Tempers flare in Yanks-Rays matchup

03/12/2008 6:12 PM ET
Tempers flare in Yanks-Rays matchup
Five ejected; Maddon calls Duncan's hard slide 'dirty play'


By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

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dam you GNOMES!!! haha i cant wait for rays vs yanks now.. rays better not do anything cus we got Farnsworth and Joba

Quote :

"Probably, but I hope not," Gomes said. "We're here to play nine
innings of baseball. It's baseball. This isn't boxing or fighting or
anything. So hopefully it won't. But to tell you the truth, I kind of
doubt it [is over]. I just hope nobody gets hurt."

"We'll see," Posada said. "I have no idea. I can't tell you
what's going to happen. I think we'll play the game a little harder. I
think it will be a little different from now on."

Just hope they ratchet it down a couple degrees... Gomes is right, it is just baseball, they are adults and it is up to the managers to try to slow this down. Playing hard is good, we just don't need the intentional injuries!

Saturday, March 15, 2008
Baseball: Roundup
Fracas prompts penalties
Two Yankees, one Ray draw suspensions -- to start Opening Day -- and six are fined.
Detroit News wire services

NEW YORK -- Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera and first baseman Shelley Duncan on Friday were suspended for three games each for their roles in Wednesday's spring training fracas between New York and Tampa Bay.

Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes was suspended for two games Friday.

All three players were fined along with Yankees manager Joe Girardi, third-base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Kevin Long.

The suspensions, unless appealed, will start at the beginning of the regular season.

Bob Watson, baseball's vice president for discipline, cited Duncan for "violent and reckless actions, which incited the bench-clearing incident," and penalized Cabrera for "violent and aggressive actions during the incident." Gomes was suspended for "violent actions, which escalated" the situation.

Benches cleared during the second inning of Wednesday's game, four days after Girardi complained about Tampa Bay's aggressive play after a collision at the plate that injured catcher Francisco Cervelli.

Duncan slid into second baseman Akinori Iwamura with spikes raised after hitting a hard grounder off third baseman Evan Longoria's glove and trying to advance to second base on the play.

Duncan, thrown out by at least 10 feet, was immediately tossed. Gomes was ejected after racing in from right field and barreling into Duncan as other players poured onto the field. No punches appeared to have been thrown as order was restored.

Duncan said he isn't sure if he will appeal the suspension.

Around the horn

The Yankees released actor Billy Crystal on his 60th birthday, one day after he struck out against the Pirates.

Nationals outfielder Wily Mo Pena will miss about four weeks because of a tear in his left oblique muscle.

Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui will undergo surgery to repair an anal fissure Monday in Houston. The expected recovery time after the surgery is two weeks.

Free-agent right-hander Kyle Lohse passed his physical and completed a one-year, $4.25 million deal with the Cardinals.

Lohse was 9-12 with a 4.62 ERA with the Reds and Phillies last year, throwing 192 2/3 innings. He has made 30 or more starts five of the last six seasons.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Around the horn

The Yankees released actor Billy Crystal on his 60th birthday, one day after he struck out against the Pirates.

They didn't even give him a fair chance to make the team! At least they could've optioned him to AAA first!

bobrob2004 wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Around the horn

The Yankees released actor Billy Crystal on his 60th birthday, one day after he struck out against the Pirates.

They didn't even give him a fair chance to make the team! At least they could've optioned him to AAA first!

:haha:

I bet Ty Cobb would be suspended for life if he played today!

gs78 wrote:

I bet Ty Cobb would be suspended for life if he played today!

That is for sure

Nice Photo!