Brawl!
Posted on March 12th, 2008 – 3:26 PMBy Michael Rand
The Yankees and Rays got their brawl on in an exhibition game earlier today. AP photos show: Shelley Duncan of the cheatin’ Bombers, going in spikes high on the Rays’ Iwamuri Akinori in the second inning. Yep, that’s a good place to put your sharp spike if you’re trying to start a brawl. Newsday’s Kat O’Brien adds these words (thanks to Fasolamatt for the link):
The bad blood between the Yankees and Rays boiled over Wednesday afternoon with a benches-clearing brawl.
The fight started when the Yankees’ Shelley Duncan lined a single over Rays third baseman Evan Longoria’s head. Instead of stopping at first, though, Duncan barreled into second base, crashing into Akinori Iwamura. Rays rightfielder Jonny Gomes sprinted in and tackled Duncan, causing both dugouts to empty.
Umpires ejected Duncan, Gomes, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long and Yankees third base coach Bobby Meacham. Play was paused for a few minutes while they cleared the field and calmed people down.
The problems between the teams began Saturday when the Rays’ Evan Johnson collided with Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli at home plate, breaking Cervelli’s wrist. Yankees manager Joe Girardi was livid at the play, calling it “unnecessary” in spring training, while Rays manager Joe Maddon had no problem with it.
In the bottom of the first inning Wednesday, Yankees pitcher Heath Phillips was ejected after he appeared to graze Longoria with a pitch near his midsection.
And remember, it’s the Rays, not the Devil Rays these days. Either way, they love to fight.
10 Responses to "Brawl!"
Born in St Petersburg in ‘98,
A hot-headed team named the Rays.
They love to play but what’s really great
Fightin’ Around the World!
They fight other players and they fight their fans,
It’s a problem no one understands.
(If there’s two things they love, it’s fighting and)
Fightin’ Around the World!
Throwing balls
Hitting balls
And Fightin’ Around the World
Carl Crawford was reportedly quoted as saying, “Delmon Young’s lingering negative effects on this clubhouse led to the brawl today.”
No truth the rumor that the Wild offered the Rays Chris Simon in exchange for a draft pick.
Sugar Ray was a fighter. Ray Charles was not.
UFC 85: The Tampa Bay Rays take on the UND Fighting Sioux Hockey team. Who’s the fightin’est team around? Find out on pay per view!
http://kissmesuzy.blogspot.com/2008/03/joe-buck-gets-drunk-in-vegas-declares.html
See the picture at the bottom of this story. On the left…Rand???
Evan Longoria… I wonder if he’s as good-looking as his siamese twin sister Eva.
Evan Longoria is actually the name Tony Parker recently assumed.
I wonder if Shelley Duncan likes Johnny Cash…
Duncan was lucky to even reach the bag with that friction-riddled slide. All he did was telegraph his message. And then even with a sprint from right field, all Gomes could muster was a weak-ass blow to Duncan. These guys are all very rusty in brawl situations. No wonder they have a full month of spring training.
