[texan75010]

If a pitcher can purposely throw a projectile 90 mph at someone with the intent to do harm, why is it the batter who is retaliating the only one thrown in jail?

[bill1952]

Yes, lets lock up all of the pitchers as well.

That will solve the problem of anyone wielding a bat and clubbing someone with it once and for all.

And don’t forget Little League.

[montag813]

If a pitcher can purposely throw a projectile 90 mph at someone with the intent to do harm, why is it the batter who is retaliating the only one thrown in jail?

Offerman was hit on the second pitch, with a slider, and was hit on his calf. If a pitcher wants to hit you, he will do it on the first pitch, with a fastball, and aim for your back or head.

[domenad]

Proving one is easy. Proving the other is hard.

[CommerceComet]

If a pitcher can purposely throw a projectile 90 mph at someone with the intent to do harm, why is it the batter who is retaliating the only one thrown in jail?

Perhaps because intent is evident in one case and the other could easily have been an accident? Even if the pitch had been deliberate, Offerman had no justification to attack with the bat. Unless the pitcher had picked up the ball and was ready to throw it again, the immediate threat is over and Offerman has no self-defense grounds.

I don't know what the exact charge is but I would guess simple assault. If so, Offerman should consider himself lucky. He could be charged with more serious types of assault: assault to inflict great bodily harm, assault with a deadly weapon.

[torchthemummy]

If a pitcher can purposely throw a projectile 90 mph at someone with the intent to do harm, why is it the batter who is retaliating the only one thrown in jail?

Why do you make a statement that presumes the pitcher purposely tried to hit Offerman ON THE CALF! Being beaned in baseball is a cheap sucker punch move by pitchers but this incident shows no tell-tale signs of an intentional beaning.

I seem to remember how well Offerman hit when he was in the majors... he probably didn’t do much damage to the opposing pitcher and catcher that he swung at.

Did you read the story? The pitcher has a broken finger (could have been alot worse) and the catcher has a concussion due to Offerman's second swing at the pitcher that he happened to get in the way of. The catcher could be out for the rest of the season.

I know this is a minor league game and Offerman may be a player you like but what makes you folks so quick to presume guilt on the one hand and no harm done on the other. This is completely and utterly unacceptable and there shouldn't be excuses made for Offerman. Geez!

[highimpact]

If a pitcher can purposely throw a projectile 90 mph at someone with the intent to do harm, why is it the batter who is retaliating the only one thrown in jail?

Are you serious? The pitcher threw a slider on the first pitch for a strike. He threw a slider on the second pitch that broke a little too hard to the inside, striking Offerman in the calf. When a pitcher throws at a batter, he's going to aim for center mass. He's not going to aim for the head. He's not going to aim for the legs. He's going to aim for mid to lower back. An intentionall bean-ball pitch will ALWAYS be a fastball. Retaliation is one thing, but for a professional baseball player to charge the mound swing a bat at a pitcher is borderline attempted murder. How can you defend that?

Offerman needs to be drug tested. "Roid rage" comes to mind....