It’s on: Five Americans hit by pitches, three Chinese ejected in baseball showdown

Hot Air ^ | 8/19/08 | Allahpundit

[gridlock]

Did I mention two home-plate collisions, one of which knocked China’s catcher out of the tournament? NBC’s highlight reel very stupidly doesn’t show all five HBPs, but it’s painfully clear that the one that sent Matt LaPorta to the hospital with a concussion was intentional. HuffPo captured a brief clip from MSNBC showing another HBP from earlier in the game, too. Square in the back.

International-incident-generating bench-clearing brawl? Narrowly avoided. Heart-ache. Click the image to watch.

[ColoCdn]

Old Time Baseball!!
Everybody took care of their own back then.
Unwritten rules and all.

[AnAmericanMother]

"Some people donate their body to science. I donated mine to baseball."

- Ron Hunt

[OB1kNOb]

A 24/7 “Women’s Beach Volleyball Channel” would probably do O.K. in the U.S.-at least for a couple of months.

"I'm President George Bush and I heartily approve this message!"

[beezdotcom]

I disagree. ..the second slide was clean. . .the catcher was waiting for the ball and was raising his glove to catch it. He’s blocking the plate and gets nailed. It’s baseball!

Let's put it this way...looking at the video from one of the angles, there's enough doubt to make it plausible that the second slide was clean, giving cover to the umps for not penalizing the runner.

Looking at it from some of the other angles, though, and knowing the whole situation......? Well, let's just say that I think both teams understood the message being sent on that slide.

[stevio]

I’ve actually been enjoying woman’s beach volleyball for the game lately. I must be getting old. Nah, they’re playing some kick@$$ ball!

[Tallguy]

Remember Sal "the barber" Maglie? He meant it when he said "When I'm pitching, I own the plate."

Sal Maglie was a little before my time. I remember some of the pitchers of the '60's that had 'reputations'. Drysdale & Bob Gibson to name 2.

Pitchers may have thrown at hitters more often then, but they were also more likely to observe the unwritten rules when doing so. Having to grab a bat & face the opposing pitcher tends to limit the extra curricular activities.

[numberonepal]

The funny think is there is still room for two sports for the London games but its probably too late for baseball/softball there.

I wish it could be golf. There's a movement and 2016 looks like it may be the year for the return of golf to the Olympics. There are some obstacles to overcome first, however.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

How many current major-leaguers have or are playing for the national team?

Probably none, since they're under contract to be playing here at this time of year. Of course, if our pros got to take off to play in the Olympics, they'd have to let the Dominicans and the rest go, too.

[gridlock]

I disagree. ..the second slide was clean. . .the catcher was waiting for the ball and was raising his glove to catch it. He’s blocking the plate and gets nailed. It’s baseball!

Even worse, the catcher was raising his glove to fake catching the ball. The ball was nowhere nearby.

But one might argue that the runner lowering his helmet into the catcher's face-mask was a little...rude...

[dfwgator]

The funny think is there is still room for two sports for the London games but its probably too late for baseball/softball there.

They'll probably add darts, or snooker.

[oyez]

Just playin’ for keeps, like baseball is supposed to be played.

[101voodoo]

Back in the 50’s and 60’s it was routine for a pitcher to plunk a batter who was crowding the plate or who had done exceptionally well that day against him.Don Drysdale was especially known for this. It was accepted and there weren’t many if any complaints. It was how the game was played. Batters almost never charged the pitcher as they do today at even the hint of a pitch being to close.

[N3WBI3]

Golf is a good idea but Baseball belongs there more than Golf... Maybe we could get rid of syncro diving!

[N3WBI3]

Plunking a guy in his side or back is a world of difference between going for the head!

[G8 Diplomat]

LOL! Exactly

And players normally don’t get hit with the ball during baseball games while they’re batting....this was deliberate. Five Americans hit by Chinese because we were crushing them on their home turf. How long till the London Olympics....

[G8 Diplomat]

[numberonepal]

Golf is a good idea but Baseball belongs there more than Golf.

Why? Golf is a far more internationally recognized sport with top players from all over the globe. Golf is also a much older sport AND it was once an Olympic sport.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Of course, if our pros got to take off to play in the Olympics, they'd have to let the Dominicans and the rest go, too.

Good point.

I've haven't watched Olympic baseball. Who's on the team, minor leaguers? College kids?

[Tallguy]

I agree, but wouldn’t you say that pitchers seldom threw at the hitters head? Or if they did they ‘took something off it’? I remember Tony Conigliaro (sp?), but he was the exception in those days.

I don’t think they keep a stat on this, but I suspect that far more DL time is ‘earned’ for bench-clearing brawls than the ‘duster’ that cause them. Which is something considering how poorly most baseball players throw a punch.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Roller Derby would be a good substitute. I might actually watch the Olympics!

Or Roller Ball!