Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield won't be punished for his role in a scuffle with fans at Fenway Park last week. ...Will MLB release the video that shows this altercation, because I don't think anyone has seen it yet.
"We do not condone any interaction between fans and players whether initiated by either fans or players," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "I am pleased that Gary Sheffield showed restraint in not overreacting to the improper and clearly aggressive action of the fan in question."
The commissioner's office said Watson concluded the fan reached over the barrier near the right-field corner during the April 14 game in Boston and "struck Sheffield on the head as he was attempting to field a ball in play."
"Sheffield in response swung his arms in an effort to extricate himself from the situation and to avoid further abuse, then completed the play and returned to confront the fan," the statement said. "At that time no further altercation occurred, Red Sox security stepped in promptly and order was restored. Under the circumstances, Bob Watson concluded that discipline for Sheffield was not warranted."
Surprising decision from the former Yankees general manager. And Selig is a riot: "We don't condone any interactions .... uh ... except this one."
Can someone please stop talking about this non-issue? What exactly does this have to do with the Red Sox players, the Red Sox organization or the Red Sox fans?
ReplyDeleteIf we are to single out the plight of one Red Sox fan, then let it be someone other than this tool...let it be my plight:
Hi...What is my plight? Baseball news is being relegated to that of soap opera ebbs and flows. Nothing of it to do with the game that was played or the state of the game.
Step up Redsock - you're better than this.
1. The Red Sox have gotten more than their fair share of breaks from the MLB front office. So stop whining about Sheffield not being punished for NOT touching a fan that hit him. If the league were to take action against Sheffield, do you honestly think that players would even attempt to show any restraint in the future? It becomes a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. There would be no incentive NOT to hand out a richly deserved beat-down. There comes a point where the threat of a suspension will have a minimal effect. That point comes when a fan assaults a player. Very few people anywhere in our society would stand there and take a punch to the face and then turn the other cheek. So don’t expect the League to defend a fan’s right to hit a player.
ReplyDelete2. While sports media, in general has relegated itself to tabloid status, this story is relevant as it DID affect the game as played on the field and does touch upon a recurring problem in baseball and professional sports: fans injecting themselves into the game. It’s a black eye for RSN, but it’s relevant.
3. It’s hard to see House as an a-hole unto himself when so many RSN citizens are so quick to defend the indefensible. He had no business in the field of play, period. He’s an adult season ticket holder, so he knows better.
The Red Sox have gotten more than their fair share of breaks from the MLB front office.
ReplyDeleteThat could be true. I assume "breaks" mean decisions in their favor that should have gone against them. I wish you had listed a few examples, though.
So stop whining about Sheffield not being punished for NOT touching a fan that hit him.
Have I been whining? I posted a link to Bob Ryan today. I agree with him: We still have no real idea what House was doing (or trying to do).
Very few people anywhere in our society would stand there and take a punch to the face and then turn the other cheek.
How does this relate to Sheffield? He wasn't punched in the face.
It's a black eye for RSN, but it's relevant.
If you are the Anonymous who wrote the first post, how does this go from being a "non-issue" to "relevant"?
This is in no way, shape or form a black eye for Red Sox fans. Intelligent people do not judge millions of diverse people based on the actions of one or two.
This isn't a "non-issue." Sheffield threw a punch. House may or may not have thrown one. The tape is clear. MLB is biased for NY. Case closed.
ReplyDeleteAnd Watson suspends Ron Jackson for one game because the home plate ump says he read Jackson's lips while Jackson was in the dugout.
ReplyDeleteThe ump admitted he never heard a word Jackson said before he tossed him.
And House's actions aside, Sheffield did take a swing at House. But Watson simply gives him a pat on the head and a piece of candy on his way out of his office.