Comments on: Farnsworth to be suspended http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/ A Yankees Blog by Journal News beat writer Peter Abraham Wed, 3 Dec 2008 21:38:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: David http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316890 David Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:07:31 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316890 Well, if they are suspending Farnsworth, I guess they have to suspend Manny also. After all, Manny said: “They need to back up their players, and they did.” He PUBLICLY endorsed the HITTING of players to protect your players. No bias you tell me? What's the difference between Manny saying it's OK to do and Farnsworth trying to do it? Theoretically, Manny should get a longer suspension of Farnsworth because we don't need to read minds to get Manny's take on the issue. Do I want Manny to get suspended? No. But now he has to, because after all, he publicly endorsed what Farnsworth did. Well, if they are suspending Farnsworth, I guess they have to suspend Manny also. After all, Manny said: “They need to back up their players, and they did.” He PUBLICLY endorsed the HITTING of players to protect your players. No bias you tell me? What’s the difference between Manny saying it’s OK to do and Farnsworth trying to do it? Theoretically, Manny should get a longer suspension of Farnsworth because we don’t need to read minds to get Manny’s take on the issue. Do I want Manny to get suspended? No. But now he has to, because after all, he publicly endorsed what Farnsworth did.

]]> By: pat http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316878 pat Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:55:25 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316878 Motown Funny you should say that. My in-laws have a friend who was a minor league pitcher years ago. He told my husband that first pitch is the most likely time to throw to hit a batter but if you were pitching around the zone trying to get a guy to get himself out without giving him anything in the zone to hit, 3-1 is the next best time because it is nothing more than ball 4 with a message. Motown

Funny you should say that. My in-laws have a friend who was a minor league pitcher years ago. He told my husband that first pitch is the most likely time to throw to hit a batter but if you were pitching around the zone trying to get a guy to get himself out without giving him anything in the zone to hit, 3-1 is the next best time because it is nothing more than ball 4 with a message.

]]> By: Motown Yankees Fan http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316877 Motown Yankees Fan Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:52:09 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316877 NYPD - I appreciate that honesty. NYPD – I appreciate that honesty.

]]> By: NYPD113th http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316875 NYPD113th Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:50:04 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316875 "NYPD - so clever. What a wit." Yeah, I aced preschool. Then it was all downhill from there. Plus I have to mask all my male insecurities with Yankee aggression. I've got nothing else. “NYPD – so clever. What a wit.”

Yeah, I aced preschool. Then it was all downhill from there. Plus I have to mask all my male insecurities with Yankee aggression. I’ve got nothing else.

]]> By: crawdaddie http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316874 crawdaddie Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:47:38 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316874 Pete, You might not like the following, but the reason why you get grief from Yankee fans for reporting this news because you're viewed as a Red Sox fan covering the Yankees by many Yankee fans who are aware of your New England roots. As far as the suspension of Farnsworth, MLB needs to be consistent in their handling of discipline and when are they going to start suspending Red Sox pitchers for hitting opposing batters. This suspension will most likely be appealed with the suspension reduce to a couple of games. However, if Farnsworth admitted he threw intentionally at Manny like you suggested the suspension would've been more than three games so that's your answer on why he wasn't man enough to admit it the other day. Pete,
You might not like the following, but the reason why you get grief from Yankee fans for reporting this news because you’re viewed as a Red Sox fan covering the Yankees by many Yankee fans who are aware of your New England roots.

As far as the suspension of Farnsworth, MLB needs to be consistent in their handling of discipline and when are they going to start suspending Red Sox pitchers for hitting opposing batters. This suspension will most likely be appealed with the suspension reduce to a couple of games. However, if Farnsworth admitted he threw intentionally at Manny like you suggested the suspension would’ve been more than three games so that’s your answer on why he wasn’t man enough to admit it the other day.

]]> By: Motown Yankees Fan http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316873 Motown Yankees Fan Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:47:05 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316873 "Aardsma hit A-Rod with a 3-1 pitch in a two-run game in the back. If you’rre going to hit somebody on purpose, you don’t do it on the fifth pitch of the at-bat in a close game." Pete - What if Aardsma decided to walk him on 3-1, and decided to give him the base, but to punish him because, hey, he's A-Rod, RSN will love it. Why is that so unlikely? I would be more apt to believe the pitch wasn't on purpose if it was on 0-2. The thing is, we'll never know what goes on inside the pitcher's head, but I don't think you can declare with such certainty that the Arod plunk was accidental, if you can argue with equal certainty that the Manny pitch was on purpose, and meant to hit him in the head. “Aardsma hit A-Rod with a 3-1 pitch in a two-run game in the back. If you’rre going to hit somebody on purpose, you don’t do it on the fifth pitch of the at-bat in a close game.”

Pete – What if Aardsma decided to walk him on 3-1, and decided to give him the base, but to punish him because, hey, he’s A-Rod, RSN will love it. Why is that so unlikely? I would be more apt to believe the pitch wasn’t on purpose if it was on 0-2.

The thing is, we’ll never know what goes on inside the pitcher’s head, but I don’t think you can declare with such certainty that the Arod plunk was accidental, if you can argue with equal certainty that the Manny pitch was on purpose, and meant to hit him in the head.

]]> By: Reed http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316872 Reed Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:46:08 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316872 Rumors ? Maybe. If not, I'd jump all over this as soon as eye reports show Betemit is ready and look into possibilities of expanding a deal. Ahhhh ! ..... nothing like a good blockbuster deal before June. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From the N.J. Star-Ledger : Before Wilson Betemit went on the disabled list with a corneal ulcer, the Yankees had been talking about trading him to the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to an official from another team, who asked not to be named because his club was not di­ rectly involved, Pittsburgh was inter­ ested in Betemit as its every-day third baseman. Pirates third base­ man Jose Bautista is batting .169. Rumors ? Maybe. If not, I’d jump all over this as soon as eye reports show Betemit is ready and look into possibilities of expanding a deal.
Ahhhh ! ..... nothing like a good blockbuster deal before June.

– - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
From the N.J. Star-Ledger :

Before Wilson Betemit went
on the disabled list with a corneal
ulcer, the Yankees had been talking
about trading him to the Pittsburgh
Pirates. According to an official from
another team, who asked not to be
named because his club was not di­
rectly involved, Pittsburgh was inter­
ested in Betemit as its every-day
third baseman. Pirates third base­
man Jose Bautista is batting .169.

]]> By: ellen http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316871 ellen Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:40:21 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316871 Farnsworth throws hard, has poor control and, apparently, a temper. He doesn't seem to be brain surgeon material. Thus, I agree with SJ: Farns is going to think, "hey, I got 3 games for missing the guy. Next time I'll just send him to first with a bruise for his trouble and earn the 3 games." It will be interesting to watch what happens from Watson's office the next time a Yankee player is "missed" high and inside. Oh, that's right. Nothing. Message received, indeed. Farnsworth throws hard, has poor control and, apparently, a temper. He doesn’t seem to be brain surgeon material. Thus, I agree with SJ: Farns is going to think, “hey, I got 3 games for missing the guy. Next time I’ll just send him to first with a bruise for his trouble and earn the 3 games.” It will be interesting to watch what happens from Watson’s office the next time a Yankee player is “missed” high and inside. Oh, that’s right. Nothing. Message received, indeed.

]]> By: Rishi http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316870 Rishi Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:36:56 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316870 In case you are interested...from mlb.com" http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080419&content_id=2553109&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb In case you are interested…from mlb.com”

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080419&content_id=2553109&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

]]> By: murphydog http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316869 murphydog Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:36:38 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/04/19/farnsworth-to-be-suspended/#comment-316869 Anything involving BoSox-Yankees gets special attention from the Commish's Office. Farnsworth should not have thrown behind Manny's head. Nobody should do that to anyone. Farnsy should have dusted him - made him move his feet or leap out of the way or hit him, but not thrown behind him. Umpire decisions are not the last word; Watson can review them. Watson is not over-ruling the umpires because in this case, the umpires did NOT act. Thus, IMO, Watson is not really overruling a decision. If Watson he can reduce a suspension, or overrule a suspension after review, then it stands to reason that he can add one even if the umps didn't recommend it, or if they didn't throw the guy out of the game. But the double standard argument deserves some further review. Maybe an audit at MLB to check themselves on these kinds of things is in order. Anything involving BoSox-Yankees gets special attention from the Commish’s Office.

Farnsworth should not have thrown behind Manny’s head. Nobody should do that to anyone. Farnsy should have dusted him – made him move his feet or leap out of the way or hit him, but not thrown behind him.

Umpire decisions are not the last word; Watson can review them. Watson is not over-ruling the umpires because in this case, the umpires did NOT act. Thus, IMO, Watson is not really overruling a decision. If Watson he can reduce a suspension, or overrule a suspension after review, then it stands to reason that he can add one even if the umps didn’t recommend it, or if they didn’t throw the guy out of the game.

But the double standard argument deserves some further review. Maybe an audit at MLB to check themselves on these kinds of things is in order.

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