Carlos Gomez strikes again

[kaldaniels]

He did say that. He said too bad society doesn't have that option. He wants punk behavior (re: things he doesn't like) to be legal to hurt people over.

I get that you will hit a guy on accident at times. I pitched for 14 years. I was very much a control pitcher and even I hit a guy every now and then. It does happen. But that isn't what we are talking about. We are talking about throwing at a guy on purpose.

This is what he said.

You think punk behavior is OK. Fine. Then do not play MLB or risk getting drilled. And understand that most people understand these unwritten rules. Unwritten rules that punish punk behavior. Too bad society does not have more of these.

He did not specifically refer to violence nor did he say that those unwritten rules in society would be legal. But I'm not gonna fight his fight for him. I am done with that matter. Now, you did not answer my question I posed to you about Gomez.

Did he misbehave, and if so, what should be done about it?

- And on the point of HBP...what I was saying is this. In a perfect world there is no violence on the baseball field. But as it stands, a pitcher can exact vengeance on a hitter and simply say "oops".

Not that this is over by any stretch, which is worse? McCann jawing at Gomez at the plate, or Gomez getting plunked next June? Neither is good, I know.

[dougdirt]

Now, you did not answer my question I posed to you about Gomez.


Not that this is over by any stretch, which is worse? McCann jawing at Gomez at the plate, or Gomez getting plunked next June? Neither is good, I know.

If there was actual taunting, and I don't believe there was, then a suspension is fine by me.

McCann shouldn't be jawing at Gomez. Gomez getting plunked on purpose next June shouldn't happen either. Getting plunked on purpose is worse because it opens up purposeful injury.

[M2]

You think punk behavior is OK. Fine. Then do not play MLB or risk getting drilled. And understand that most people understand these unwritten rules. Unwritten rules that punish punk behavior. Too bad society does not have more of these.

[Fil3232]

I should expand on my last post.

To me, taunting is doing something directly in the face of someone. An example would be me hitting a home run and yelling to the pitcher "I got you on that one, explettive!" or running out to the mound and getting in his face and yelling "OH YEAH!".

Taunting to me is not watching a home run for 3 seconds instead of 1. It isn't me pounding my chest after I made a great play (unless I literally do it while up in the other players face). It isn't doing a somersault.

To address specific examples.... Gattis/Fernandez happened because Gattis got mad that Fernandez watched a baseball too long. Not taunting, it was Gattis being mad that his pitcher served up a long ball and he was worried his adult pitcher would get his feelings hurt because Fernandez watched a baseball for 3 seconds instead of 1.

Chapman did a somersault. So what? I watched the Rays/Blue Jays yesterday. Fernando Rodney saved the game and shot a fictional arrow to the clouds. Should someone be beaned for that? He does it after every save.

I am ok with punishing actual taunts with a game suspension. But not staring at a freaking home run for a few seconds or a player showing some stinking excitement after making a good play.

Exactly. Taunting is subjective.

Baseball has policed itself through the years, and as time passes, generally accepted behavior has changed. My point, I guess, is I like the current system of self-policing. It's makes the sport more compelling, more human than what it would be otherwise.

And it's rules aren't static. 20 years from admiring a home run may be commonplace--perhaps batters will do their own dances down the 1b/3b line. It depends on the overriding sentiment of the players playing the game.

[RedTeamGo!]

You think punk behavior is OK. Fine. Then do not play MLB or risk getting drilled. And understand that most people understand these unwritten rules. Unwritten rules that punish punk behavior. Too bad society does not have more of these.

You can throw a hard object at someone at 95 mph in society for being rude, but chances are you will get arrested on felony assault charges because you just attacked them.

[bubbachunk]

Don't let him hit the home run, simple.

[BluegrassRedleg]

People are supporting McCann because he is white. Just my opinion.

Disagree. Many of us here supported Gomez on the Votto robbed HR situation earlier this year.

He acted like a clown in this situation. McCann wasn't exactly a role model, either, but I can understand where he was coming from. And it's not like he decked the guy or anything. All we're talking about is a heated exchange, albeit an unusual one as the guy is trying to touch the plate.

[757690]

I like Gomez. Plays like he cares about Carlos Gomez.

FTFY

[jojo]

I don't like your words here. If we ever meet, I should be allowed to just throw something very hard at you, right? Maybe even get up in your face and shove you? That is what you are saying is ok. And it is a crazy, insane thing to say that.

Ironically baseball has a rule against that.

[jojo]

No. I am saying the game has been played a certain way for many-many years. This new age (boy in a plastic bubble) thinking is not going to work nor will most of it ever be implemented. The game has been played a certain way and somehow most participants have survived and the game has many fans and lots of revenue. If it works, don't mess with it.

No one gets hit on purpose if they "behave" on the field. Why is that so difficult? I guarantee you most of the palyers on the Brewers get this and I will bet they do not agree with punk behavior either. They will not say it publicly (another unwritten rule), but you know darn well Gomez' Twitter comments were a directive and not done on his own freewill. No doubt someone made him understand.

You think punk behavior is OK. Fine. Then do not play MLB or risk getting drilled. And understand that most people understand these unwritten rules. Unwritten rules that punish punk behavior. Too bad society does not have more of these.

If you applied this philosophy in your personal life, you'd be in jail.

[improbus]

I get the distinct feeling that I'm on an island here, but I love guys like Gomez. But, I'm the guy who wants sports to treat everything (outside of the scripted nature) more like wrestling. Wouldn't press conferences be more fun if they were done like Ric Flair or Rowdy Roddy Piper? Don't you think Brandon Phillips would wear a James Brown like cape before games? I also think Homer would do finger six shooters after strikeouts if given the choice. More Aroldis somersaults please.

[RedFanAlways1966]

You can throw a hard object at someone at 95 mph in society for being rude, but chances are you will get arrested on felony assault charges because you just attacked them.

Yes, I realize this. A player from Peoria was arrested for hitting a fan with a wild throw that was intended for the Dayton Dragons bench. He might (should) be arrested if that throw had gone into the Dragons dugout.

Now can we talk differences? This happens during a game. It happens when a pitcher has the ball "slip out of his hand". Cannot remember a MLB pitcher ever being arrested for a HBP. They have been suspended by MLB, but not arrested. There is a difference between a sports league suspending b/c of their opinion versus a crime in society. I think you know this.

Do I have a problem with a purpose pitch that is above the belt? Sure and this too is covered in the unwritten rules that MLB has. And, with no data to support it, I'd guess most purpose pitches used due to punkish behavior do not draw a return purpose pitch. We see those when there is no justifiable reason for a guy supposedly being HBP other than a bad attitude on the mound.

Like it or not... the unwritten rules will be in MLB longer than we will be on this earth. Of course I hope none of us wish injury for anybody that gets HBP. But I will feel no sympathy for the bruise/ache that a player gets for acting the fool on the field. Man up and grow up is the answer. Or as the late Paul Brown once said, "Act like you've been there."

I'll say this about Brian McCann. Both times the player he called out apologized for their actions. That must count for something, right?

[dougdirt]

Yes, I realize this. A player from Peoria was arrested for hitting a fan with a wild throw that was intended for the Dayton Dragons bench. He might (should) be arrested if that throw had gone into the Dragons dugout.

Now can we talk differences? This happens during a game. It happens when a pitcher has the ball "slip out of his hand". Cannot remember a MLB pitcher ever being arrested for a HBP. They have been suspended by MLB, but not arrested. There is a difference between a sports league suspending b/c of their opinion versus a crime in society. I think you know this.

Do I have a problem with a purpose pitch that is above the belt? Sure and this too is covered in the unwritten rules that MLB has. And, with no data to support it, I'd guess most purpose pitches used due to punkish behavior do not draw a return purpose pitch. We see those when there is no justifiable reason for a guy supposedly being HBP other than a bad attitude on the mound.

Like it or not... the unwritten rules will be in MLB longer than we will be on this earth. Of course I hope none of us wish injury for anybody that gets HBP. But I will feel no sympathy for the bruise/ache that a player gets for acting the fool on the field. Man up and grow up is the answer. Or as the late Paul Brown once said, "Act like you've been there."

I'll say this about Brian McCann. Both times the player he called out apologized for their actions. That must count for something, right?

I just can't get your logic. You want people to grow up and man up on the field. But if they don't, you are fully allowed to retaliate with violence against them, you know, the exact opposite of growing up.

[Ironman92]

I don't even know the last time I saw anyone taunt someone in baseball. Have any examples?

Not really but Gomez robbing Votto many Reds fans thought because he never showed the ball he was taunting....I did not.

Bo Jackson gunned someone tagging from 2nd going to 3rd from ridiculous RF near the line and he wagged his index finger at him like Dikembe.

[dougdirt]

Not really but Gomez robbing Votto many Reds fans thought because he never showed the ball he was taunting....I did not.

Bo Jackson gunned someone tagging from 2nd going to 3rd from ridiculous RF near the line and he wagged his index finger at him like Dikembe.

That is taunting.

Gomez wasn't.

I would be shocked if someone decided to "get back" at Bo though. Who would think that was ever a good idea?