In the rivalry between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, many hitters have needed to duck.
A lot like the Hatfields and McCoys, few remember how it started or why but these two teams have hit each other with pitches more than any other pair of teams in the National League. Andrew McCutchen was hit three times one season. Eugenio Suarez, who was hit on his hand today, was hit twice last year.
Jameson Taillon, who missed this series, hit Suarez in April last year, costing the third baseman two weeks of the season with a broken hand. The Reds got a scare today when its best hitter was hit on the hand today by Clay Holmes and had to leave the game for X-rays in the eighth inning. It appeared to be negative. Suarez expects to play Friday.
For the second time this season, David Bell was ejected for blaming the umpires for doing nothing to protect his players. Visibly shaking with anger after the game, Bell threw up his hands and has instructed his players to "take matters into your own hands,"
Not elaborating on what that means, Bell had plenty to say after the Reds' 7-2 loss to the Pirates.
"We know that there was intention, I was doing what I could to protect my players," said Bell without raising his voice but raising his eyebrow. "Clearly, we're no going to get protected. We have to do what we can. It's unfortunate that players aren't going to get protected. That's been made clear. We know that team will throw at people. So, what are you supposed to think."
On April 7, Pirates pitcher Chris Archer threw behind Derek Dietrich after Dietrich admired the second of the seven home run he's hit off Pittsburgh this year. That lead to a bench clearing brawl in which, Bell, Amir Garrett and Yasiel Puig were ejected. The Reds have a 25-22 record since that incident in Pittsburgh. Bell said at the time he didn't want the Reds to retaliate. The Pirates were hit by two pitches, one was Melky Cabrera on Monday's first game. Neither sparked a reaction.
Now Bell will back his players should they get into trouble by their actions.
"I want to make sure our players I know they can do what they have to do. Whatever means, they need to protect themselves," Bell said. "With any means necessary, whatever that takes. The ball doesn't hurt when it hits you that bad but it has the chance to do some serious damage. When you're messing with someone's livelihood, who knows. Clearly, we're not going to be protected by the umpires in the league. That's been made clear.
Bell began speaking more forcefully and rapidly. "They need to do whatever they need to do whatever they need to do and I'll back them whatever that is. Whatever means necessary. I will back them no matter what that is. Clearly, we're not going to get protected. For some reason we think it's ok to throw at people. It may have been ok many years ago and we're still living by some rules that I don't know about. It is ok to intentionally throw at our players. The umpires think it's ok. The league made it clear it's ok. Someone is going to get hurt. The players need to protect themselve. They need to protect their career. Whatever that takes."
Suarez was shaking his afflicted hand, walking to first base by way of the mound accompanied but Elias Diaz, the catcher and fellow Venezuelan.
"I don't know man," Suarez said. "In that situation up by six, that's what I wanted to ask him. He said no definitely, no. I don't like that pitch up and in, in front of my face. The catcher told me in Spanish, no we don't want to hit you. I said that I just wanted to know. It hurt. Thank God my hand feels better, nothing is broken. I hope to be alright on Friday."
Suarez remembers the broken hand from a season ago.
"The threw me up and in and broke by thumb. When I came back, they hit me in my elbow. I just wanted to know why they hit me," Suarez said. "They said it wasn't intentional. It's part of the game. I didn't see what David did. He just asked my about my hand. At that time it was in purple color. I was 0-for-2, I just wanted to hit and it made me mad."
"We have to do something to protect ourselves," Suarez said. "Nobody wants to hit nobody. It is part of the game."
 |
| Edited by ML Schirmer |
No comments:
Post a Comment