The Brawl at GABP

brawl–noun
1. a noisy quarrel, squabble, or fight.
2. a bubbling or roaring noise; a clamor.
3. Slang . a large, noisy party.

According to the definition, it was a brawl. I look at it as more of a disruption or a clash or even a disagreement. I don’t condone Brandon Phillips referring to the Cardinals as “bitches”, but I do like that he stood by his statement. He didn’t back down one iota. But it did have an adverse effect on the Reds last night. No Reds fan can deny that.

Johnny Cueto, who will face a suspension for kicking Cardinals players, was obviously overthrowing. How often to we see Cueto hit 96 on the speed gun? Rarely, if ever. He did that multiple times in the top of the 2nd and it bit him. The Reds, as a whole, were trying way too hard. Their emotions were not in check.

It carried over onto the field even more with the Reds committing an unfathomable 3 errors. It could have been 4 if not for a reversal of the game’s first at-bat by Felipe Lopez in which he laced a Cueto pitch into left field. They threw the ball around the lot like it was a little league game.

As far as Cards catcher Yadier Molina and BP “mixing it up” goes, that situation should have been avoided…at all costs. After BP initially attempted to perform his customary “love tap” (which was denied by Molina), it should have ended. Instead of letting if go, Phillips hesitated and proceeded to tap Molina anyway. Bad move as this raised the ire of Molina and the yapping began.

And I’m not so sure BP started the yapping. As I continuously view the replay, Molina appears (yes, even through his face mask) to initiate the verbal confrontation. Look at it even more. Did BP initiate any contact with Molina? No. Molina bumped into BP…slightly.

Here’s what should have happened. BP comes to the plate and simply walks into the batter’s box and abandons his custom, if for just one evening. Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia buzzes one at BP and it’s finished. No “love taps” of respect. No verbal jousting. Just play some damn baseball. Take your medicine and get on with it.

If you really think about all of this, it merely boils down to 3rd grade recess fodder. One guy (Phillips) calls another team a name (granted, none too flattering). The other side takes the “Oh, yeah” stance. It went so far as Tony La Russa chasing down of couple of Cards beat writers to expand on the issue of BP and his comments. The whole “love tap” episode was a battle of wills, in a sense. Or who blinks first. After BP was rejected by Molina, that should have been it.

And why do Dusty Baker and Tony LaRussa continue their beef? I know there’s pent up bad blood between the managers from the days of Baker being in San Francisco and most recently in Chicago.

Baker apparently said something to Cards coach Jose Oquendo after Oquendo said something to Baker. Baker responded and LaRussa told Baker not to talk to his coaches. If that’s the case, Tony, why did your coach even say anything to Baker? It works both ways. You don’t want opponents talking to your people, then your coaches and players shouldn’t run their mouths either.

Which brings me to Chris Carpenter. He was another Cards player seen “talking” to Baker. We all saw how he dressed down and showed up Brandon Ryan the previous game so we know he doesn’t exactly own the longest fuse. No, he didn’t deserve the spikes in his back (no player ever does), but Carpenter took it upon himself to get in a verbal sparring match with Baker. That move triggered the flow of players into the screen which ultimately led to the spiking of Carpenter and Jason LaRue.

What I find the most amusing about all of this hub-bub was a single remark made by Molina after the game.

“You’re not my friend.”

I didn’t think it was supposed to be that way.