The Spin is In

The only thing that Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker and St. Louis skipper, Tony La Russa probably agree on is that watching the game from their offices suck.

"I vomited four times," La Russa said because he had to watch the game from his office rather than practicing his self proclaimed genius from the dugout for all to see.

Baker, though agreed.  "I don't know how Bobby Cox does it.  I love Bobby Cox but I don't see how he can watch so many games from his office."  Cox holds the record for ejections by a manager.

Both also agreed that the umpires had to do something and tossing the managers was the most logical choice.

The heat of the pennant race, turned up a notch by Brandon Phillips flaming comments, was matched by the heat of the day which was 93 degrees at game time and a pair of red hot pitchers.

Adam Wainwright allowed just one run in his last 16 innings and is 6-1 in his last nine outings.  Bronson Arroyo hasn't allowed any earned runs in his last two starts, covering 14 inning.

Those two will decide the game on the field.

The behind the scenes talk of disciplinary action by the league office as the result of  Tuesday's gang war.

"It is too early.," Baker said.  "Hey man, I don't think its fair to print or participate in speculation about losing a guy.  That's like setting a sentence before somebody went to trial. like "How many years are you going to go to jail?"  You hope that the guys up there see the pressure and the background.  Also, you can't go with what you see on video.  The first man always sounds innocent until the second person testifies.  Sometimes, even though no punches were thrown there were some words that created punches to be thrown.  Not that what happened was right on our side or what was said on our side.  But there's always a cause and effect on every situation.  That thing was over until people started talking."

Those talking were Yadier Molina and Chris Carpenter.

Molina had the last clear chance to avoid confrontation and chose to extend the issue.

"We didn't come to fight," Molina said.  "We came to win a game."

If so, why not let your bat do the talking as he did with his home run in the second inning rather than adding to the ugliness by commenting to Phillips before the first pitch?

Tony La Russa expects Johnny Cueto to be suspended for kicking his pitcher, Carpenter and back up catcher and former Red, Jason La Rue.

"Jason has cuts on his face and a concussion," La Russa said.

Yet the Cardinals put Jeff Suppan on the disabled list rather than La Rue when they recalled catcher Stephen Hill from Double AA Springfield.

The actual fight got under way when Phillips tapped Molina's shin guard which is customary.

Molina went to war. "He touched me.  The comments he made yesterday, I said why are you touching me?  You're not my friend."

"I would have a big problem if my catcher was suspended.  What did he do?" La Russa asked.

How about making matters worse, Tony?