Thread: Scott Diamond suspended six games

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/...-hamilton-head

Thoughts? I think it's a ****load of ****.

Usually it would be five, right? Is the league afraid the Twins will go to a 6-man rotation?

The Players should pass around a hat and take up a collection for his fine.
A Twins Pitcher sticking up for a Teammate is a rare occurrence.
I've gained a ton of respect for the Guy.

He shouldn't have been tossed let alone suspended. How long did Oswalt get?

Originally Posted by Tuba

He shouldn't have been tossed let alone suspended. How long did Oswalt get?

A grand total of absolutely zero.

There were no warnings before he threw the pitch so he should not have been ejected and now he's going to be suspended? This is bull****!!

Originally Posted by Higuys

There were no warnings before he threw the pitch so he should not have been ejected and now he's going to be suspended? This is bull****!!

He threw too close to the head - in today's concussion-conscious world, that merits the ejection and suspension.

If he had hit him in the ribs, it would have been different.

Ask any child ... it is always the one who pushes back who gets punished.

Never seems fair but in this case, it was all about location, location, location.

Of course it's bull****, but apparently these are the rules in today's MLB. So I'm not surprised. I would like to echo the comments above and say that I respect him for doing it. And while I'm glad Hamilton didn't actually get drilled in the noggin, it's a great message to send - we're not going to screw around if you throw at our catcher. Of course, I don't think it's going to hurt the Twins' post-season chances much now that Diamond will have to sit out his next turn. Maybe if they were in the race, he should have thrown at Hamilton's ribs.

What I wonder is what made Oswalt go headhunting against Mauer?

I'm sorry, but it wouldn't have mattered where the ball was. He was suspended for "intentionally" throwing at Hamilton. Never mind the fact that Oswalt pegged Mauer with the same type of purpose pitch. MLB is under the delusion that they are avoiding retaliation with this type of action. Obviously it doesn't. The sad part is that after Diamond's pitch, nothing would have happened. Both sides would have left it at that and the game would have gone on.

This process really needs to be reevaluated by MLB.

Originally Posted by shanewahl

Usually it would be five, right? Is the league afraid the Twins will go to a 6-man rotation?

Nope, always six games for a starting pitcher.

MLB is trying to curb the beanings. There is some doubt but very little doubt in my mind that Oswalt plunked Mauer on purpose but you really can't prove it. When Diamond faced Hamilton... Everyone was waiting for the pitch. It happened... So Diamond got tossed and suspended. It's really not a big surprise.

I don't see much reason to be upset about the suspension... It's the rules these days. I'd be more curious to know how Washington reacted to Oswalt in private.

It was a pretty bush league beaning on the part of Oswalt. He's a vet and would have to know that Hamilton would be thrown at in response.

You just exposed your best player to a beaning or possible injury with the playoffs around the corner because you got a little pissy because you blew a rundown. Oswalt was the one who blew the run down. Too lazy to come off the mound and run straight at Florimon like you are taught.

Plus you are playing the Twins who are playing pretty uninspired baseball and you potentially wake them up. If I was Washington... I'd have a close door meeting with Oswalt and I would be yelling at him loud enough that the rest of the squad could hear me through the closed door.

Stupid Stupid Stupid move on Oswalt's part and yeah it sucks that Diamond ends up paying the price. However, the ump and the league had little choice and neither did Gardenhire and Diamond.

The only one who had a choice in the equation was Oswalt. This was a time that I wish the DH was abolished. Let Oswalt dig in for an at-bat.

I wish Diamond had better aim and hit Hamilton in the ribs or legs. We can't even hit a guy correctly. Seriously, props to Diamond for being a good teammate. I think Oswalt deserved a 6 game suspension as well. Not sure how we could get back at Oswalt other than charging the mound or dragging a bunt down the first base line and accidentally running into him.

Originally Posted by Riverbrian

MLB is trying to curb the beanings. There is some doubt but very little doubt in my mind that Oswalt plunked Mauer on purpose but you really can't prove it. When Diamond faced Hamilton... Everyone was waiting for the pitch. It happened... So Diamond got tossed and suspended. It's really not a big surprise.

I don't see much reason to be upset about the suspension... It's the rules these days. I'd be more curious to know how Washington reacted to Oswalt in private.

It was a pretty bush league beaning on the part of Oswalt. He's a vet and would have to know that Hamilton would be thrown at in response.

You just exposed your best player to a beaning or possible injury with the playoffs around the corner because you got a little pissy because you blew a rundown. Oswalt was the one who blew the run down. Too lazy to come off the mound and run straight at Florimon like you are taught.

Plus you are playing the Twins who are playing pretty uninspired baseball and you potentially wake them up. If I was Washington... I'd have a close door meeting with Oswalt and I would be yelling at him loud enough that the rest of the squad could hear me through the closed door.

Stupid Stupid Stupid move on Oswalt's part and yeah it sucks that Diamond ends up paying the price. However, the ump and the league had little choice and neither did Gardenhire and Diamond.

The only one who had a choice in the equation was Oswalt. This was a time that I wish the DH was abolished. Let Oswalt dig in for an at-bat.

I agree Oswalt was the guy at fault & should receive some type of punishment from MLB. i tip my cap to Diamond for protecting our players. Hope Mauer steps up & pays his fine/salary for the suspension

Kudos to Diamond, but it could have been done differently. One of the Twins speedsters(Span, Revere, FLoriman, Casilla) could have dragged a bunt close to the first base line and forced Oswalt to field it. If he is tardy, he would have to throw over the runner, and if he hits the runner, now you can send everyone out of the dugout and make Texas the instigator. It would force a ton of suspensions and even staggered would impact Texas on both making the playoffs and home field advantage. It would also serve notice to the Texas players Oswalt was putting them at risk and could have caused Texas to decide whether Oswalt was worth the distraction If Oswalt gets to the line first and trys to tag out the runner, run him over, clean baseball play like running into a catcher.

So he threw at his head by throwing 6 inches over his head, but Oswalt didn't throw at Mauers head by throwing 3 inches below it? The fact is Diamond made sure to miss him and Oswalt made sure to hit Mauer. Throwing at Hamiltons ribs would have been pointless. It's up to the umps to stop guys from throwing at players heads, they decided to ignore it.

I'd love to know what the suspension would have been if he knocked Hamilton out.

I was really hoping last nights no hitter would have gone into the 9th and Revere could have ended it with a bunt.

Originally Posted by Riverbrian

MLB is trying to curb the beanings. There is some doubt but very little doubt in my mind that Oswalt plunked Mauer on purpose but you really can't prove it. When Diamond faced Hamilton... Everyone was waiting for the pitch. It happened... So Diamond got tossed and suspended. It's really not a big surprise.

Yep, should have given Hamilton a pass on his next immediate at bat and waited until his next at bat and then plunked him. Diamond would have been in the game another 2-3 innings, saving the bull pen, and still the message would have been sent. Why couldn't Gardy figure that out?

Originally Posted by powrwrap

Originally Posted by Riverbrian

MLB is trying to curb the beanings. There is some doubt but very little doubt in my mind that Oswalt plunked Mauer on purpose but you really can't prove it. When Diamond faced Hamilton... Everyone was waiting for the pitch. It happened... So Diamond got tossed and suspended. It's really not a big surprise.

Yep, should have given Hamilton a pass on his next immediate at bat and waited until his next at bat and then plunked him.

Nope

Diamond has chosen to drop his appeal and will begin serving his 6 game suspension tonight. So, basically, he'll have a start moved back a day or two.