Tony LaRussa Says Harang s/b Suspended

[RedFanAlways1966]

Manager Tony La Russa said Harang should be suspended for letting the pitch (that hit Gary Benett in the head) get away. The team described the injury as a contusion to the back of the skull and La Russa said he had not been updated on Bennett's status.

"There isn't anything in baseball that I object to more," La Russa said. "Whether we hit them or they hit them, I've said it for almost as long as I've been managing: I'd suspend a guy two weeks to start with.

"A month the next time and then a season, if a major league pitcher doesn't have better command than that."

Have at it, REDS fans.

I guess Tony forgot that this is a game played by human beings. They are some of the best players in the world, but they are not perfect like Tony. Tony forgets that everyone cannot be like him.

[GAC]

It wasn't intentional. Anyone who was watching, and with half a brain, could see that (which leaves LaRussa out).

[RedsBaron]

LaRussa is full of it. He himself has made statements advocating throwing at opposing hitters, although of course "in retaliation", without saying that his pitchers should be suspended for two weeks to start with.

[Red in Chicago]

I didn't get the impression that Harang was head hunting on that pitch. He doesn't even have that reputation. Maybe the pitch just got away from him Tony.

[edabbs44]

From the guy who was blind to the steroid abuse in his own clubhouse. I have respect for LaRussa as a manager, but he lost a lot of cred with me.

[Falls City Beer]

Two words: drunk driver.

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

From the guy who was blind to the steroid abuse in his own clubhouse. I have respect for LaRussa as a manager, but he lost a lot of cred with me.

Which is exactly why I have no respect for LaRussa as a manager anymore.

If Harang were indeed throwing at him, he wouldn't have come halfway in from the mound, immediately after the pitch, to see how he was doing.

[membengal]

That's got to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.

Frankly, I hope the first chance the Reds get tonite, they drill a Cardinal square in the small of the back to demonstate to LaRussa the difference between intentional and the pitch that got away from Harang.

LaRussa's a giant donkey of the first order. Always has been. Always will be.

[smith288]

I think a manager should be suspended at least two year minimum if they are drunk drivers.

Professionals should have better judgement than that...

[Heath]

Mr. LaRussa has more worries than casting stones at other players.

Ludicrous.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

Two words: drunk driver.

That was exactly what I was thinking. He has no right EVER to talk about someone else getting suspended when he himself should have been suspended for a long time or even fired.

[chicoruiz]

Well, let's see...Wainwright has hit four guys this season, Tyler Johnson and Brad Thompson three, and several others two. So we wouldn't have seen too much of those guys this season, would we now, Tony?

The real problem would be that once a guy has been suspended once, the temptation would be strong for another batter from a division foe to "take one for the team" and thereby remove that pitcher from the pennant race for a significant portion of the season.

[MrCinatit]

From my understanding of the statement, LaRussa knows it was not intentional - however, he is saying Harang should be suspended for two weeks anyhow for having lousy control - and that he feels the same about his own pitchers (I could be reading into that wrong).
If so, it is still a very unintelligent statement. Hey, sometimes a pitch will get away. And it was very obvious that one got away from Aaron.

Besides, a line drive up the middle is more dangerous. Do we suspend batters who almost hit pitcher with those for having lousy bat control? Or suspend batters who let the bat slip out of their hands?

[CrackerJack]

Originally Posted by MWM

That was exactly what I was thinking. He has no right EVER to talk about someone else getting suspended when he himself should have been suspended for a long time or even fired.

Yeah at least his players wear helmets. People Tony may have crashed into and killed during his irresponsible drunken stupor sure don't.

Aside from that, it might be different if Harang were a habitual wild pitcher with control issues - he's not and never has been as far as I know.

[Marc D]

"There isn't anything in baseball that I object to more," La Russa said. "Whether we hit them or they hit them, I've said it for almost as long as I've been managing: I'd suspend a guy two weeks to start with.

"A month the next time and then a season, if a major league pitcher doesn't have better command than that."

Thats fine for the white players or the hispanics but you can't control a black player like that.

-GS