The type of season that our Birds are having. We couldn't even handle this right. Everyone knew it was coming and fine with it, but it took two pitches and now our clown shoes are even bigger.
It would be the correct call IF they issued a warning after the first pitch. They did not. I do not believe Mikolas tried to hit Happ in the head. If the umpires thought that Mikolas was trying to hit Happ with the first pitch, warnings should have been issued at that time. I do believe he tried to hit him in the hip with the second pitch. Still no warning. Just ejection. Happ took it like a man. That probably would have been the end of it if not for “ The Ump Show.” And then they eject Marmol after he is walking away. But the root of the problem is that there is no penalty for batter who started the whole situation. This must be addressed. Catchers are similar to QBs. They are so important to the game and put in a very vunerable positon. Most teams only carry two catchers and it was about 101 degrees yesterday in STL. The Cardinals were left with one cather about 5 minutes into the game. This could have ended much worse than it did. The NFL and NCAA has taken measures to protect QBs and other player from targeting and late hits accidental or not. I am not surprised Mikolas was ejected. I believe the umpires should have used a little judgement and issued a warning first. But we see frequently, these umpires use poor judgment. IMHO that is what happened yesterday.
I am not saying Happ broke any rule. He did not. When Scott Cousins slid into Buster Posey he did not break any rule. But he did break Posey’s leg. MLB saw one of it’s young star’s season end early and addressed the situation with a new rule to try and prevent it from happening again. That is what I would like to see happen here. What has to happen before MLB does something to try and stop this from continually reoccuring? IMO catchers being hit with a huge back swing with only one hand on the bat should not be acceptable because “it was an accident.” There is a rule in place to protect the batter’s space in the plate area from the catcher or his mit accident or not. Catcher interference. Why not protect the catcher from the batter or his bat? I have less of an objection with Mikolas and Marmol getting tossed as I do with the Contreras getting hit in the head by an over-aggressive swing when he is exactly where he is supposed to be. But that’s just me.
Thank you my brother.
I was telling my wife that. Going back to TLR days when he would have pitchers throw them tight. You can't do it twice in the same AB. Certainly not two in a row. The umps do not have to give a warning if they think the pitcher's intent was to throw "at" the batter. Of course that is always the issue. The ump trying to divine what the pitcher is thinking.
It’s true, and that was my bad. By the time I realized it, I couldn’t Re-edit my post. They weren’t laughing at Wilson getting hit. They were laughing at Jack getting mad. And Miles turning as he was leaving the field. But that got under my skin (it’s a rivalry, right?
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www.mlb.com
Since he is a SP, that's really a 1 game suspension.Mikolas (5 games), Marmol (1) suspended, fined for Happ HBP
Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas has received a five-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for intentionally throwing at Ian Happ of the Cubs during the top of the first inning of Thursday night’s game at Busch Stadium. Michael Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for on-field...
I think he knew it was coming. That was part of the deal when he threw at Happ. I’m shocked they hit Oli with a suspension too.
Also a good catch and tag by Knizner.
Of course he is. It doesn't cost him a thing to do so. Only a complete doofus would accept the original suspension. These things get lowered all the time.
