Carpenter Can't Help Himself

[Phhhl]

I just read this...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5462236

There is nothing worse coming from this entire ordeal than giving this dingleberry a reason to climb up on a soap box. Most of the principals have chosen to shut their mouths about the brawl since it went down Tuesday night, except of course for Carpenter, the man who feels entitled to dress down his own shortstop before a captured audience when it interrupted his pre-game ritual. Larue won't even talk, and he is the guy on the dl with a concussion. I guess we are supposed to believe Carpenter was one of the handful of guys fined yesterday for no reason? No, there is no evidence he threw a punch or did anything physical. But, he would not be a dollar poorer today if his mouth had not overloaded his posterior and provoked extra violence that night.

If anything, baseball should take a second look at this knucklehead's comments after the fact and consider how it might be contributing to more acrimony in the future. I don't think any honest Reds' fan has a problem with the punishment dealt to Cueto for spiking people in the middle of this melee, no matter what the circumstances were. But Carpenter is not innocent either, and he continues to fan the flames like a crooked televangelist on a pledge drive. Baseball should consider his insistance on perpetuating this feud as part of the "incident", and consider more punishment.

[fearofpopvol1]

This really is unsurprising. Read the comments on espn.com for the article. As many are saying..."Carpenter is continuing to prove Phillips' original point."

[macro]

Carpenter said "It's a bad thing for baseball." No, it isn't. Baseball gets more attention when stuff like this happens, and you can bet that there will be more media attention and more fan anticipation when the two teams meet again.

Do I think it's right or do I condone what happened? No, of course not. But it's not "a bad thing for baseball".

At this point I'm reconsidering who my least favorite athlete is. Hines Ward now has competition in the form of Carpenter.

[Phhhl]

Whatever Carpenter said during the "melee" happened long before Cueto kicked anybody. It had to be more severe than just saying "f you" to Dusty to cause such a reaction. Judging by the man's lack of character and antagonistic tendancies, it would not surprise me at all if it were some kind of disgusting racial epithet directed at our manager.

[KronoRed]

I doubt it, if he had yelled some racial insults we would have heard all about it from many people.

Maybe he just told him that he didn't think his Hank Aaron stories were very cool.

[The Operator]

The racial thing crossed my mind as well, but I doubt that's the case because if he had said anything of that nature - his beating would have been much more severe and his own teammates may have joined in.

That being said, I'm sure what he did say was pretty awful. Yet he's painting himself as the innocent victim. Keep proving Brandon right, Priss. Keep it up.

edit: Do the Cardinals have any black players? I know they have some Dominican players but it seems like I remember reading at the beginning of the season where The Cards don't have a single African American on their team. Either way, I think if Carp had said anything racial he would have been beaten severely and we definitely would have heard about it.

[Phhhl]

I don't know. My sense of reason tells me you are correct. In this day and age, even the most arrogant, stupid athlete would have enough savvy to reign in his most diabolical Jerry Springer impulses. But, Carpenter's poor judgement and massive ego continue to push the envelope. I can't imagine anything mundane would have caused Rolen to got after his throat with intent to kill like that, even if it was only for the duration of the flash point. Baseball would have a vested interest in concealing it if one of it's greatest pitchers proved to be socially inadequate.

[The Operator]

I could see baseball wanting to cover it up - but I couldn't see some of The Reds not coming forward with it.

I'd also think a fan or 60 would have heard it too. And since it was in our house, any fan who heard it would have been more than happy to hang Carpenter on a cross.

[fearofpopvol1]

Whatever Carpenter said during the "melee" happened long before Cueto kicked anybody. It had to be more severe than just saying "f you" to Dusty to cause such a reaction. Judging by the man's lack of character and antagonistic tendancies, it would not surprise me at all if it were some kind of disgusting racial epithet directed at our manager.

I posted this in another thread, and will here. I have heard from a very good source that Carpenter said a word that begins with the letter "f" followed by the word "you" to Baker and that is what set the Dusty and the Reds off.

[Phhhl]

Nothing like that is ever reported unless there is empirical evidence, like video recording, audo recording or an organized effort by a multitude of people to isolate the incident. It is taboo to make such accusations without solid evidence. It is quite possible that if something like this happened, only Dusty, Scott or a handful of players within earshot heard it, or saw Carpenter mouth the words. Admittedly, it is a strong accusation. But, noone can dispute that the incident was basically over until Carpenter started jawing with Dusty about something, and only escalated when Rolen thought he understood what was said and started to push towards his former teammate with the intent to assault him. I have a very difficult time believing it was something you would hear on a first grade school ground... more like a bar.

Who knows. But, if Carpenter is going to drag it out with pointed conjecture, I think it is fair to guess on what he said that deserved being fined for. I mean, otherwise, what distinguished him from the other 50 people on the field who were not disciplined at all? Calling out players on the Reds team and pretending he had no role in what happened at all smells to high heaven.

[redsfan30]

Even seeing the name "Carpenter" just makes my blood boil. As someone said earlier, the more this ignorant jerk continues to run his mouth the more he proves Brandon's original point.

[KronoRed]

There is no way that Dusty or Rolen would not be telling everyone with an ear about if Carpenter had said or even mouthed such a thing, and baseball would not bury it, the Cardinals may be the long time kings of the NL but they are not the Yankees or Red Sox.

Carpenter is a talented jackass but I think trying to say he is a racist is a bit much.

[Big Klu]

edit: Do the Cardinals have any black players? I know they have some Dominican players but it seems like I remember reading at the beginning of the season where The Cards don't have a single African American on their team.

Jon Jay and Randy Winn.

Neither were on the Cardinals' Opening Day Roster. (Jay was at AAA Memphis, and Winn was playing for the Yankees.)

[Ron Madden]

Chris Carpenter "The Pitcher" has been blessed with extraordinary talent. Chris Carpenter "The Person" is a turd with ears and a very big mouth.

[jojo]

Nothing like that is ever reported unless there is empirical evidence, like video recording, audo recording or an organized effort by a multitude of people to isolate the incident. It is taboo to make such accusations without solid evidence. It is quite possible that if something like this happened, only Dusty, Scott or a handful of players within earshot heard it, or saw Carpenter mouth the words. Admittedly, it is a strong accusation. But, noone can dispute that the incident was basically over until Carpenter started jawing with Dusty about something, and only escalated when Rolen thought he understood what was said and started to push towards his former teammate with the intent to assault him. I have a very difficult time believing it was something you would hear on a first grade school ground... more like a bar.

Who knows. But, if Carpenter is going to drag it out with pointed conjecture, I think it is fair to guess on what he said that deserved being fined for. I mean, otherwise, what distinguished him from the other 50 people on the field who were not disciplined at all? Calling out players on the Reds team and pretending he had no role in what happened at all smells to high heaven.

Is it ever fair to label someone a racist or bigot based upon blind supposition?