Incase you don’t know, it takes a lot for Boston DH David Ortiz to get mad. And in case you REALLY don’t know, he did in fact get mad on Friday. I give you the tale of the cleverly named baseball soap opera- to be named later.
Papi went from the loveable big guy we know and love, to the agitated beast that charged the mound against the Orioles after a batter-pitcher duel where Ortiz thought the ball went a little too far inside. Ortiz hit a fly ball to center and as he casually jogged his normal route to first, something took him off his course.
But what could possibly poke the bear inside Papi enough to get a reaction?
Apparently Oriole pitcher Kevin Gregg said, something to the effect of, “Hey, get down that baseline and run.”
NOONE tells Papi to run.
After both benches cleared (I personally enjoyed the concerned look on Pedroia’s face as he trotted out to help his friend) Ortiz was ejected, as well as Orioles Kevin Gregg (the pitcher in question), Jim Johnson and Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
If it wasn’t perfect enough to see Ortiz throwing punches (he hit nothing) but that ESPN and several MLB watchdogs were recently criticizing the league’s frequent and possibly escalating number of ejections. We the fans had before us a front row seat to the game where baseball is just baseball.
Speaking of that sentiment, that’s exactly what Gregg tried to get at as he talked to reporters after the game.
He starts off, “We’re playing the game of baseball.”
(So far so good Gregg)
“I think you’ve got to ask David what he was thinking. It’s 3-0 and you’re up seven runs and the opposing pitcher gets upset with you hitting a weak fly ball on a 3-0 count and not running.”
(Alright, okay- see what you’re saying)
“You know if he thinks there’s something wrong with me saying that then he’s got other things he needs to figure out in this game.”
Well I get everything except for the part that crowned Gregg the God of sore losers. And also, if he is done “figuring out” the game then trash talk must be the only part of the game he’s concerned about.
But wait, he makes another point.
“You’ve got 17 inches on the plate you’ve got to use all seventeen inches, if you don’t you’re going to get your ass kicked every time you go out there.”
(I’m going to let the irony of the score and that previous, “get your ass kicked” statement play out for yourself.)
“So that’s what I was doing when I was out there, they’re going to whine and complain about it because they think they’re better than everybody else but no, we have just as much a right to pitch inside as they do.”
Touche good sir. But yet again, there is something missing in Gregg’s logic. First, I missed the part where using all 17 inches of the plate meant using your mouth and second, like a pitcher’s right to pitch inside, (especially against a batter like Ortiz) every batter has their right to be nervous when a fastball comes careening a little too close to the goods if you know what I mean. Then add an inconsistent pitcher to the equation and the nerves tend to spike when that pitcher is indeed trying to put a thread through a needle.
Now back to the story. When Salty asked Papelbon later what he thought about Gregg calling the sox a bunch of whiners? His answer was gloriously indicative to the current flow and tone of the sox.
“What do we have to whine about?”
As far as the comment about the Red Sox thinking they are better than everyone else, all I can say is grow up and talk to us when you’re leading the league. Let’s not forget where you were last year, and the many years before that, okay Orioles?
I believe ladies and gentleman, we have reached a milestone here, and the first ever true story where shutting up, making no excuses and playing like a damn champion is sooo relevant on both sides. It was fun while it lasted but it only makes everyone look stupid. More so Gregg than Papi because Gregg was just plain disrespectful.
Oh and P.S- Something to make Sox fans happy; ESPN’s midseason awards where they cleaned house. Maybe that’s why Greggy-poo is so jealous. 
No comments:
Post a Comment