Alright, I’ve vented on the twitter but I feel like being limited to 140 characters clearly doesn’t do this issue justice, so here goes nothing.
Obviously, I’m an Orioles fan. Obviously, I’m going to stick up for my team & my players BUT I also know right from wrong and have no problem admitting when one of our players do wrong (i.e. Manny Machado throwing his bat at Josh Donaldson a few years ago was WRONG).
Let’s be honest: this “bad blood” between the Red Sox & Orioles is getting absolutely ridiculous. We still have 12 more games against Boston!
It’s the American League East, and the Orioles are division rivals with the Red Sox. There’s always going to be tension between the teams, & trash talking between both the teams & fans.
Remember the fight between Kevin Gregg & David Ortiz?
Or how about the infamous phone smashing by Ortiz?
See a pattern here?
Now that Ortiz has retired, who was going to take place of the Red Sox “villain?” So far it seems like the pitching staff is the new villains and it all stems from Manny over sliding 2nd base & spiking Dustin Pedroia two Fridays ago.
Yes, the clean slide from Manny. The slide Pedroia himself wasn’t mad about. The slide that Manny apologized to Pedroia over.
On Sunday of that series, Matt Barnes threw at Manny’s head, which rightfully led him to getting suspended for four games.
Was four games enough for intentionally throwing at the head of a batter? Not really.
Pedroia then made it known that he didn’t order the headshot & that he fully disagreed with how Barnes handled that situation.
Okay, cool, Manny apologized for the slide & Pedroia apologized for Barnes’ action, everything is good in the books now, right?
Well, apparently not.
Fast forward to this series – the Orioles are up 2-0 in the bottom of the 6th Monday night and Dylan Bundy hits Mookie Betts.
Did he do it on purpose? Bundy said he didn’t, and honestly, why would he have intentionally hit him to then have Hanley Ramirez come to the plate as the tying run at that point in the game?
Only the baseball gods will ever know for sure, but one thing we do know is that Adam Jones didn’t deserve the disrespect that was given to him by Boston fans during that game.
I get it: you’re mad at us for a number of things. Trust me, we’re just as mad as you are over this ongoing feud but to throw peanuts at our star centerfielder AND yell racial slurs at him? Do I need to remind you ignorant fans that he was a starter on Team USA, our country that just won the World Baseball Classic?
Please, stop embarrassing yourselves & act like a decent human being.
Just like Jones said, feel free to boo him all you want but leave it at that. But maybe that’s just something some Boston fans do, as multiple players, including their own, have also confirmed that “fans” have yelled these awful things to them for years.
But according to Albert Breer, that’s a lie and he needs “proof” it really happened.
Is it horrible to want some proof? I dunno. I've probably been to 200 games at Fenway in my life. Never heard a slur yelled at a player. https://t.co/Nq29ijPrzy
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 2, 2017
On Jones’ first at bat in game two of the series, he received a loud applause & standing ovation from Red Sox fans. For a minute I respected them for their positive actions. Now, surely, this hatchet is buried and we can just play ball, right?
NOPE.
All that was immediately thrown in the trash with what Chris Sale did next. The first pitch of Manny’s first at bat, he throws behind him. Then, he only gets a warning. What a joke. It was expected but to have it happen right away in the first inning?
Pathetic.
So not only has Manny gotten a pitch thrown at his head but now also at his knee, a knee that he had surgery on.
Personally, I’m quite proud Manny just gave Sale a look rather than giving him a punch to the face. And then what better way to get back at him than to hit a bomb over the Green Monster?
Off the field, all bets are off. Manny completely unloaded & expressed his feelings towards the Red Sox organization & getting thrown at by Sale.
I can’t disagree with his comments at all.
On the other side of the argument, John Farrell said Sale just missed his spot. He can’t possibly think we believe that. It’s Chris Sale! He dominated last night, and has been doing so all season. He knows exactly where his pitches are going.
The big question for tonight’s game is, will Kevin Gausman throw at a player? I’d like to think he’s smarter than that and personally, I would rather him not.
Will Manny get thrown at again? I’m not going to hold my breath but let’s hope Drew Pomeranz is a better man than Sale.
This nonsense has gone on too long. Be the better team & get revenge in the form of W’s & dongs.
I hope everybody has their popcorn ready. Hold onto your butts, as we may be in for more of the same stupidity tonight.
