Yardbarker: Matt Garza

When Teammates Attack

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:59:46 -0500

Some see it as a glaring sign that the chemistry in the clubhouse is toxic, others write it off to testosterone-infused meatheads blowing off steam. However you rationalize a fight between teammates, the one constant is that they're normally fun to watch.

We got to witness that first hand again this week when Prince Fielder went after pitcher Manny Parra in the Milwaukee Brewers dugout (we told you not to dip into Prince's can of Pringles Cheez-Ums without permission, Manny). A couple of shoves, a semi-slap to the face in full view of the cameras and suddenly we've got national news.

The Parra-Fielder tussle came just days after Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith took the teammate brawl a step further and broke the nose of Panther safety Ken Lucas in the training camp fight that will ultimately cost Smith a two game suspension and a hefty fine.

Because of the mystery and inevitable gossip that comes with them, teammate-on-teammate fights are a shade more intriguing than the run-of-the-mill sports brawl between opponents. In December of 2006, we separated those fights into convenient categories to better understand them and in light of recent events, it would only seem appropriate to do the same for the brawls between friends.

The "Not on the Same Page" Brawl
For all the talk in baseball about the importance of a pitcher and a catcher being "on the same page", perhaps nothing drives home that point more than seeing what happens when they aren't. Being on different pages often means fists aimed at heads.

Recent examples of pitchers and catchers not seeing eye-to-eye include beastly Royals hurler Runelvys Hernandez attacking catcher John Buck in the dugout in between innings in 2006, Rays battery Dioner Navarro and Matt Garza going at it this summer and a scrap between Texas catcher Rod Barajas and pitcher Ryan Drese in 2005 in which the combatants dusted themselves off and went back to their respective positions the next inning to put up a zero. Professionalism at its finest.

Perhaps most memorable was last July when Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano went after Michael Barrett in the dugout after the two came off the field. One can't really blame Barrett for the run-in because quite frankly, how can you possibly get on the same page as a pitcher who spends most of his time screaming to himself in another language? There's at least a 5% chance that the mythical creature that Zambrano talks to every time he leaves the mound told him Barrett was a Martian trying to take over the minds of his Cubs teammates. Maybe even 10%.

The "I Hope They Beat the Hell out of Each Other" Fight
Imagine being a teammate in the Giants locker room through the majority of the last decade. On one side, you've got well-documented jackass Barry Bonds chilling on his leather recliner watching his personal TV - a TV that has been given roughly the same amount of dedicated square footage in the clubhouse as your entire locker.

On the other side, you've got hillbilly second basemen Jeff Kent who may be the only player in baseball whose reputation as a jerk is comparable to Bonds. In any given season, they are battling for the 1-2 spots on the "teammates I pray I don't have to sit next to on the team flight" list. Suddenly in a moment of glory, these two go after each other in the dugout and are ready to come to blows. If it weren't for the TV cameras zooming in on the brawl, most Giants players probably would have preferred to let them beat the living shit out of each other just in the off chance that they trade broken jaws and couldn't talk anymore.

A similar incident took place in the visitor's clubhouse of Shea Stadium in 1978 when Dodgers pretty boy Steve Garvey and permed-out pitcher Don Sutton went at it after a confrontation centered on Sutton's quotes about Garvey to the media. According to legend, their popularity amongst teammates was such that when someone yelled out "stop the fight, they'll kill each other", the response from one team member was "good."

Of course, both the 2002 Giants and the 1978 Dodgers went to the World Series, so don't be surprised if some enterprising manager sets up sanctioned cage matches amongst team members to see if it sparks a winning streak.

The Rasta Brawl
Just picture your standard teammate fight, only in addition to fists flying there is also massive amounts of hair. Dreadlocks to be exact. One might assume that it would be impossible to inflict pain through 14 solid inches of nappy hair, much like hitting someone wearing a football helmet, but it turns out that the 'do opens up a whole new element of physical damage.

In the case of the Etan Thomas and Brendan Haywood fight in 2006 when both were members of the Washington Wizards, Haywood somehow managed to rip out two full dreadlocks from Thomas' skull.

Not being terribly familiar with the anatomy of a dreadlock, I wasn't aware that they could be yanked out of ones head like a carrot being pulled out of the dirt. If Haywood was to fully capitalize on his maneuver he could have started swinging those puppies around like a pair of bullwhips. Nothing stings worse than being whipped with your own dreads.

The "Roids Don't Care What Team you Play For" Cheap Shot
When you presumably have more steroids coursing through your veins than a Barry Bonds - Mark McGwire love child, things like determining whether a guy plays on the same team as you are to be considered trivial. The roids don't care what team they play for, bro. When your friends Winstrol and Dianabol say that you're supposed to be a meathead gorilla, then that's what you do and too bad to whoever happens to be at the other end.

NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski was the quintessential meathead gorilla and teammate Marcus Williams was the person who happened to be close by one 2003 Oakland Raiders scrimmage. Romanowski effectively ended Williams' career when he crushed his eye socket with one punch.

Rather than simply chalking up the incident as an unfortunate run-in with an over-medicated primate, Williams decided to exact his revenge in the courtroom, suing Romo for $3.5 million and eventually being awarded $340,000 in damages.

Probably should be able to get a pretty sweet new eye socket with that kind of coin.

The Innocent Victim Scenario
Unless we're talking about a hockey fight where everyone just lets the guys beat the crap out of each other, inevitably a teammate brawl has to be broken up by someone. Normally a third teammate or a coach has to throw himself in between two enraged maniacs so that no one gets hurt. It's not a pleasant spot to be in.

Take the Brewers incident, would you want to be the person forced to step in between 300-pound Prince Fielder and whatever it is that he wants to get his hands on? Even if he innocently trips and falls on you, that girth would likely do damage to multiple internal organs.

Look at Ray Fosse. In 1974, Reggie Jackson got into a clubhouse scuffle with fellow Oakland Athletic outfielder Bill North. The peacekeeper on the scene happened to be Fosse who was rewarded for his actions with a crushed disk in his neck that landed him on the DL for 12 weeks.

Of course four years earlier Ray Fosse was run over by Pete Rose in the All Star Game separating his shoulder in the process. That has nothing to do with teammates fighting but, man, it kind of sucked to be Ray Fosse for a while there.

The Blatant Disregard for Authority
In the current atmosphere of sports, the balance of power between coaches and players has been blurred. Players make far more money, are more indispensable and most are not shy about how to use their newfound leverage. Some do it with contract negotiations or holdouts. Some do it by beating the hell out of their superiors. Either way works.

Of course a player getting physical with a coach isn't exactly a new thing. Reggie Jackson was famous for his showdown with Yankees manager Billy Martin in the late 70's; Nasty Boy Rob Dibble scrapped with manager Lou Piniella in the Cincinnati Reds locker room after a 1993 game. In 1977, Texas Rangers infielder Lenny Randle jumped manager Frank Lucchesi on the field before the game, clocking him in the face and landing several shots before being dragged off by teammates. Lucchesi suffered a broken cheekbone, two cracked ribs and a concussion in the fracas. Randle eventually suffered a trade to the Mets where he had to play in Shea Stadium. Not sure which is worse.

But just this season former Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon took management assault to another level when he choked out GM Ed Wade in the team dining room, proving once and for all that it is not smart for a front office executive to get between a player and his free buffet.

Coaches Versus?Coaches
Probably the only thing more bizarre than watching two players on the same team engage in some fisticuffs is watching two coaches on the same team go after each other.

Coaches are supposed to be the cool-headed ones, who are constantly preaching team unity and giving away game balls and crap. They're like a fraternity whose primary shared trait is that they all have the unenviable task of dealing with professional athletes all day. They're not supposed to be the ones throwing haymakers at one another on the sidelines.

The most notable of the coach-on-coach battles revolve around one small, balding old football "genius" ? Buddy Ryan. In 1985 there were rumors of his run-in with Bears head coach Mike Ditka while Ryan was serving as the coordinator of one of the most dynamic defenses of all time. According to lore, punches weren't thrown, but Ditka cordially invited Ryan out to the back alley when Ryan refused to heed the coach's halftime request during their only loss of the '85 season.

Of course, Buddy did manage to goad one fellow coach into a more physical confrontation while he was on the staff of the 1993 Houston Oilers. In a classic offense vs. defense battle, Ryan took a swing at offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride on the sidelines in their regular season-ending game versus the Jets.

For a guy who looked more like the founder of Wendy's than a hard-nosed football coach, Ryan sure did fancy himself a badass.
Whether it's coaches on coaches, players attacking coaches, players attacking players or someone is getting their dreads ripped out, teammate fights never cease to entertain.

So long as it isn't your team doing the brawling.

Bonus ? ESPN did a Top 10 teammate fights list found here. Some quality ones in there, including a soccer fight taking place on the field during the game. Freaking British people.

No-Hit Bids Spoiled

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:30:48 -0500

Amidst all the trade deadline madness, pitchers around the majors had some terrific performances. John Lackey took a no-hit bid into the 9th while Doug Davis had a perfect game spoiled in the seventh. They weren't the only ones to have pitched well either as teams continue to look for deals to help themselves in the race down the stretch.

Assessing the 60's

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:05:21 -0500

The end of July is approaching and just five teams in the majors have won sixty games. Surprisingly, the Yankees, Tigers, and Mets, the "Leagues" top three payrolls aren't part of those five. Apparently, $480 million doesn't buy you what it used to.

Not even True Rays fans can believe their good fortune

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:00:57 -0500

The playoffs in July? It sure felt like it on Wednesday watching Tampa's raucous crowd will their high flying Rays to a spectacular comeback and a surprising sweep of the reigning champ Red Sox. The win pushed Tampa Bay's lead in the East to an impressive 3.5 games. It was time. Time to talk to the top Rays fan site on the net. That's where R.J. Anderson of DRaysBay comes in. Anderson has been with DRaysBay since August 2006 and says he got into baseball "right before the Rays came around." Before that, he was a Braves fan. Anderson hails from the Tampa area and writes for Beyond the Boxscore, and has had his work featured on Deadspin and The Hardball Times. Without further adieu: the interview in it's glorious entirety. Scott Jacobs: Have you pinched yourself to make sure everything happening right now is real? I mean, the Tampa Bay Rays have the best record in baseball. As the Senior Editor of DRaysBay, how does it feel to finally have a winning team to talk about? R.J. Anderson: No way, I don't want this to end whether it be a dream or real. It feels a bit odd, honestly after all the losing seasons you start becoming numb to the results of games, and it's not because you don't care about the team and whether they win, but more of self protection. This is the first time in a long time that I, and really the entire fan base, can live and die with this team every night. SJ: Who would have thought that the Rays could supplant the Yankees as Sportscenter's number one crush of the week? ESPN has been all over you guys, and for good reason. How's it feel to have all this attention (positive attention) placed on a team that has known nothing but failure? RJ: It brings a smile to my face. Of course then someone will take a potshot at our fan base, which is growing, and it causes me to turn the channel. I don't think the Florida Marlins or Oakland Athletics fans get called to go to the park every night, and it's not even the Rays fans who don't go, it's the Yankee and Red Sox fans or even Cubs fans who live here and won't support the home team, at least not until the Rays are winning. SJ: Obviously the Rays are having their breakout year in 2008, but its been 10 years in the making. When did this turnaround really begin? And by turnaround I mean when was it evident, regardless of record, that Tampa Bay was starting to turn the corner? RJ: It's pretty hard to place a date on it because there isn't a definitive point, this is more like the Renaissance, or if I can throw a cheap pun out there, the Raynessiance. Stuart Sternberg and the new regime took over in November 2005, so that's a possible date, but if you want the moment us fans began thinking of this club different it was last July when the team dealt for Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler within a few days of each other, suddenly they weren't dealing major leaguers for minor leaguers anymore. Perhaps November 18th as well when the team announced stadium plans and the trade of Delmon Young to the Twins. SJ: Tampa Bay's notorious, along with the Marlins, for having really bad fans and attendance numbers. Yesterday's game against Boston was the 4th sellout of the season. So my question is this: are the fans finally here to stay, or is this just a tease of what could one day be? RJ: I wouldn't say "really bad fans", I would say "fewer", the fans the Rays have aren't bad fans, they've supported a team that many would've given up on, and most Rays fans have a great grasp on the game itself. As for the attendance, look, the 1991 Braves went from 65 wins to 94 and their attendance jumped from 12,100 per game to 26,422. Right now our attendance is just shy of 21,000 in a 36,000 seat stadium, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium sat nearly 50,000 as a football stadium that hosted baseball. Going purely be capacity measures the Rays are filling up nearly 59% of the place, the Braves had that great run and at the end of the season filled up around 53% of their stadium. Are they here to stay? I'll say yes, but only because I don't expect the bandwagon to empty anytime soon. SJ: Tampa's got great pitching, very good defense, a solid bullpen, and they love to steal bases. Sounds a heck of lot like the 2003 Florida Marlins. That team as you may recall won the World Series. See any similarities between this year's Rays and the 03 Marlins? What team would you compare this Rays squad to? RJ: I think the 2003 Marlins are a fair comparison. Both teams had a young star step up after opening day with Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria, both had a pretty legitimate top three of the rotation – I mean look back at that rotation and tell me how they wouldn't be expected to win every year if not for injuries – but they didn't have a very good defense. The 1994 Montreal Expos fit us better in regards that they had a really good defense, no true "star" players, a bunch of somewhat young guys with good seasons, and came out of nowhere. SJ: The trading deadline is fast approaching, and some interesting names have been linked to the Rays: C.C. Sabathia and Ken Griffey Jr. being the biggest When it's all said and done, and the trading deadline has passed, is it realistic to think the Rays will have made a trade for a big name player, or are they going to stick to their young guys 'paving the way' approach? RJ: It's realistic to think they could, but they won't, and it's not because of money – although I don't know if there's a team out there that can re-sign Sabathia straight up before he touches the free agent market. The Rays have built this persona around their motto "We Are One Team" and I don't see them bringing in a guy like Griffey Jr. because A) he's not going to help this team outside of the veteran presence non-sense people toss around and B) he's not good value. The people who run this team are former Wall Street honchos, think Billy Beane to the extreme. They're going to find someone who is undervalued but can help this team and they're going to acquire him for less than they should be able to, and then they're going to look like geniuses when he works out. They understand the market and real player value very well. SJ: Everybody's talking about what Tampa Bay is doing well. And for good reason. But in order to sustain their success throughout the second half, what doe the Rays need to improve on? RJ: The pitching and defense have been stellar, but the offense has only been average. I'm not sure if it's something the team can improve on outside of acquiring someone, but they need for progression to strike Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford. If those two can get going with B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria, and Eric Hinske having their seasons, this lineup could jolt up from middle of the pack very quickly. SJ: The Rays have long been one of the saddest franchises in pro sports. They changed their look, and their logo this year, and ditched "Devil", now fining media members 1 dollar every time they say the word. Clearly they're serious about the new image, but how much of an impact do you think their new look has had on the turnaround of this team? RJ: I'm not sure if it had any affect, although the players love the unis, this team – or perhaps the franchise's – mindset changed November 2005. To paraphrase something Chuck LaMar said: the only thing that was separating this organization from being recognized as one of the best was the results on the field. The team name and colors didn't matter until the team got good. SJ: And uh, speaking of the uniforms, why are the Rays too afraid to put "Tampa Bay" on any of their jerseys? What's up with that? RJ: The organization says its to build the new identity more, and I believe MLB rules prohibit changing the home/away jerseys within a year of each other, so what the plan seems to be is introducing a new uniform with RAYS on it, and then in 2010 implementing Tampa Bay on the road unis. SJ: What's the prognosis for Tampa the rest of the way? Can they win the AL East? Is it still hard to believe that you're even getting asked this? RJ: It's easy to say the team will win the division, but frankly I'm not sure I can wrap my mind around that quite yet. Let's say they break the franchise wins record (70) and after that all bets are off.

Tampa Bay Rays are the New .... ?

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:51:02 -0500

The Tampa Bay Rays have taken the AL East and all of baseball by storm. They are attempting to go from worst-to-first as has happened only a few times in the past. But the Rays remind us...remind us A LOT...of another media darling that took the sport by storm. See how similar these two teams really are...

Best players at each position among AL East powers

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:04:09 -0500

Prompted by a few questions on the subject, I decided to do my own version of the AL East player debates. Solely focusing on the three best teams—record-wise at the midway point—in the American League East, here are my picks for the top players at each position among the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays.

Red Sox fail in the clutch... again

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:53:57 -0500

The Red Sox have lost 3 in a row now by the slimmest of margins... is the absence of David Ortiz finally catching up to them?

Rays Continue to Pour it on the Sox.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:02:59 -0500

Matt Garza pitched well yet again for the Tampa Bay Rays, who now lead the Red Sox by 2.5 games in the AL East. And yet again, Tim Wakefield received the tough loss. It has become a constant trend to see Wake get no run support by his Boston teammates. Most of the Red Sox hitters seemed lost up at the dish tonight, none more evident than one at bat from J.D. Drew. With one out and runners on 1st and 2nd base, Drew looked at three straight strikes without taking the bat off his shoulder. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in a 2-1 game in the top of the 8th inning, you need to get at least one of those runs across. Situations like this is a reason why many don't believe, or even have enough confidence in J.D. Drew. [...]

Red Sox @ Rays: Okay, this time we'll be trying...

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:50:54 -0500

The Sox are now 1.5 games back on the Rays, but we've got the master of the Trop - Time Wakefield - going tonight... get a preview at The Bottom Line.

MLB Fantasy Minute - Week 13

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:20:54 -0500

Screaming Sports' Phil Yoon breaks out his famed MLB Fantasy Minute and breaks down the MLB's top five stories. Is Texas the new Colorado? Is it the end of the road for a fantasy legend? And are NL outfielders finished blooming? Mr. Yoon has all if it covered and much more.

Tampa Bay Rays: Best Team in Baseball (as of now)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:43:29 -0500

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, fans around the world, mark this day on your calendars, Monday, June 30, 2008, the last day of the month of June and the Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in Major League Baseball. You heard correct…with their 49-32 record, and .605 win percentage, the Rays not only have the best record in the AL East, they have the best record in baseball. To be a winnings team, you must dominate at home while maintaining .500 on the road. The Rays are 30-13 at Tropicana Field and 19-19 on the road, certainly a recipe for success. Honestly, would anybody ever believe that the Rays would one day be the best team in baseball? Maybe not, but it's true, damn true. I guess being the worst team in baseball for the past decade and receiving great prospects eventually pays off.

MLB Buy 'n Sell (6/29)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:23:07 -0500

Screaming Sports' Billy Smith break out MLB Buy 'n Sell and runs down a short list of players you should be buying or selling. Matt Garza? Believe it or not, it's time to sell. Robinson Cano? Grab him while he's hot!

AccuScore: Waiver Wire Wonders

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:36:26 -0500

If you are in need of pitching, but missed out on early season Waiver Wire Wonders like Justin Duchscherer or Jair Jurrjens, AccuScore fantasy expert Tim Williams has a few options for you, and suggests patience is the key to realizing their long term value on your team.

The 10 Best Post-Hype Prospects for Fantasy Baseball...

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:44:40 -0500

A post-hype prospect is someone in his second, third or fourth year who has yet to produce at the level that was expected of him when he made the league. Because of this, these super talented prospects go from over-valued to under-valued, and are now sleepers ready to break out and help your team down the stretch run.

Forget 2010, the Rays are contenders right now

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:35:21 -0500

Another article jumping on the Rays bandwagon, from a NY Post writer no less. If you had to pick 15 players from the Rays and Yankees roster, what would the breakdown be?