Miguel Cabrera was suspended for seven games for his part in three different brawls that occurred in the Yankees/Tigers game on August 24th. He was at the center of the brawls because it was a shoving match that cleared the bench for the worst of the three fights. However, he was not throwing baseballs at people, and that begs the question: Why not suspend the pitchers more? We have to take a very close look at pitchers throwing baseballs at people as an act of retribution.
He was at the center
Cabrera actually accepted his suspension, saying that he did play a part in it, but I want him to let us all know what it feels like to be hit by a pitch.
I will be the first person to admit that I could not possibly stand that. A real, live baseball that was thrown by a Major League pitcher over 90 mph would probably kill me. At the very least, I would want to die. After writhing on the ground, I would not have any wherewithall to fight back. Cabrera was pitched at, and members of both teams were thrown at, and those pitchers were suspended for less time or not suspended at all.
The pitchers have to stop
We have rogue pitchers in Major League Baseball who are throwing pitches at people that are too fast, too hard, and too scary for public consumption. We have kids in America playing with chest protectors so that a ball does not stop their heart, and a guy could have his skull cracked by one of these pitches.
Someone could have their career ended, or they could lose an eye. I am very serious about this, and I have a Hard Time watching a pitcher feign an injury to pretend like his pitch was an accident.
Brad Ausmus should be ashamed
The Tigers manager actually tried to tell the public that one of his pitchers could not feel his fingers after throwing a pitch that hit a batter.
This is either the worst coincidence of all-time, or it is a load of, as I once saw on "Murder, She Wrote," horse pucky. Your pitcher knew what he was doing, and he did it anyway. I have a hard time thinking that I could throw a baseball at someone unless he kicked my dog. Honestly, baseball players need to learn to get over it.
Perhaps we need therapists working for every team because throwing a baseball at someone is assault with a deadly weapon. It is. We could deny that, but that is the reality of the situation.
Traditions have to die sometimes
Gustav Mahler once said, "tradition is but slovenliness." He was right, and these traditions in baseball must go for everyone's safety. Throwing at batters is too dangerous to be taken lightly.
