches (trust me, I'm an Angels fan). Pittsburgh knew this could happen, but they evidently felt it was worth gambling knowing they could hurt an AZ batter... Snake eyes... If you're a MLB-er, you should really be able to avoid hitting someone, even if that means you can't throw certain pitches and/or in certain locations on the plate.

Never pull your punches in war, baseball included.

[clydepepper]

I pitched in high school, college, and semi-pro and never liked this part of the game...as a lefty, I hit enough people without trying to.

When they did get hit, not only did they know it was accidental, they had more pressing things to think about than coming after me.

I never participated in any bean-ball 'wars', nor was I ever asked to.

Toward the end of what would be called my career, I had much better control and probably could have hit someone on purpose, but make it look like an accident, but, to me, it was just adding another baserunner...and who needs that.

I remember when Pendleton stalked off the field in the middle of an inning when a pitcher who only got to pitch about once a month, refused to retaliate for Deion Sanders being hit.

The team captain leaving the field in the middle of an inning!? I lost all respect for Pendleton that day.