Major League Baseball has announced their disciplinary action for the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates fiasco from the other night. From Major League Baseball, here is the suspension list:
- Keone Kela – 10 games
Leroy JenkinsAmir Garrett – 8 games- Jose Osuna – 5 games
- Jared Hughes – 3 games
- Kyle Crick – 3 games
- Yasiel Puig – 3 games
- David Bell – 6 games
- Clint Hurdle – 2 games
Everyone on that list also was fined an undisclosed amount of money. On top of those suspensions, Trevor Williams, Joey Votto, and Phillip Ervin also received fines for their involvement, but will face no suspensions.
Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer notes that all of the players have opted to appeal their suspensions, but that managers can’t do that.
All six players have elected to appeal their suspensions. David Bell and Clint Hurdle cannot appeal. Bell's suspension begins tonight. #Reds https://t.co/9KTq2jxd8E
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) August 1, 2019
One of the most important things to note here is that it seems that Major League Baseball might finally be listening. In their release, it says this about Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle:
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has received a two-game suspension for his Club’s conduct during the incident and his Club’s multiple intentional pitches thrown at (Derek) Dietrich this season.
Hurdle, as far as I can recall, didn’t actually get into much on the field that night. He shouted with David Bell, but that’s about it. While it still feels like a soft suspension given the circumstances that literally everyone not wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates jersey believes are at the hands of Hurdle, it’s a little more than this particular writer expected, too.
The other big thing is that Keone Kela is only getting a 10-game suspension. He literally admitted that the threw a baseball at Derek Dietrich, on purpose. And that pitch was near his head. Call me crazy (I’m guessing that most of you reading this won’t – at least for this reason), but if you are admitting that you purposefully threw a pitch at a guys head, you need to be suspended for a very long time. In baseball terms, that’s a lot. But it should be a lot more than just 10 games.
Amir Garrett Photo Credit: Hayden Schiff. Licensing for the photo found here.
From the MLB statement:
“Reds manager David Bell has received a six-game suspension for returning to the field following his ejection; escalating the incident with his aggressive actions; his Club’s intentional pitch at Marte; and his numerous ejections this season.”
Lol. I ride or die with David Bell. That’s awesome.
The fact that he returned to the field after he was ejected from the game, to me, is a credit to David Bell.
Clint Hurdle is everything that Bell called him on the field. Obviously shouldn’t be anywhere near a Major League dugout. The bad blood between these two teams will continue to boil until the Pirates decide that enough is enough.
Agree. I’d play my ass off for a guy like Bell.
I’m actually more upset at the umpires for not squashing this sooner. The rules state that throwing at someone intentionally is an automatic ejection. The umpires were refusing to do anything about that, even after repeated warnings from David Bell. Joe Torre is definitely a tool, but the umpires were complicit in this unwritten rule nonsense to not nip this in the bud.
Joe Torre can grandstand about this ‘not being good for the game’ and a ‘bad example for young fans’, but the truth is, the umpires and yourself were basically asking for this to happen with your repeated non action. Maturity will only go so far before it’s time to stand up for yourself. I don’t like fights, but I can’t blame any single Red at all.
Any umpire with a clue would have ejected him after that pitch. It was obviously a purpose pitch from something that happened four months ago. Get over it already. Move on already.
I agree with you Doug. And YOU. ARE. NOT. CRAZY. Admitting that you tried to hit someone in the Head with a baseball is Attempted Assault in my book and therefore should be treated as such. He should have been suspended for the rest of the year with a promise that if it happens again he’s gone for good.
I like you. Aggravated Assault.
Kela’s statement may give Joe Deters cause to charge him with assault. Joe was saying it would be difficult to prove intent, but if the guy admits it…..do the Buckos come to Cincy again this year?
Also, I think Hurdle sound have been suspended for the remainder of the year. Where is Judge Landis – baseball needs him now.
Reds to Pitt Aug. 23-25 and Pitt at GABP to end season Sept. 27-29. The Commissioner, who is not decisively dealing with this dangerous situation, seems to be more occupied with concern whether his team, the Yankees, will make the playoffs. The Commissioner should be present at both of the remaining Reds/Pirates series.
Actually MLB will do as little as possible until it hits them financially. Make note of MLB sponsors and let them know the game is no longer watchable due to the type of conduct the Pirates exhibit. No one wants to see a player die on TV because he was beaned.
Leroy Jenkins – that was GOLD! HA!
Can you call up minor league replacements during a players suspension. If Garrett and Hughes serve their suspension at the same time, are the Reds just stuck playing shorthanded a few games?
I’m honestly wondering how long it’s going to be before the Pirates catcher is “accidentally” clocked upside the helmet with a wayward bat after another Bucco Beanball.
“Mr. Catcher, please walk to the mound and tell your pitcher that if he throws at me, it’s going to cost you.”
Or…he could just go all Izzy Alcantra on him. *chuckle*
DB reappearing after being ejected and joining another scuffle while hurling obscenities toward Hurdle continues the pattern set by the infamous Price F-bomb incident of some years ago.
Standing up for your guys is one thing, spewing obscenities and the F-bomb incident is a similar pattern in my opinion.
Both temper tantrums are in the heat of the moment. It’s the same pattern with different circumstances.
Call me crazy but I agree with you. My thoughts exactly on Bell. Nice post Sliotar.
I could be wrong, it’s happened many times but I can’t help thinking the Reds Higher-Ups can’t be pleased with the number of his ejections. Now watch us win 5 out of 6 during his suspension.
Completely agree with you, Sliotar. There are a lot better ways to earn the respect of your players.
What blew me away was the very next day we got hit twice and then the umps huddled and did nothing.The Reds did not try to get even but I wonder if they had would the umps have got together again.If we had plunked their guys first what do we think the Bucs would have done?Its just silly to try and analyze every time a guy gets hit on if it was on purpose but when a guy like Kella says he did it because of what happened months ago then what does that tell you about him and the Bucs and what does that tell you about congratulating the guy when he comes in the dugout.If MLB can call out why they suspended Bell then why not look at the evidence regarding Kela and the rest of his team.I know he got 10 games but Votto was upset because his teammates are patting hit on the back as if to say we support you.That’s who the Bucs are and until somebody hurts somebody it will continue.The umps should have took control when Kela went up and in to DD.They acted like they knew nothing of what has happened between these two teams.
Ok, thought for you though. Was Garrett’s offense worth more than 3x what is effectively a 2 game suspension for the Pirates starter? He’s admitted to throwing at DD and the pitch was in the area of the head. His suspension of 10 games means he likely misses 2 starts. Garrett might appear 4-6 times in an 8-game stretch.
What Garrett did was wrong but I actually prefer his action to if he had just gone up and in and hit a player in the head. At least in a fight a player has a chance to defend himself.
“Bloke”, “dram”, and “Tully” … That’s beautiful language right there.