Let me first say this: Brandon Phillips shouldn't have said what he said. I know why he said it but I don't think it was right to tell it to reporters. The past few years, the Cardinals have done a lot of bitching and moaning. They accused Bronson Arroyo of having something on his hat to doctor pitches. Twice they have accused the Reds of not having sticky enough balls even though they are the same they have always been. Funny that there was no complaint about the balls this week when they won all 3 games. The Cardinals also complained about the Brewers untucking their shirts after games. I would have thought the Cardinals wouldn't be able to see that from their high horse. So in general, they complain. Everyone knows it. No need to say it Brandon.
Having said that, the Cardinals handled it very poorly. The way it should have played out was for Garcia to fire a fastball into Brandon's back to start Tuesday's game. Message sent: Message received. Move on. Apparently, that isn't the Cardinal way. They would rather start a fight.
Brandon tapped the shin guard of Molina and the umpire just like he did the night before and every other game this year. It is his way of saying have a good game. It isn't a buddy-buddy thing because he tapped the guard Monday, an hour after he made the comments. Molina didn't like it. He should have given the sign to hit Brandon in the back but he didn't want that. He wanted a fight so he got in Brandon's face. Let's fight. There was pushing and the benches cleared but nothing serious. Dusty and Tony argued to protect their teams and increase a crazy feud they have between them. Everything was calming down until Asshat Carpenter got involved. According to John Fay, he dropped the big two words which set off Rolen and the rest of the Reds. The fight moved to the wall and netting behind home. Cueto, who had just finished pitching the top of the first got caught up against it. His body went parallel. He didn't have time to think and went into survival mode. He couldn't punch back because he was horizontal so he did the only thing he could do and kicked like hell. He caught Jason LaRue and Jonny Gomes. Maybe a few others. Then it stopped and the game continued after both managers were ejected. Fine. No big deal.
Then the Cardinals started bitching again because when you are called complainers, the best way to shed that label is pick a fight, escalate the fight, then whine when the other team fights back. Mr. Sportsmanship, Tony DUI La Russa, complained about the way Cueto fought back. I guess he was supposed to stay there and risk serious injury. That is what a Cardinal would have done. The Reds fought back and someone got hurt. Guess what? It was a fight Molina started. Don't whine when we fight back. God I hate the Cardinals.
So to sum up, Brandon shouldn't have opened his mouth, Molina shouldn't have gotten in his face, and the Cardinals need to quit whining.
Now on to the Marlins. Need to win 2 of 3 and get some momentum before the west coast road trip that will define the season. Josh Johnson goes tonight. I recommend everyone watch because he is amazing. Probably the best in the NL right now.
4 years ago
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2 comments:
Well, that certainly was an interesting post. I just have a couple problems with some of your points.
Now I know you hate the Cardinals and there is no point to even get into that. That doesn't matter. I have no objection with you saying the Cardinals handled the Phillips comments the wrong way. In hindsight, putting a fastball in his back probably would be better. But who is to say that doesn't clear the benches too? Who knows.
But several times you said the Cardinals handled it by starting a fight. 1) I would hardly call pushing and shoving and yelling a fight. 2) It wasn't a fight until Rolen decided to go charging at Carpenter and cause the whole mob to go crashing into the net.
Do you really think Phillip's had no part in starting that. Sure Molina made the first move by kicking his bat and saying whatever he said. But Phillips was pretty quick to get nose to nose and fling his helmet off. Shouldn't he have known with all the media attention and talk about his comments that even a bat tap wouldn't be well received and it was more than possible Molina would have something to say about it? Any former baseball player I've seen talk about that said they had no problem with how Molina handled it. Yet, Molina was picking a fight? How many times do you see benches clear over people talking shit and then nothing happens. All the time.
You also said that it was Carpenter's fault for talking shit to Baker and Rolen reacted to that. Well isn't that the same thing you are bashing Molina for, retaliating to words? I mean, every single person on that field was talking shit. What were these "magic words" that set Rolen off that make everything he did ok?
Also, you said that Cueto got caught up in the mob. Well, if you watch the replay he actually sprints into the way of that mob going after Carpenter and then gets thrown into the net. There was also somebody else that got thrown into that netting and that was the "Asshat" Carpenter. I didn't see him kicking like a "Cardinal"(I'm alluding to what Phillips thinks of them here) and he was just as vulnerable if not more because he had Rolen's big ass trying to rip his head off.
So all in all, my point here is neither side handled this well but you are so certain the Cardinals are all to blame it is just a little irritating. Ok, a lot irritating. Hatred of them aside, I just can't believe you don't see that to some degree. But in the long run it doesn't matter. I just had to get my points out there. Take them for what you will.
I love FIGHTS!! The only reason I watch hockey is for the fights 9and I don't really even watch hockey). Bring fighting into MLB, I LOVE IT!! Glad no one really got hurt.
On a side note Cueto is an idiot. You are the starting pitcher of the day, get off the bench put stay away from the mob, you have a job to do. No need to waste energy in a fight, save it for the 6th inning.
Cannot wait to see this series back in St. louis.
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