Should Jimenez Be Suspended for More Than Five Games?
SodaHead Sports
2012/04/03 19:00:00
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Cleveland Indians pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez got hurt in the wallet and reputation on Monday, as Major League Baseball announced he would be fined and suspended -- for intentionally throwing the ball at Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. And it's not even the regular season yet. Yes, it's still only spring training.
Jimenez will begin his five-game suspension at the beginning of the regular season -- unless of course he appeals the MLB's decision through the players association. "He's starting the second game of the season," Cleveland manager Manny Acta said to the media. "It's disappointing, but I'm not surprised." While he didn't nail Tulowitzki right in the noggin, he did catch him on the elbow.
At the end of the day, isn't player safety important? Jimenez claims Tulowitzki was calling him names and said baseball players get hit by pitchers all the time. They may, but just because something has always been done, doesn't mean it should continue that way. With Ubaldo Jimenez not being able to maintain his composure, did he get off lightly with a five-game suspension?
Jimenez will begin his five-game suspension at the beginning of the regular season -- unless of course he appeals the MLB's decision through the players association. "He's starting the second game of the season," Cleveland manager Manny Acta said to the media. "It's disappointing, but I'm not surprised." While he didn't nail Tulowitzki right in the noggin, he did catch him on the elbow.
At the end of the day, isn't player safety important? Jimenez claims Tulowitzki was calling him names and said baseball players get hit by pitchers all the time. They may, but just because something has always been done, doesn't mean it should continue that way. With Ubaldo Jimenez not being able to maintain his composure, did he get off lightly with a five-game suspension?
Tulo shouldn't have been a douche to the guy who was about to hurl small objects towards him at upwards of 98 mph.
The two are old team mates, and Baseball should stay out of it. Plunking a batter for being a douche, disrespecting your team, or in retaliation for one of your own batters getting beaned is a time honored tradition in baseball. It's our equivalent to putting someone in the wall at 208 mph, which is also allowed by it's sport because of the added drama involved.
If he was aiming for the head i could see it, but a bruise on his elbow? C'mon man. Eject everyone involved from the game in question, and let's move on with our lives.
Rule 8.02 states as follows:
The pitcher shall not intentionally pitch at the batter.
If, in the umpire's judgment, such a violation occurs, the umpire may elect either to:
Expel the pitcher, or the manager and the pitcher, from the game, or
may warn the pitcher and the manager of both teams that another such pitch will result in the immediate expulsion of that pitcher (or a replacement) and the manager.
If, in the umpire's judgment, circumstances warrant, both teams may be officially "warned" prior to the game or at any time during the game.
Rule 8.02(d) Comment: ... To pitch at a batter's head is unsportsmanlike and highly dangerous. It should be - and is - condemned by everybody. Umpires should act without hesitation in enforcement of this rule.
As the Rule itself implies, the first question is whether a pitch was intentionally thrown at a batter. Rule 8.02(d) does not apply in the absence of such intent. Whether the pitch was intentional or not is up to the umpire's judgement. In exercising their judgement, umpires have been instructed to be mindful that, given the skill level of most Major League pitchers, a pitch that is thrown at the head of a hitter more likely tha...
Rule 8.02 states as follows:
The pitcher shall not intentionally pitch at the batter.
If, in the umpire's judgment, such a violation occurs, the umpire may elect either to:
Expel the pitcher, or the manager and the pitcher, from the game, or
may warn the pitcher and the manager of both teams that another such pitch will result in the immediate expulsion of that pitcher (or a replacement) and the manager.
If, in the umpire's judgment, circumstances warrant, both teams may be officially "warned" prior to the game or at any time during the game.
Rule 8.02(d) Comment: ... To pitch at a batter's head is unsportsmanlike and highly dangerous. It should be - and is - condemned by everybody. Umpires should act without hesitation in enforcement of this rule.
As the Rule itself implies, the first question is whether a pitch was intentionally thrown at a batter. Rule 8.02(d) does not apply in the absence of such intent. Whether the pitch was intentional or not is up to the umpire's judgement. In exercising their judgement, umpires have been instructed to be mindful that, given the skill level of most Major League pitchers, a pitch that is thrown at the head of a hitter more likely than not was thrown there intentionally. Umpires have been instructed to bear this presumption in mind in deciding whether a pitch was intentional.
Once Rule 8.02(d) is found to be applicable (because an umpire has determined in his judgement that a pitch was intentionally thrown at a batter) an umpire has two options: expel or warn the appropriate persons (the pitcher or the manager and the pitcher).
Rule 8.02(d) does not give the umpire the discretion to allow the opposing pitcher an opportunity to retaliate in kind before the warning or ejection. Nor does the Rule mandate, even in an instance where a pitcher has intentionally thrown at the head of a hitter, that the pitcher must be ejected.
Which of the two options is elected by the umpire under Rule 8.02(d) is at the discretion of the umpire, but the elected option will be based on all the surrounding circumstances. In assessing those circumstances, the umpire will take into account the note to Rule 8.02(d), which states that pitching at a batter's head is unsportsmanlike, highly dangerous and condemned within the sport.
The automatic fine for intentionally throwing at a batter is a minimum of $200. Each incident will be reviewed and further disciplinary action imposed on a case-by-case basis.
Baseball is a spirit of the law, not letter of the law sport, which is why every pitcher with a non-standard delivery isn't called for balking on every pitch.
Smart assed batters get beaned all the time. The standard punishment is a small fine, and ejection from the game if it was obviously deliberate.
Go watch ballet, or soccer, and leave the real sports to those of us with testosterone still swimming around in our systems.
Also, he thru at the guy's elbow, not head. Sht Talking = bruised elbow. Sounds like a good trade off to me.
i was going to give you a link but i cant as it has other people e-mail and numbers so i just shown mine with taking some out. you still can't get over yourself can u? i told you the rules from the start i didn't need to look the rules up i knew the damn rules
He got nicked on the Elbow. If it was obviously intentional, bounce him from the game. You shouldn't set the precedent that you can go out there disrespecting team's pitchers and not leave with a few bruises.
That's as much a part of baseball as walk off homers.
You obviously don't watch it.
I mean that's like a corner stone of the game. You disrespect a team, and someone is gonna wear a badge for it. It's as old as baseball itself.
You're more of a ice dancing type of guy huh?
Leave the real sports to the men k? You can talk about inappropriate violence in soccer all you want, and i promise not to give a damn.
You'd still be a pussy tho, and sanctioned sporting events are immune to such laws. MLB is the sovereign party, and their track record for incidents like this is a small fine, and a wink and a nod.
If you're really a baseball fan, you'd be aware of that.
You mean to tell me i could eat steak and baked potato every night, and wear skin tight capris and still be hot?
:P
If a batter gets hit, rest assured someone from that pitchers team will have a bruise as well before the series ends. If a loudmouth goes out there and talks smack about your starter, your first reliever is usually there to shut him up.
It's a time honored, and quietly understood tradition of keeping it clean out there.
Lmao... idiot... everything in football is considered assault outside the arena, that's kinda why we watch, sports is an elevation of real life, the same rules do not apply.
And Tulo's behavior would be considered harassment outside of baseball, and likely net him a shot in the teeth for his trouble. Instead he got a bruise on his elbow.
ever watched baseball? This is happens quite often, it's actually expected in some situations by the other guys on your team.
I have $50 saying the next time these two teams meet, someone from Jiminez's team will get plunked.
I doubt he gets any respect for this pitch as it was personal, since that team traded him because they renewed the hit batter's contract instead of his. Sounds more like sour grapes, than anything.
The only hit batter that will be justified will be the one on his team when they play again, at least you're right about that.
Better yet his pay should be given to player he threw at.... now wouldn't that be a kick in the jeuvos.
You must just not like Jiminez.
Or you've just never seen enough games to realize this is quite common, like every other game quite common. In fact the traditional penalty is ejection from the game, a fine, and respect from your bench.
Tulo got a bruise on his elbow for disrespecting the other team. That's Baseball at it's finest.
It isn't common. It does happen though. I am just saying have the dude forfeit half his annual salary to the dude he hit. Maybe then he will learn to throw the ball over plate. If not.. then don't cry when he charges the mound and knocks ya silly. Make sure the umps stay out and the benches.
It isn't that I don't like him. He is a girly man for hitting a dude with a pitch. If he was a man he would walk to the plate and say something. Being a chickensh1t by throwing something at him makes him a school girl.
Perhaps the monetary penalties could be a bit higher, but they should benefit charity, not millionaires who can't treat a former teammate, and one damn good opposing pitcher with respect. It doesn't really matter if you like the guy or not, you're a representative of your team, and the fans who support you. in my book disrespecting the other team in that manner, is worse than telling your pitcher to bean a loud mouth.
I won't cry when he charges the mound. I'll turn up the volume and crack open another beer, as long as he leaves the bat behind. As far as the benches, since you've been on a team, i assume you feel the same as i do about someone else attacking a teammate. With the umps, it's their job to break up situations like that.
Walking to the plate and saying something is the girly way out, and you still get ejected from the game. What's more, now the guy talking sht is justified, cuz he didn't disrupt the game by walking across the field, and is likely not ejected.
That's a good way to take your team out of the game emotionally and mentally. If you hit him, and cause a reaction, you're both gone and two charities benefit.
I just can't help thinking this is much ado about nothing, if he tried to hit him in the neck or head i'd agree with you, that's tantamount to attempted murder, and has no place in baseball. But Tulo walked away with a bruised elbow.
I'll go there.. have the dude give it to charity... that'll work too.
Pitcher throws a 100 mile fastball at your head... but the batter has to leave the bat behind? Something ain't right about that.
Nah.. I think it is bad.
I'm sorry, but little league is one thing, in the adult world we learn to show respect to competitors, even if we don't like them. It's the "Professional" thing to do. Sure there's going to be some jaw jackin', but something tells me this was of a more personal and sinister nature than just "we need a pitcher not a belly itcher".
You come into a major league arena, and disrespect the millions of fans who make the whole thing possible...
This was handled on the field of play, and with more than a loose mouth. No one was put in any more danger than just being there already posed, and the message was sent clear as day. My hats off to Jimenez.
this almost makes up for the no-no he put on my braves 2 years ago.
The fans didn't pitch the ball. Please.. that isn't even comparable.
Yes the message was sent. He was a pu%%y too. Real men don;t send messages like that. Stand in his face and say.. anything else and Jimenez is a $%^^&.