MAY 26: Odor’s suspension has been reduced to seven games, tweets Jon Heyman of MLB Network. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan first reported that Odor’s suspension would be reduced by a slight margin (Twitter link).
MAY 17: 3:37pm: Bautista will be suspended for one game, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo.
3:20pm: Right-hander Jesse Chavez, who hit Prince Fielder in the thigh with a pitch following the initial skirmish, will receive a three-game suspension, reports Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (Twitter link).
2:56pm: Elvis Andrus will get a one-game suspension for throwing a punch, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). That appears to round out the bans on the Texas side of the equation.
2:24pm: Toronto skipper John Gibbons will be hit with a three-game suspension, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. He’s being punished for returning to the field after previously being ejected.
2:04pm: Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor is set to receive an eight-game suspension for his role in the recent brawl with the Blue Jays, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports (Twitter links). Odor is expected to appeal the ban, which will at least delay its application and could theoretically result in some reduction.
Additional suspensions are expected for players involved in the fracas, but it’s hard to imagine that anyone will get anything approaching Odor’s level of punishment. The youngster pushed and then punched Jays’ star Jose Bautista after a rough slide into second base, precipitating a large melee. Of course, there was more to it than that, as Bautista had previously been plunked by Matt Bush — a move interpreted by some as retaliation for the slugger’s dramatic bat flip in last year’s postseason.
All told, the move isn’t of major consequence for the Rangers. Odor can play while his appeal is considered, and the organization has plenty of options to fill in for whatever stretch he ends up missing. Hanser Alberto would represent the most obvious replacement who is currently on the active roster, but Jurickson Profar might also be an option. As Jamey Newberg noted earlier today on Twitter, Profar has shifted over to second base for his game today at Triple-A.
It still boggles my mind that Matt Bush was in prison 7 months ago.
Also, Joey Bats definitely was rearing back to “baseball fight” punch Odor (aka probably some weird push/punch thing that misses almost everything and lands on a side of his arm, what normal baseball fighting looks like). Odor doesn’t do the playfight thing apparently.
Bautista should get 2-3 for the slide though. Gibbons should get more than Odor because he came out after getting ejected.
My guess: Bautista gets 3, Gibbons gets 2. All fringe players/coaches who face suspensions will get 1 (Donaldson, Pillar, Bannister, etc.)
Chavez and bush will get 4-5 each prabably
Doubtful. They might get 1 a piece. Might.
1 game for relief pitchers essentially means 0.
Because RP are constantly being rested, so you can retroactively claim a suspension to perfectly coincide with a rest day.
I agree with the Bautista range (2-3 games) and Gibbons range (2 games if its deemed he was just trying to help break up the fight, 3 if he wasn’t and/or did tell Chavez to throw one at Fielder). Chavez and Bush should each get 2-4 though with Chavez getting more than Bush (since Chavez’s was an obvious retaliation HBP). The other guys who were mainly involved, like you mentioned, should get 1 unless they did something else that went unnoticed.
I personally don’t think either Bush or Chavez deserve suspensions. Chavez was ejected and he didn’t ignite anything further.
Bush’s HBP didn’t start the melee, Bautista’s hard slide did. Bautista could have simply taken his base and left it at that.
im not a bautista fan, but I dont see him getting a suspension. maybe 1 game. Because he didnt throw a punch, his only offense was the illegal slide, and no one has been suspended for that rule yet (im not sure if there are even provisions to suspend repeat offenders). Of course, they may want to suspend him for being an arrogant fool
The slide clearly instigated a fight. If it were a hard slide, isolated from anything else, sure, no suspension. But when your slide looks like a blatant retaliation from being hit, it deserves more.
yeah I agree on bautista not a fan of him either but – I mean it was an aggresive late slide but it wasn’t like he went out of the baselines or spikes up – so it is just a violation but isn’t showing any real intent to injure the player(though it could be ruled as not even a violation) that already has the consequence of a double play, end of story.
Rangers fans: Bautista gets 10
Blue Jays Fans: Bautista gets 1
Yeah, still costs the play a little cash though.
Though, hardly anything comparatively. 3 grand for a league min player?
Love it “baseball fight” punch. One has to wonder when Odor played Hockey. That was a hockey punch.
Ever since Johnny Cueto ended Jason LaRue’s career baseball fights have kind of degenerated to “Hey we’re all millionaires lets just put on a show and not hurt anyone”..but Odor did not get that memo!
I also LOVE the parallel between this and the Nolan Ryan/Robin Ventura brawl, now the young buck is humbling the veteran superstar, who lets face it, had been acting bigger than the game for at least a couple of years at this point and needed to get some humility slapped into him.
Rougned Odor’s right fist = humility.
Why does everyone say that Johnny Cueto ended Jason LaRue’s career? It’s a totally unfair assessment. He was a 38 year old back up catcher that was likely headed toward retirement. His injuries from that fight were not career threatening except for the fact that he was going to retire anyway.
Probably because Cueto kicked a player in the head repeated times and gave him post concussion syndrome????
He was 36 and one of, if not the, best defensive catcher in the league still. Cueto repeatedly kicked LaRue in the head even after going to the ground. He didn’t just end his career, he took away parts of the mans personal life as well.
No Batista should get an automatic double play for the slide, like the rules say.
That slide has been legal for 100 years. Its against the rules now (and IMO should not be), but the penalty has been established for when nobody is hurt, and that penalty is an automatic DP. Now if he hurt Odor with such a slide, then you consider a suspension.
This is like saying speeding is only against the law if you run someone over. I don’t agree with the rule necessarily. But if you’re going to implement it then you better enforce it. If player safety is the issue then you need to send the message before someone gets hurt, not after. Thats the only way you will get players to think twice before sliding.
And besides, intent has something to do this one. Purely coincidence that Bautista preforms a take out slide after being beaned? C’mon. It’s Jose Freakin Bautista we’re talking about.
Given the circumstances, I think the Rangers were up a run and it was the 8th inning, a take out slide isn’t that crazy when you’re trying to prevent a DP (although it happened anyway). If you want to call his slide late and a bit dirty, sure go ahead. But to call it uncalled for is ridiculous. What was uncalled for is the original HBP in what most likely would’ve been Bautista’s last regular season at bat against the Rangers. Bautista was right in saying that if the Rangers wanted to go after him, go after him in the first game…not their last meeting of the season in his last at bat.
If the Rangers go after Bautista in game 1 in Toronto, then Toronto will retaliate, and there’ll be a series of incidents. Then Texas will take that tension into Dallas and they can’t let Toronto get the last laugh, and will have to retaliate at home… so they do it… and Toronto will respond. And it’ll never end.
It’s better to do it as everyone goes home and call it a year between those two.
Also, that slide was 100% uncalled for in every context. If you’re a Blue Jays fan, you ought to be ticked. This is the second time he ended an inning on a slide this year, one for sure cost the game, this recent one perhaps cost the game AND got people suspended. What a selfish act.
It’s also uncalled for because it’s illegal and it’s timing was as questionable as you can get.
Bautista getting a one game suspension means the commish sees him as the victim. What a joke. Good thing others in baseball know the truth and are on Odor’s side in this one.
I have a strong feeling this isn’t going to be the first incident involving Jose Bautista this year.
And of course, based on what we learned from Royals fans last year: it’ll never be his fault.
the only ones taking Odor’s side are the Texas fans still crying because Bautista beat them in the playoffs…. that slide was perfectly legal up until this year any professional infielder would tell u what Bautista did sliding to 2nd is the way baseball should be played and infielders anticipated that.
You must be a ranger fan
Sounds about right. A little light in my biased eyes, but it’s what I expected him to get.
well I looked back because I was curious, quentin got 8 games too when he broke greinke’s collarbone so I guess it is in line with previous suspentions but I thought that was light too…
One rule change I would be all for: banning roster moves for minor suspensions. Minor suspensions could be anything under 10 games.
If a player is suspended and it’s less than 10 games, the team cannot fill his spot on the active roster. This makes them play with 24 players while players are suspended, thus making the suspension something that actually hurts teams.
Only exception: if multiple players are suspended at one time, a team may replace one (1) of those players.
If we’re going to suspend players for their actions, make it hurt the teams as well. This way, teams won’t put up with the crap these players pull any longer.
Completely agree, I was just thinking along these lines this morning. I don’t agree with all of your specifics, but I generally agree that if a player is suspended while on the majors roster his spot should not be filled by another player.
This is a pretty good idea, but the MLBPA probably will never let it happen. They are all about getting as many players in the system to eventually get them paid as possible. If that means bringing up guys to burn options filling in for suspensions then so be it.
I like it!!
Are you certain that’s not already the rule? Drug test suspension are different, but I was under the impression that a player suspended for an on-field incident had to remain on his 25 and 40 man rosters. Are you saying that the Rangers can simply call up another guy to replace Odor?
Baseball Prospectus article from 2010 would agree that he has to sit on the active roster: baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10855
From that article,
“A player suspended for an on-field incident may not be replaced on the active roster, leaving his team a man short for the duration of the suspension.”
Well what do you know, I guess it already is a rule. Thanks, Ted.
Won’t ever happen, dream on
Check out Ted’s comment above this. It looks like it’s already the case.
If you must be condescending, it helps if you’re at least accurate.
I love all this happening over a bat flip. Get over it. I’ve never seen anyone try and knock David Ortiz unconscious and he flips his bat half the time. It’s a bat, it’s been flipped, Move on. Next time, don’t serve a fastball over the heart of the plate ;to a renowned power hitter. That’s just begging to be made look the fool.
if I was a texas fan I would be more Pissed of the ball going over the fence not what he did with his bat….
Totally agree
Hahahaha Joe Bautisita
I’d love to hear the appeals process for these things..
“Well sir, he deserved it because he’s a showoff”
Oh okay! You get 6 games instead of 8, what were we thinking?!???
Probably. Has to be at least close to the process instead of “you know what, you punched a guy at work, in any other industry in the entire world this would mean you’re fired and maybe criminal charges filed, so we’re going to have to send you home for at least a month”.
I guarantee if I punched anyone in the jaw at work, I sure wouldn’t be employed by Thursday.
Actually the punch had nothing to do with him being a “showoff.” He got hit by Bush because he is a showoff. He got his bell rung because he tried to “make a statement” with a hard slide and then went at Odor when he got up. In the fight the only difference between what Odor did and what Bautista did was that Bautista thought he was in a blustering “baseball fight” and Odor thought he was in a fight. fight.. Both need to be suspended for roughly the same amount of time.
No suspensions, justice was served. Move on boys and play ball.
Well I guess it seems Odor’s job and your job are not exactly the same. Perhaps you should try and get his job since it seems better than yours.
Odor has a union that represents him and says he can’t be fired for such an offense.
Odor is also likely much more valuable to his employer and much more difficult to replace than the average joe, so…… you also have that.
It’s on a field of sport not your office cubicle. They are paid to compete. We have taken all the hard nosed fun out of sports that create rivalries which translates to interest and buzz from fans, ratings on tv and more $$$ Stop softening sports with rules and suspensions over things that happen in tense moments. Last time I checked they are all men and should harden up and not be buddies with every team. Bring on the rivalries!
If you took a guy’s knees out at work you’d be fired as well.
With the appeal, Odor’s sentence will probably be dropped to six games at the most, possibly five. Bush will get three games because he is a reliever. It will be interesting to see what Pilar, Donaldson, and Batista get for their roles. Gibbons will get at least a game for coming out of the clubhouse after being ejected just like Harper did. I could see Gibbons getting a extra day for adding fuel to the fire when he came out instead of being a peace maker.
Gibbons was nothing compared to Harper, Gibbons actually participated in the melee and refused to leave the field, which is technically, I don’t know, trespassing? He deserves a week for that. The game was over when Harper came back on the field, which would not have been anything had he not pointed and cussed out the ump. Way different scenarios. Gibbons was foul and is a foul manager. The Jays have been deserving of something like this for a long time.
I agree. They are whiners in general from the manager on down. I’m sure there will be other incidents with them. Encarnacion seens to be one of the few exceptions on the Blue Jays side that keeps a level head.
Regardless of intentions, league rule states that if you come back onto the field after being ejected you will be suspended.
That’s because Encarnacion is a former Rangers prospect.
Ahhh ok.
Nope, Odor’s is not going down at all. They probably checked in with the MLBPA before settling on 8 (which is ridiculously low, in my opinion, and I’m someone who enjoyed every minute of Bautista getting his clock cleaned). They’re not budging any lower. Unless something happened to incite Odor that we don’t know about, it is what it is.
CALL UP PROFAR
From an unbiased point of view:
I’m glad Odor is being suspended for 8 games. Even if it’s appealed down to 5.
From a fan of a team that has nothing to do with the altercation. Jose Bautista had it coming, the only thing I wish is that Odor would not have had his glove on his left hand as he went for the K.O after the right hook.
Jose Bautista is one of the most hated players in baseball, and he’s deserving of that title. He’s cocky, and in all honesty, as epic as that bat flip was, it was uncalled for. He did that in a taunting fashion, not in a fired up fashions. His only intent with that bat flip was to show up the opposing team. There’s a difference between attempting to fire up your team, and attempting to show up your opponents.
Also, anyone in their right mind knows that Bautista went into second base with the intent of doing damage. He didn’t start his slide until basically being on top of second base, popped up and looked Odor right in the eye.
I’d have done the same thing in Odors shoes. Bautista owes Adrian Beltre a steak dinner for saving him from being knocked out by a man half his size.
Odor is 5-11, 190.
Bautista is listed as 6-0, 205.
That’s almost equal.
Here’s the thing that gets me in this whole situation. The Rangers were mad over a bat flip, so when Desmond hits the go ahead homer in the 7th, what he do, he bat flips. If it’s an eye for an eye, shouldn’t it have been over there. Congrats Desmond, you “showed up” Chavez like Bautista “showed up” dyson. Oh wait, it’s not showing up anyone, it’s expressing emotion. Anyways, all I’m saying is if your going to hit Bautista because of a batflip, don’t flip your bat in the same game, because you come off as total hypocrites
I definitely agree with this. Bautista’s flip was bigger, but so was the moment. It’s a battle between a pitcher and a batter and somebody’s gotta win. Pitchers celebrate after strikeouts. What’s the difference?
This wasn’t about just one bat flip though. Bautista has been acting like he owns the league for years now, and is on some untouchable level like Big Papi is. He isn’t though.
Imo the only teams that should have any beef with Bautista now is Baltimore and Texas. And the first was after Baltimore (o’day) continually threw at him. I could be wrong but if there’s more examples please let me know
I think baseball fans all over should have beef with Bautista. I’m a Phillies fan and I have beef with him because he clearly has no respect for the players wearing the opposing jersey. I’m not one who cries over bat flips. It’s whatever. Flip your bat if you crushed it. Who cares? Where the problem lies is the way he does it. He deliberately stared down the pitcher in the ALDS before catapulting his bat. That’s crossing the line. You know he’d cry foul if someone stared him down after striking him out.
Well Desmond didn’t basically throw it into the Toronto dug out then stand there for 30 seconds. The Texas crowd didn’t throw objects all over the field. The Rangers last year or this year dos not cry to the umps about every run scored or strike out. I don’t think for the players it’s all about the bat flip. I think Bautista is just in general the most unliked by other teams.
30 seconds? Bautista stood for about 2 seconds and then ran the bases at normal speed. Nevermind that they had just been royally screwed by the most bizarre play I’ve ever seen in the top of that inning. I’m just blown away that Rangers fans can actually be mad about that reaction.
The bizarre play was bizarre but legal. So no one was screwed.
If the jays wouldn’t have come back, it might have been the worst way to lose a playoff game in sports history. It adds to the excitement of the home run he hit
If you don’t want to be showed up then throw a pitch that he can’t hit into the street. I think emotion is fine in a big spot. If a strikeout occurs in a big spot and pitcher pumps fist is that showing up the hitter? Honestly, we need to start teaching young players how to lose and that everybody doesn’t win.
You honestly believe that we need to make a concerted effort to teach young players to taunt the other team when you beat them and then say if you don’t like it do better? I would prefer that they were taught to be proud of what they accomplished as opposed to being proud that they beat someone else.
There is nothing wrong with some emotion in a big spot. There is something wrong with getting a big hit, standing there posing for a few seconds and then throwing the bat in front of the opposing teams bench.
I believe I was saying to teach them sportsmanship not sure how you misinterpreted my statements.
I agree about teaching youth good sportsmanship.
I do not think Bautista got punched for the flip. He got punched because he attempted to hurt Odor and jumped up like he wanted to fight, and he did that to the wrong guy. That’s it.
Yup, maybe they hit him cuz of the flip but whatever, wasn’t at his head. But the he tried to hurt someone knowing Damn well it’s an auto double play! So basically he said f the team I’m going to hurt this guy, and he got jacked for it.
Totally agree with you on this. Especially after watching Odor’s fight in the minors
Odor has done multiple slide more dirty, just take the time to look them up.
You mean when it was legal?
Just because it was legal doesn’t mean it was clean
Odor went into second cleats up at Giovatella last season
1 game for Bautista is the biggest joke to come out of this
MLB probably thought, “a vicious right hook seems to be enough, let’s not pile it on”
I agree completely. He had his fist cocked and ready, but he was too slow to react. He just ran into a guy with faster reflexes than him apparently. He should have gotten at least 3 games.
Donaldson’s $1,000 fine isn’t too far behind
this makes me so frustrated !
I looked over the slide Jose did, and there was NOTHING wrong with it !!!!! He was running to make 2nd before the ball did !!!! and what is MLB going to do next, put a speed limit on players trying to make it to 2nd ?!?!?!? and if you watch the video, frame by frame within the two seconds … The ump never raised his arm to say out, and Odor saw him coming, so where is a player suppose to go, if he doesn’t know for sure he has been called out. The who thing is sad and wrong !!!!! And I am so TIRED of Texas feeling pride over the bat flip !!!! This had nothing to do against them. Bautista has been playing our Canadian team since 2008, and we are ONE team among 29 teams of their precious USA, when it was all up to him, to move us on to OCTOBER baseball, it was a flip of joy, a flip of I did it, for the Canadian Fans who love baseball, and only have one team, to take them to the World Series …. FINALLY!!!! When Jose flipped that bat, it wasn’t because I was proud he won against Texas, but because we finally get to know that wonderful joy of moving thought, that feeling of a glass ceiling, that seem to have been over us for too long. I for one love that we have this ONE Canadian team, up here, and the few times I get to see a live game, I actually am so glad to see all the American teams that play up here, because I LOVE BASEBALL, AND I LOVE ALL THE TEAMS, I LOVE SEEING THEM ALL, AND I ACTUALLY HATE IT THAT WINNING TEAMS GET TO GLOAT ON THE FIELD AFTERWARDS HIGH FIVING EACH OTHER, AND LOSING TEAMS GO AWAY ALL SAD !!!! I SAY LET BOTH WINNING AND LOSING TEAMS COME UP AND GET THEIR APPLAUDS …. BECAUSE IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE A GAME, AND IT IS WONDERFUL THAT BOTH TEAMS ARE ABLE TO PLAY AS WONDERFUL AS THEY CAN !!!!! I’M SORRY, BUT THIS WHOLE THING HAS CAUSED ME TO BE SO ANGRY !!!! I HATED THE WHOLE HUMILIATION THAT OUR PLAYER HAD TO FEEL BEFORE TEXAS FANS, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL SO PROUD, AND HE HAD TO BE HIT BY THE BALL, AND HIT IN THE FACE, BECAUSE HE REPRESENTED OUR LOVE OF THE GAME ….. THE WHOLE THING HAS MADE ME CRY …. AND I CAN’T HANDLE IT THAT MLB THINKS JOSE HAS TO BE PUNISHED FOR JUST PLAYING THE GAME FOR US, WITH GREAT PASSION !
Deep
One game suspension for Bautista basically says violating the new slide rule doesn’t really matter. He’ll appeal and then in a few days drop the appeal on a day when the Jays were planning on giving him a day off anyway.
Jays fans will continue to declare this was all about a bat flip and think Rangers fans are classless despite the fact that in that same game they were raining beer cans on their own field. Bautista had it coming and maybe he’ll think twice the next time he tries a takeout slid that’s now illegal.
So when should a guy be suspended for violating the new rule? Because theres been a lot of guys who have been called out already this year for it. And don’t call a whole fan base classless based off a few idiots, it happens all over the place
I didn’t call the entire Jays fanbase classless but I apologize for the vagueness. It’s just the last few days I keep hearing Jays fans calling Rangers fans classless and I was just pointing out the irony.
As for when someone should get suspending for the slide rule, how about now? The first high profile case before the first high profile case where a shortstop is out for the season with a broken leg. I’m just saying a one game suspension is a joke. It’s not even a slap on the wrist.
Hey there, Love Purple too …. Before you go and judge all us Jays Fans … let me help you get your facts right on this …. Up here we love baseball just as much as anyone does. We have ONE team, where you have 29 teams. Now MLB knows we make them money, so they tolerate us having ONE team, and won’t let us have another team, because of USA pride of ownership of the game. But with ONE team, we do love our blue jays, and since the last World Series we won in 1993, there hasn’t been another October baseball. Bautista has played for our team since 2008, and he knows he represents a whole nation who loves baseball. And the US loves all our fans, coming to their stadiums to watch the games. However if you really following the UMPing, you’ll see how things get favoured for the opposing team, more so for our team, because we don’t want to get any US team too upset. So when Bautista was up to bat, in that last at bat moment, to break the ceiling for us finally, so we could go on to play October ball. Well it was never a flip of pride or anything personal towards Texas, but more because he did it, he broke through, for all of us, who also love the game, and we finally get to have some fun October baseball; like all you guys get all the time. …. So Yea, I loved the bat flip, I felt like I flipped that bat with Jose. Again not anything against any other team, but just to finally know that joy of winning, to move on and play some more games, in hopes to go all the way, one more time! ….
And so now about classless, this is what was circulated before our ALCS games with texas last fall, tell me was this classy ?
globalnews.ca/video/2269300/texas-rangers-derek-ho…
it went viral through many social media ways, and I think if Derek didn’t do this, jay fans wouldn’t have been as edgy with texas; for his action disregarded our fan base, nothing more then toilet paper. Plus we have known more unfair ump calls then any American MLB team would know. So yea it did get really crazy …. for we were so close finally, and didn’t want to loose! (((And just as with any younger crowd anywhere, their are some, I won’t stand up for, because they don’t have good manners or morals, outside of being a jay Fan.)))) …. So I hope you don’t judge Bautista for flipping that victory toss, he did with a passion for all of us, who have waited a long time, to get that far!!!! ….
take care purple lover
I thought Batista would get 2-3 games. Wondering how many games Donaldson will get for flying in the air like a ninja after the fight was starting to die down some.
Can’t believe that Donaldson only got fined $1000.
lol. $1000 to a baseball player is about the price of a pack of gum to everyone else
MLB implements the slide rule to protect players from breaking their legs and then issues a one game suspension for a takeout slide… what?
Just my opinion, but Bautista should have gotten the same amount of games as Odor. He instigated it. Id rather be punched in the face then be the victim of a takeout slide. I’m sure Ruben Tejada would agree.
Even Cueto got less games for spiking people.
Agree, the punch wouldn’t have happened without the slide. U try to break my leg, I punch u in the face, all done. Get back to benches and finish the game. No suspensions or investigation. Just some good old fashioned justice. The fans gets some extra juice into a rivalry. Everybody wins and we don’t have to waste time talking about they should suspend the players that we pay to see, rather look forward to their next game against each other.
And the slide wouldn’t have happened if Bautista didn’t get beaned.
If you think Bautista tried to break Odor’s leg on that slide, check out Odor’s slide on Giavotella. How many punches would that have earned him?
Prince Fielder gets one game for laughing at Chavez’s sad attempt at retaliation…
1 game for Bautista? So violating the new slide rule isn’t that big of a deal I guess. His suspension and Chavez’s should be switched imo.
The whole fight was over, all the main parties were ejected, and Chavez still thought it would be a good idea to throw a Prince Fielder. He should have got 5 games
Torre is an idiot. They are clearly trying to send a message that this kind of behavior won’t be tolerated and yet the instigator of the whole thing only gets 1 game. If Bautista manned up and had taken his force out at second without trying to “send a message” then none of this would have happened.
Totally agree. All players will disregard this rule moving forward. Bastardista biggest penalty is them at he will never live this down
the instigator is bush and the Rangers for intentionally hitting Bautista. huge sissy move to wait until his last at bat during the last game! Very childish and lame
Only a $1,000 fine for Donaldson? Seriously? He flew across the field and tried to restart the fight. That’s the biggest joke of a fine of all time. That’s like me being asked to pay $1 for doing something illegal. Wow…
Pillar also only got a fine, but he clearly threw a punch. Not sure what his fine is though…
Bautista only cares about himself. He sacrificed 2 outs to make a point, instead of taking the hit and getting on base. He cost the team another game earlier this year doing the same thing. At the end of the season he’s going to demand more money than the Jays can pay and he’ll be out of Toronto. Will the Jays fans defend his antics to the end?
I keep seeing things that odor is dirty for his slides in the past. Those were when there was no rule saying he couldn’t slide like that, so why don’t we look at how he slides since the rule has been implemented. He hasn’t had a dirty slide this year. So saying he is a hypocrite is pushing it a bit. Bautista knew the slide was illegal and went in hard and paid the price for it. Bautista got popped because of a dirty slide, not a bat flip. He got pegged by bush for that. I think it’s time for everyone to move past it. Appeal and serve the suspensions and call it a day.
Even though they weren’t illegal, some were very dirty. His slide on giavotella was way worse than bautistas, and one he slid cleats up, the cardinal sin of sliding
Yeah, 1 game for Bautista is a joke to me. Obvious instigation. He can thank Beltre for pulling him out of the fight for this one.
I was secretly rooting for Beltre to get a few free jabs in. Not gonna lie.
Bautista has seemed a bit egotistical the last year or so… doesn’t seem like he respects the game quite like you’d expect from a throwaway utility guy turned prolific power hitting superstar. Can’t get in a guy’s head of course, but that’s what it seems like to me.
So yeah, hard to have nice video of that fist impacting his mug all over the Internet without an ego hit…
All Beltre did was prevent Odor from knocking him out cold haha. I’m not going to speculate who would win a fight between the two, but Bautista was clearly dazed after that one. Couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the full footage of him staggering after the hit.
You think so? I saw it differently.. Bautista clearly got knocked back but he didn’t seem fazed at all..almost like he could have taken a few more. Just my opinion tho.
Looked to me like he was totally off balance and just blindly flailing because Odor was still up in his face, before Beltre took him out of it. Looks like Odor would have connected at least one more big solid punch if others didn’t get in the way.
Anyone who tried to throw punches should be suspended. I didn’t see Elvis try to do anything but if he did then so be it. Why no suspensions for Donaldson and Pillar, who were flailing around like idiots trying to instigate it any more? Bautista deserves at least 3 games, I say more but 1 game is unacceptable.
Also, how did Andrus and Bautista get the same penalty? This is a really puzzling series of penalties. I agree with the Odor suspension and also Gibbons. The rest are inconsistent
Andrus threw a punch (although if Donaldson did too he should get a 1 game suspension). As dirty/illegal/late as Bautista’s slide was, it wasn’t that bad considering his cleats were down. Aside from Bautista and Odor, who knows what they said to each other before Odor punched Bautista. No one said Odor had to punch Bautista. If anyone wants to claim “well Bautista made the first move with his slide”, what about the HBP? It was pretty obvious they hit him because it was his final AB of their final regular season meeting. If Bush never hits Bautista then the whole fight never happens.
That’s like saying if this gang hadn’t fired shots in our neighborhood, we wouldn’t have fired shots into theirs. So they started it.
The Rangers were immature and acted foolishly.
Jose Bautista, in retaliating, also was (is) immature and acted foolishly.
I’ve watched the replay quite a few times. From the Rangers, Odor, Dyson, and Elvis all three punches. From the Jays, Donaldson
Odor threw the punch but body language wise, it’s painfully obvious to me at least that Bautista was looking to start something.
My biggest disappointment in all of this is the lack of Super Punch-Out references. I mean, a small fella(Little Mac) sticks a Gabby Jay(yes that is his name) in the jaw… Too easy I guess??
14 players/coaches were either fined or suspended.
The amount of tears is hilarious. I’ll take a HBP, a single punch and a bunch of whining for an ALDS and an epic bat flip.
Why do blue jays fans think this was about the bat flip? This was about the takeout slide and then getting up and getting in Odor’s face. If he had gotten up and walked straight to the dugout he wouldn’t have gotten the f knocked out of him
Jose Bautista got in a defenders face instead of going back to his seat and instigated a benches clearing fight involving double digit people and got the same suspension that Brad ausmus got for taking his hoodie off. Good job MLB. You just jumped the shark.
I’m a grandma jays fan …. and have never posted my thoughts in things like this …. but for Jose, I will. First we are ONE Canadian team, among the 29 us teams, yes MLB baseball is all American, but MLB loves our neighbouring fan bucks, and so tolerates us, plus we love baseball, and the stadium makes enough money to have this one team … oh yea did I mention we love baseball too ? … Umps call unfair calls all the time … however to keep our UNamerican team from winning too much of the American game, which would cause a slump in all the American fans dollars; well it is fine balancing act. Bautista has been with our team, and knows he represents all of us across Canada, to play the game, so our stadium, our broadcasts, we have a part of the fun and profit. When Bautista flip the bat, he did it, because he finally was able to push us into the October baseball. And it was so good that he was finally able to do it for our fan base, since he has played for us for so many years. However as you say it, he got hit by a purpose brick into his ribs, by someone who wanted to win new respect for doing so. Then I watched the video, in the rush to get to 2nd before the ball, to try and get there, or stop the double play, Did the ump know for sure OUT, he never rose his arm as an out, and just kept watching the play. So it is only fair to think in the couple seconds of running to 2nd, and looking for the out, then seeing the ball did make it into the glove, without any hope of a last second fumble, however you are almost at 2nd, in ONE second what can you do, Odor is about to throw into Bautista’s upper body area yet again, so he slides into the area of the bag, which Odor had left opened. There was nothing wrong with it, it has been the way baseball has always been played, and only because someone thought he was an offensive football player, broke someone’s leg, now the zest of the game at 2nd, has been reduced, to a sad rule, which MLB is able to control more of the outcomes, of who again, gets to win and not win, as far as I am concerned. And yes Jose jumped up to face Odor, was he to turn his back to him, to be pushed to the ground, he knows he wasn’t given fair moment at bat. All you want him to do, is walk away defeated, because you too, think his bat flip was seen too proud for our team winning. And this kind of thought just needs to be cleared up. Because we are peaceful neighbours, and should all be happy to see each other’s teams play. As I use to say to the baseball teams, I use to score for long ago. It isn’t about winning or losing, IT IS ABOUT HOW TO PLAY THE GAME. and we cheer for the winners, because next time we will be. However when someone controls the glass ceiling, and won’t let someone ever win; frustration becomes the winner, and so when Jose flip that bat, he did it more for me, and everyone else who was waiting to have that fun victory moment !
For any Toronto fans that think Baujtista stood a chance against Odor I offer this. Odor is wearing #2.
youtube.com/watch?v=Wt5eZJWMELo
He takes on 4 guys and connects solid punches on 3 of them. One while backing up..
yea so what’s your point?
someone can’t try to stand up for his own rights,
because he’s facing a wild scrapper, who likes to sucker punch ?
I respect Beltre, good guy, good heart,
if I ever have a chance to see him play in our stadium,
I’ll be sure to stand and whistle loud for him.
all of this brick throwing is wrong …
if you’re from the heart of texas
then show that deep heart of texas I hear about …
people have the choice to be great, if they so wish to do so !
I’m a Rangers fan and expected it to be 8 games like Quentin, so really not surprised. But I think the media is way overexaggerating the new “Rangers-Blue Jays rivalry”. They don’t play each other the rest of the regular season and Bautista is a free agent after this season, so it’s not a lock that he’ll be on the Jays next year when they play them again.
Bautista got plunked. Reason enough to do a hard slide. It wasnt cleats up or any chase Utley dirty slide. Odor was guilty of worse. For all we know odor mouthedoff aabout the slide and bautista popped up fast cause of it. Then odor socked him one which is not only assault but against league rules. This isn’t hockey or boxing. Odor is a cocky punk who hides behind his teammates. All of this over a damn bat flip like come on. When the umpires screw u around all series of course he’s gonna be emotional after a big home run. I think Ortiz bat toss against Archer was worse. But for real there is no reason to punch a guy. The umpires did nothing either to fix this issue they didn’t step in between or anything. Bautista is not a saint he is a Goof sometimes I will be happy should he leave the end of the year but this whole thing should have been put behind everyone from last year.
Bautista should appeal as well.
Should increase Bautista’s suspension to match.
i agree clearly a mutual transgression, JB was just slower to the punch. i love all the ppl ripping Odor. Way i see it, JB is 35 and Odor is 22. Somebody should be way more embarressed to need to be told to grow up.
What he said. JB too slow to complete what he was thinking. Clear as day.
No he wasn’t. Odor tried to turn DP, hopped over JB then turned around approached JB. He coulda threw the ball and kept moving toward 1B. He was looking for a fight, but I don’t think it was a sucker punch
It is absolutely nuts to suspend Batista for one game as there is no provision in the rules for a suspension on a hard slide. Baseball players are becoming a bunch of pansies. Get lose to someone and you get suspended. Pitcher throws at you and they get very little if anything. Why was odor’s suspension reduced. Obviously Texas good old boys must have been doing some padding of the pockets of the baseball executives.
LOL. What an idoiotic stance. Bautista admitted to a very late slide. He confronted Odor after the take out attempt. He reared back to throw a punch… he was just late to throw it. Bautista is lucky he only got one.