As I’m sure you’ve all heard by now, Elliot Johnson barrelled into Francisco Cervelli from the Yankees in the 9th inning of yesterday’s game, sending the catcher to the hospital and ultimately leading to a fractured wrist. (MLB.com)
Since then, both sides have come out with differing opinions on the matter - again, as could be expected. The Yankees say that the Rays are “playing too hard” in this exhibition season, while Joe Maddon says that his team is playing the game the right way and he has no problem with the home plate collisions. Even Don Zimmer weighed in today, saying that he was surprised that Joe Girardi - a former catcher - would getupset over something like this. (MLB.com)
I think Zim actually makes the best argument of all, though:
“He blocked the plate. What happens if our man slides in with the plate being blocked and breaks his leg?”
I’m sure the Yankees wouldn’t have had any problem with it if it was Johnson’s leg that was broken by Cervelli blocking the plate, but once its one of their own, they get all up in arms. Look - I get it, they are trying to protect their players. Girardi looks at that and thinks, “Oh God! What if that would’ve been Jorge Posada or Jose Molina? We’d be up —- creek!” But I think it sets a bad precident when Girardi implies that a player SHOULDN’T play the game hard all the time. When, then, is it appropriate to tone it down a notch and not play as hard? In a 10-run game? If you’re playing in Double A? On the third Tuesday of every month?
If Girardi really has a problem with it, he should take it up with the Rays on the field the next time the two teams play. Let him buzz Elliot Johnson around the midsection with a fastball, let the two teams fight it out, and then it’ll be over with. Isn’t that the way baseball teams settled things in the old days? Not that I’m advocating throwing at one of our own players, but a brushback pitch sends the same message as blabbing in the media about how upset you are - but it does it within the context of a baseball game. Whether or not these games matter is irrelevant; these are guys playing for the final spots on the rosters (or playing for a chance to get a look sometime during the season), and to expect them to tone it down a notch is both foolhardy and counter-productive to their growth. As a fan, I’m glad Elliot Johnson did that - it shows me what kind of hard-nosed player that he is. If I were a Yankee fan, I’d be glad to see how Cervelli handled it - he stood in there, took the hit, and got the out. He also never complained about it once. That’s what you want to see out of a player; and it’s the kind of thing you can only find out in game situations that come up during Spring Training.
I hope the team continues to play hard and continues to play the game the right way; as a fan, it’s what I like to see. It makes me forget - at least for a minute - that a lot of the guys remain overpaid primadonnas and that there’s still a bit of competition left out there. And I hope this remains a constant storyline when the Rays and the Yanks play this year, because it’s about time we had a real rival. Wouldn’t that be something? A bonafide Yanks-Rays rivalry that wasn’t simply steeped in the fact that the two teams play in the same division? I’m all for it.
- Marc Lancaster checks in on Plate Collision-gate. (TBO.com)
March 9th, 2008 at 11:44 am
It’s just baseball and Giradi has no point at all. If he doesn’t want someone run over don’t block the plate. Just apply the tag the same as a 2nd or 3 rd baseman would do. When you cut of the route witch is legal and was done by the cry-baby Yanks you have to expect a trained professional to react in the only way he has ever been trained. We are all sorry for his injury but don’t blame us.
March 9th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Charlie and Scott,
I respectfully disagree. This is spring training, not the regular season. What this time is viewed as is a a month to prepare for the season, and in no way compares to the rigors of a regular campaign.
Players rarely play nine innings, and pitchers are far from the finished product. This time is used for nothing more than to get ready for the season. The main point in doing this is avoid injury, and while that’s not always possible, in this case it was caused by at best a reckless play that had no business being made in a exhibition.
Mind you, I’m not a fan of barrelling the catcher at all, but to do it in spring training isn’t necessary. A “trained professional” should know when to run through a catcher, and this is not one of thsoe cases. He isn’t a machine, he can react based on the situation, like we all can.
Girardi has every point to be upset. In the end, it caused a major injury to a young player that costs him 2 months of the season. Reverse the players, and Rays fans would be clamoring for retaliation from the “dirty” Yanks. This is homerism, and I expect subjectivity from people in this case.
March 9th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Eric,
If he didn’t want to be run over, why did he block the plate?
If the run didn’t matter because its exhibition, why did he block the plate?
Are you from Tampa? I know you are a Rays blogger, but when did you start being a fan of the team? Just wondering…
March 9th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Couldn’t agree more with you Scott. Well done.
March 9th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
It has nothing to do with homerism; I’m the kind of guy who goes balls-to-the-wall in something as silly as a rec-league softball game, so that’s what I like to see in any kind of competitive contest.
If the games aren’t meant to be competitive, why do they keep score? Why are there standings? Might as well play a bunch of intrasquad scrimmages if they REALLY don’t matter.
March 9th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Block the plate and you are fair game.
March 9th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Eric, I enjoy your blogs but gotta agree with Scott on this one (from up here in NJ). Maddon even came out and said that he wants the team to play the game the right way, and if another team has a chance to take one of his catcher’s out, they should do it. The focus for spring training is to play the game right and work on fundamentals. Now, if Johnson came in cleats up, that’s a whole different story, but it was a clean, hard play that had a bad outcome, that’s it.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Eric, you may not a fan of barreling the catcher but if you notice he is mostly the only one who blocks the plate or bag because he is dressed in armor. The other infielders would block also but they don’t want to get crushed. In spring games they should apply the tag the same as a 2nd or 3rd baseman would do. He definitely took a defensive stance and paid the price.
March 9th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
I have no problem with it, especially if it’s someone trying to make the roster. What bugs me about Spring Training is that many really good players don’t go all out, not that I can blame them since they only way they won’t play is if they get hurt, but still I prefer to see players give it their all. The guys trying to make the roster are the best part of spring training, since they’re the only ones who really go all out.
By the way- Best part of the story was Maddon’s comments that he would talk to Girardi if he wanted to do so. He said he could talk about politics, global warming, his latest iTunes downloads, restaurants, red wine, etc. That’s the best part of the story, Maddon totally blowing-off that it was a big deal.
March 10th, 2008 at 12:35 am
It’s not a decision, it’s instinct. Sorry he got hurt, but it was a result of playing the game correctly.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:29 am
The Yanks are FOOLS for getting rid of Torre. Girardi weakens thier team. The funny thing is when the come to the Trop the most favorite shirt the fans wear is “We Got Rings” That’s a laugh, they haven’t got rings in 8 years and they will not get one this year under Girardi because he is a weak manager and looking for a ring in the sky. All he has to do is look up when he come to the Trop. We have all the rings he could want up there.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:41 am
I have seen a few take out slides at second base in spring training do they need to stop as well? Maybe the pitchers should only pitch half speed so nobody catches a pitch on the hand.
It was an accident that started when he blocked the plate.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Iagree with Eric you dont take out cathers in preseason or all star games and the reason they wear all that equipment dummy is to protect them aganst foul tips and things like that. The only thing he will get from this is an X on his back not just from the yankees but from every other team in baseball pay back in baseball is a mfker!