Deliberate Hits - Part 2

Image courtesy of TheBaseballZealot.com.

Continuing yesterday's story of the brawl between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals earlier this week, suspension for the players involved were announced today. Royals catcher Miguel Olivo, who started the brawl by charging the mound after he was hit by a pitch from D.J. Carrasco, was given a 5-game suspension. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen (featured above) was given a two-game suspension for pushing the umpire during the scuffle and for comments made during postgame interviews (for more on those comments, see Part 1). The Royals manager will serve a one-game suspension while Zack Greinke, a Royals pitcher who drilled Sox hitter Nick Swisher with a pitch, will serve 5 games. Greinke hit Swisher in the 7th inning while the fight occurred in the 5th. In regards to the suspensions, all are appropriate amounts. Olivo should have realized that the moment he charged the mound, the benches would clear (which they did). Likewise, Greinke shouldn't of hit Swisher in the 7th after both teams were warned.

In baseball, when a pitcher hits a batter, the other team will usually return the favor (the "eye for an eye" idea). In this case, though, after a major fight happened, there is no support for Greinke to hit Swisher. What if he charged the mound? When suspensions occur as they have here, appeals usually follow. Naturally, Olivo and Greinke are appealing their suspensions (5 games each). Olivo was reported as saying, "We are appealing it because I think that is too much for me. Their pitcher [wasn't] suspended at all, nothing. I'm disappointed because I'm hurt. I got [my] left hand hurt and my right hand. I know I'm going to get suspended, but not like for five days, maybe three or two games. I agree with that, but five games I think is a lot." Greinke wasn't surprised Carrasco received no penalty because "[T]eams weren't warned. He didn't really try to fight Olivo really or anyone." Though Ozzie Guillen is known for a fiery temper and arguing with umpires, he told reporters, "I let my club down for two days." No kidding, Ozzie. But at least he took responsibility for his actions, unlike Olivo and Greinke, especially Olivo.

EDIT (11:31 am): I added two sites to the blog links, Deadspin and The Big Lead. These are the two sports blogs most often linked to online. I highly recommend The Big Lead.