June 17, 200322 yr At the same time, it depends on the severity of the retaliation. If a guy throws at someone's head "in retaliation", that's on the pitcher, not the team. But in the case of the Colon/Hairston incident, I agree with you -- it was more of a team retaliation than a personal thing. I can't think of anything more personal in baseball than a pitcher throwing at someone's head. I agree 100%. A pro knows how to pluck the batter. A beaning is dangerous and borderline criminal.
June 17, 200322 yr Author I agree 100%. A pro knows how to pluck the batter. A beaning is dangerous and borderline criminal. I was just thinking... Jose Mesa made all those psychotic comments about how he'd "kill" Omar Vizquel if he ever faced him. What happens if a ball "slips" and he does hit Omar in the head, and Omar were to go into a coma and die? Would Mesa face murder/manslaughter charges? I would have to think he would. He had motive (it was a silly motive, but motive none-the-less), opportunity, and he could try the "it slipped" alibi, but I don't think it would fly. It would be interesting to see how it was handled.
June 17, 200322 yr Which is why one should always be careful what one says. A lot would depend on the pitch thrown (fastball v. curve), and the testimony of a lot of expert witnesses. I believe in MLB history one person died from a beaning, in the days before helmets. I forget the circumstances, but I kind of remember there was bad blood between the players involved.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.