I Release This Guy If He's Mine

[NetShrine]

Look at the photo at the end of this story. Man, this is a cheap shot. I would have sat him down for a month without pay.

Updated: July 5, 5:18 PM ET
Alcantara suspended 6 games for starting brawl
Associated Press

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Pawtucket Red Sox outfielder Izzy Alcantara has been suspended for six games for his part in a bench-clearing brawl in a game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons earlier this week.

Alcantara, the International League leader in batting and home runs, became enraged during a game in Pawtucket on Tuesday after Red Barons pitcher Blas Cedeno brushed him back with an inside pitch.

Alcantara karate-kicked Red Barons catcher Jeremy Salazar in his facemask and then rushed the mound. He missed with one swing at Cedeno before being tackled by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre third baseman Kevin Orie.

"The Pawtucket Red Sox do not condone this type of behavior in any way and we do support the action taken by the league in this matter," the team said in a statement.

The teams have some history of bad blood. In a first meeting on May 1 in Scranton, Alcantara was plunked in the shoulder by Scranton pitcher Pete Zamora after hitting two homers off another pitcher.

On Monday, Alcantara connected off Zamora and celebrated his shot with a slow trot around the bases.

Boston Red Sox spokesman Kevin Shea said the league's suspension was appropriate but wouldn't affect Alcantara's prospects with the team.

"With the history that led up to this, incidents like this do happen," Shea said. "I'm sure he regrets it happened to himself. But his performance on the field speaks for itself."

Red Sox pitcher Jesus Pena was suspended for three games, and Orie will be out three games and Cedeno was hit with a one-game suspension.

The players were each hit with fines, but the league would not disclose the amounts.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Looks like this guy might be hanging out with Carl Everett in the greater Boston/Providence area.

One cheap shot and you want to release this guy. No way. One time does not a trend make. Looks like he's quite the ball player, too. A little anger management class and he'll be fine.

[NetShrine]

Buzz - this player has a bad history. Major 'tude. This latest is just the toppings on the Sunday - hence, why I would let him go.

[ChrisCary]

Well, if you're gonna charge the mound the smart thing to do is take out the catcher first.
Either way he's a punk, and I'd rather my team lose than have an Everett on my team

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by ChrisCary
and I'd rather my team lose than have an Everett on my team Dude - you are in an ivory tower.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by NetShrine
Buzz - this player has a bad history. Major 'tude. This latest is just the toppings on the Sunday - hence, why I would let him go. OK - I did not know that. Not sure it changes my mind just yet, but at least has me more willing to consider it.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by ChrisCary
Either way he's a punk, and I'd rather my team lose than have an Everett on my team

Agreed 100% :thumb:

[mainsr]

Well, just to argue, I think there are some managers who are good at handling head cases like Everett. Chuck Tanner got MVP seasons out of Dick Allen and Dave Parker. Davey Johnson held together a Mets team that had Lenny Dykstra, Kevin Mitchell, and the two cokeheads. Billy Martin sort of kept players in line, in his drunken sociopath way. Dick Williams dealt with an A's team that hated one another, but can you imagine Everett pulling his act on a Dick Williams team? Everett and Williams are oil and water. Not that it's in any way Williams' fault, but I don't know that Everett would act this way under all circumstances.

[NetShrine]

Everett "acted" his way out of NY, FLA, NY (again) and HOU before getting to BOS. And, I'm sure he had different kinds of managers along the way.

Every stop they knew he had talent - - just too much crap along with it to tolerate it.

[NetShrine]

More:

http://espn.go.com/minorlbb/s/2001/0712/1225538.html

[ChrisCary]

Mainsr,

Carl Everett makes the men on the teams you mentioned seem like kittens. Everett is not in touch with reality, which is a big difference than selfish or even mean

[ChrisCary]

So he drop-kicked the catcher. In retrospect, that might have been a mistake."

You think?

I think he smells terrible, sounds like a guy with too much talent and not enough respect, the RedSox deserve him

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by ChrisCary
So he drop-kicked the catcher. In retrospect, that might have been a mistake."


Classic case of speaking without thinking.

[BuzzBuzzard]

I actually saw this play/fight for the first time last night. After watchinh at normal speed, it was purely premeditated in that immediately after being hit with the pitch he kicked the catcher. This kid has been thinking about using this move for a long time. It did not just pop into his head.

Doesn't change the way I feel about releasing him, but I want to know what he's planning for an encore. Maybe a stun grenade into the opposing dug out?

[NetShrine]

Maybe Izzy is a big fan of Juan Marichal?

On August 22, 1965, Marichal faced Sandy Koufax at Candlestick Park in the heat of a tight pennant race. The Giants and Dodgers had come close to a brawl two days earlier over catcher's interference calls. Los Angeles's Maury Wills had allegedly tipped Tom Haller's mitt with his bat on purpose, and Marichal's best friend, Matty Alou, retaliated by tipping John Roseboro's face mask. Roseboro nearly beaned Alou with his return throw to the mound. In the August 22 game, Marichal had flattened Wills and Ron Fairly with pitches when Roseboro purportedly asked Koufax to hit Marichal. When Koufax refused, Roseboro's return throw came close to Marichal's head. Name-calling ensued, until Roseboro suddenly ripped off his mask and stood up. Marichal rapped the catcher on the head with his bat. What followed was one of the most violent brawls in major league history. Willie Mays led away Roseboro, who had suffered a concussion, while Dodger Bob Miller tackled Marichal, Alou slugged Miller, and Tito Fuentes menaced the Dodgers with his bat. Roseboro sued Marichal, but eventually dropped the suit. Marichal was fined $1750, was suspended for a week, and missed two starts as the Giants finished two games behind the Dodgers. Years later, Marichal said, "I feel sorry that I used the bat."