There's No Crying In Baseball!

Is that Weaver should have hit the batter after Guillen: not in the head, but right in the ribs with the hardest fastball he has. That is Bob Gibson / Don Drysdale baseball. The issue with Guillen’s stunt is then settled on the field where it should be. This is hard-nosed, throwback baseball. If a hitter shows up the pitcher, they know there will be retribution. No one does it because they know one of their teammates will pay the price.

1. To me, it looked like Ordonez really was watching his ball to see if it went foul. I understand why Weaver mistook it for preening, but he needs to let it go. Let the emotion fire you up, but the jawing was unnecessary. I think Weaver over-reacted here.

2. Guillen’s home run dance was stupid. Way over the line and a direct taunt to Weaver. He also had to know what was coming next, so you could say that he threw Avila under the bus.

3. I’m fine with Weaver getting himself ejected. He was coming out of the game after the next batter anyway. But I do NOT condone him throwing up at Avila’s head. Yes, I believe he missed on purpose. I just don’t think you mess around with that. Miss by a bit and you can end a guy’s career. If you don’t mind putting him on base, drill him in the ribs. If you want to send your message without putting a guy on base, throw the ball behind him. Just don’t throw near the head. Props to Avila, by the way, for staying calm and not escalating things further.

4. Verlander is a bitch for whining about Aybar bunting. This is still baseball, right? Aybar needs to get on base so the Angels can try to win. And I’m fine with Aybar’s elbow. Verlander played that terribly and should have been in a different position. Aybar is trying to score. It wasn’t like he threw a vicious forearm to Verlander’s head. Verlander needs to get over it.

But it’s okay to shout, taunt, tease, curse, punch, kick, throw, and all the other things that little boys to do on a playground.

Just no crying.

Aybar was not bush league for any play that occurred on Sunday.

Bunt play – fine and dandy anytime during a game, unless you want to break unwritten rules, especially when you are within a grand slam anytime in the game.

Elbow – Good play, and the right play at the time, not bush league at all. Rule 7.06, the Obstruction Rule, explains it all. Velander was on the basepath; didn’t have the ball in his possession; while running past Verlander, Erick makes contact to show the umpire that Justin was obstructing the play while on the basepath. Better an elbow, it showed that he was close. Than a clothesline, either or both players could have gotten hurt. If it kept Verlander from controlling the catch, all the better. That’s a play we teach eight year old players in Little League. Not so much as to take advantage of the other team, but to prevent collisions, and injuries, on the field of play.

Baseball is considered a contact sport.

The one person I’m pissed at is Torii Hunter, for throwing Weaver under the bus in the postgame comments. Yes, Jered overreacted — not to Guillen, but to Ordonez — but Torii needs to have his back, at least when it comes to public comments.

Not to be a dick, but Detroit plays in Florida, the Angels in Arizona. That’s pretty common knowledge.

it was Miguel Cabrera. He got dragged into it by Weaver.

BUT, he stayed out of it. We didn’t hear anything about Miggy the rest of the game.

But then Guillen intervenes?

That tells me that it should have been left to Weaver and Magglio.

And I’m sure they would have made their peace later on.

That wasn’t from getting hit in the back or ribs. The chin is on the head, and is Gibson-Drydale old school.

Weavers location was perfect. Remember, Avila was Weave’s catcher two weeks ago and didn’t say a word and took his base, so he was cool the ball was 3 feet over his head and isn’t nursing a bruised rib or broken bone today.