What was going through Eric Cooper’s mind when Gonzalez threw behind Jeter?

I’ll be honest, when I was at the game last night it was hard for me to pick up on the altercations that went on between the managers and home plate umpire Eric Cooper. But now that I’ve seen replays and read the stories, I’ve reached a few conclusions.

When Enrique Gonzalez threw behind Derek Jeter in the eighth inning, it was as obvious as it gets. It came right after Jim Leyland was ejected for arguing why Chad Gaudin should’ve been tossed for hitting Miguel Cabrera. So why didn’t Cooper run Gonzalez out of the game? I think because he didn’t throw out Gaudin, he was scared he would’ve been ridiculed for throwing out a Tiger but not a Yankee (to answer the question in the post title).

You’re also probably thinking, why didn’t Joe Girardi come out of the dugout to talk to Cooper about ejecting Gonzalez like Leyland did for Gaudin? Because the Yankees were winning. It wouldn’t have done any good. In my history watching Girardi, he tends to pick fights with umps when his team is behind (rightfully so, in my opinion).

Bean balls are, and always have been, a part of this game. It’s probably my least favorite part of the sport, but it’s not going away. When warnings are issued, both catchers have to factor that into their pitch selections, especially when working with a wild pitcher.

What I dislike most about bean balls are the way umpires deal with them. They’re inconsistent. Some have short leashes, and others are too scared to make the right call (like Cooper last night).

Let me digress quickly. Umpires also have inconsistent strike zones. Some like low pitches, some like high. Some are tight, some give the veterans pitchers off the black. Ask any major leaguer and they’ll agree with me.

I remember when I played on my American Legion team last summer and I was asked by my coach, an ex-pitcher in the majors, to intentionally throw at a player if the other team threw at one of our players.

Thankfully, I never was put in a situation where I was told to throw at a batter, but, it’s real, as my coach would say. And I don’t doubt him for a second.

If it were up to me to revise the current ejection and suspension policies for this, mine would be a lot harsher.

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As I wrote this post, the Yankees dismantled the Tigers in the series finale, 11-5, to take the series.

Video: Yankees fans fight in stands at Rays game last week

Two Yankees fans broke out in a fist fight in the left field stands at a Rays game last week at Yankee Stadium. Here’s the video (via Pro Rumors):

The fight dies down after about 30 seconds, but the guy in the blue Yankees shirt against the wall really got his hacks in on the grey-shirted fan. Then someone lost their shirt. Quite a mess, really.

Yanks-A’s series in July could get dirty

Alex Rodriguez and Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden exchanged words in the sixth inning of today’s game. Here’s what happened and what was said after the game (via LoHud):

A-Rod: “He just told me to get off his mound,” Rodriguez said. “I was a little surprised. I’d never quite heard that. Especially from a guy that has a handful of wins in his career.”

The story: The whole thing started when Rodriguez went from first to third on a foul ball by Robinson Cano. On his way back to first, Rodriguez ran across the pitcher’s mound, which Braden saw as a sign of disrespect.

Braden: “I don’t care if I’m Cy Young or the 25th man on the roster, if I’ve got the ball in my hand and I’m on that mound, that’s my mound,” Braden said. “… He ran across the pitcher’s mound foot on my rubber. No, not happening. We’re not the door mat anymore.”

Rodriguez later said, “I thought it was pretty funny, actually.” And Braden also said, “He should maybe watch his Captain a little more often.”

This will not be forgotten when the two teams face each other again in Oakland July 5-7. I’m sure A-Rod won’t forget this either.

lenNY’s Yankees Top 5 Posts of 2009

I was looking at my most visited pages of 2009 and was pretty surprised with the top 5. So here they are, thanks to you followers:

1. Video: Blue Jays & Yankees fight between Posada and Carlson

The bench-clearing brawl took place on Sept. 16. Unfortunately, the video was taken down by MLB Advanced Media. Jorge Posada and Jesse Carlson were the only two ejected.

2. Yes, a Yankees Snuggie exists 
I still get a few hits a day to this post, and tons more around Christmas time. Apparently, the snuggie shown in the picture is sold out and all they have now is the 2009 World Series Champions one. Oh well.

3. Hideki Matsui World Series MVP!

It always helps to be linked from a foreign country that worships Hideki Matsui. The Yankees and my blog will lose a lot of the foreign market with Matsui signing with the Angels.

4. Roy Halladay rumors to Yankees are serious
This post came on July 7, so a few weeks before the trade deadline. Once Ken Rosenthal said he was available and Jon Heyman noted the Yankees and Phillies as early frontrunners, it was time to post. However, Roy Halladay wasn’t traded until the Winter Meetings, and he went to the Phillies.

5. Video: Yankees-Marlins fans fight in the stands (With Update)

Another fight! Man, I’m going to have to post all the baseball fights next year. I think this video was far more entertaining than the Posada-Carlson brawl.

Video: Blue Jays & Yankees fight between Posada and Carlson

Here’s the video of the bench-clearing brawl that took place Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Jorge Posada and Jesse Carlson were the only two ejected. So who won the fight?

Video: Yankees-Marlins fans fight in the stands (With Update)

Via Deadspin:

 

 

My reaction after the Marlins fan jumped over the railing: “HOLY $#!@!” I feel bad for the kid at 0:56.

 

UPDATE: Deadspin received some information from the people at the incident. Check it out.