# MLB: April **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 30, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370 "2013-03-30T19:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/241 "2013-04-12T21:14:24Z")
I’ll jump in here as a Padres fan to play a little Devil’s Advocate. First off, [this](http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/58194/greinke-vs-quentin-the-official-breakdown) is a pretty thorough and even-handed breakdown of what happened by Grantland. This bit about the second time Greinke beaned Quentin sticks out to me - > [@](#): > > April 8, 2009: In their first meeting the next year, Quentin struck out in the bottom of the first,\*\* in an at-bat that included a high-and-tight pitch. Greinke then hit Quentin between the shoulders in the fourth inning\*\*. Quentin took a step toward the mound before plate umpire Bill Hohn jumped in front of him. Greinke said afterward, “The first at-bat kind of scared me because you never want to do that to anyone. It happens. You hit guys sometimes.” Quentin seems to think that Greinke hit him on purpose. Greinke claims he doesn’t do that. Really Zach? Cause if I’m Quentin, that 2009 game sure as Hell looks like you did it on purpose. 1st at bat, high and tight. 2nd at bat, beaned between the shoulders. And it’s all just a coincidence that the White Sox and Quentin in particular used to light Greinke up back then when he was still with the Royals. Riiiiiiight. [This article](http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/carlos-quentin-padres-worthy-lengthy-suspension-zack-greinke-collarbone-dodgers-041213) from Fox Sports, on the other hand, is exactly the kind of garbage that makes fans of small market teams think that the mainstream media just can’t get enough of sucking up to the Big Boys. The entire thrust of the article is that Quentin needs a month-long suspension because, and I quote, > [@](#): > > But when Quentin charged the mound Thursday, it wasn’t for a baseball reason. It was personal. And what is this amazing personal reason that Quentin had for charging the mound? Did Greinke sleep with his wife? Kick his dog? No… > [@](#): > > After the benches cleared, Oney Guillen — son of Quentin’s former manager in Chicago, Ozzie Guillen — tweeted: “greinke has hit carlos many many times. look it up. told me long long time ago. if he does it again im going for him. that was like 09” > > It is true that Greinke hit Quentin with two pitches prior to Thursday. But MLB can’t allow that sort of vigilante justice to occur on its playing fields — whether or not the victim has a $147 million contract, as Greinke does. The “personal” and entirely _not_ “baseball” reason that Quentin charged Greinke? Cause Greinke _won’t stop beaning him!_ Regardless of how you feel about the incident, this has to be the dumbest piece of journalism I’ve read in a very long time. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/242 "2013-04-12T21:26:57Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > Quentin seems to think that Greinke hit him on purpose. Greinke claims he doesn’t do that. Really Zach? Cause if I’m Quentin, that 2009 game sure as Hell looks like you did it on purpose. 1st at bat, high and tight. 2nd at bat, beaned between the shoulders. And it’s all just a coincidence that the White Sox and **Quentin in particular used to light Greinke up back then when he was still with the Royals. Riiiiiiight.** Seriously? Quentin was 3-10 with a walk and HBP (2 home runs, three strikeouts) in his career against Greinke before Greinke hit him the second time. This is now considered lighting him up? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/243 "2013-04-12T21:41:25Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > Cause if I’m Quentin, that 2009 game sure as Hell looks like you did it on purpose. 1st at bat, high and tight. 2nd at bat, beaned between the shoulders. Why does that mean it was intentional? That makes it sound like he’s trying to pitch Quentin inside. Pitchers are allowed to do that even though hitters periodically forget it. > [@](#): > > greinke has hit carlos many many times. look it up. told me long long time ago. if he does it again im going for him. that was like 09” “Many” equals three, and at the time it was two. So Quentin promised he’d attack Greinke after Greinke hit him the second time. That doesn’t make Quentin look very good, does it? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/244 "2013-04-12T22:15:09Z")
Quentin is an ass and umps need to start calling strikes again if the batter is hit while hanging over the plate. I recall at least once where he was hit on a body part in the strike zone. Not that this one was a case of this, but charging the mound is just stupid period. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/245 "2013-04-12T22:27:03Z")
[There’s a nice writeup at Grantland.](http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/58194/greinke-vs-quentin-the-official-breakdown) On the one hand it’s true that Quentin was not hanging over the plate in this case and Greinke seemed to hit White Sox batters a disproportionate amount of the time in seasons past, and the fact that Jason Marquis had almost hit Kemp on an 0-2 pitch in the first inning. On the other, there’s all the remaining context of this game and the season, the fact that the pitch hit Quentin squarely on the forearm, not on the back or the head, and everything else. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/246 "2013-04-12T23:00:19Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Why does that mean it was intentional? That makes it sound like he’s trying to pitch Quentin inside. Pitchers are allowed to do that even though hitters periodically forget it. > > “Many” equals three, and at the time it was two. So Quentin promised he’d attack Greinke after Greinke hit him the second time. That doesn’t make Quentin look very good, does it? The point is that Quentin certainly _believes_ it was intentional, and has plenty of reason to think that way. And Greinke _knows_ that Quentin thinks he’s hitting him on purpose. Quentin is certainly going to get suspended, and rightly so - no one should be charging the mound. But Greinke pretending to be entirely blameless here is a joke - he threw the pitch, he said something clearly inflammatory, then he threw his glove to the ground and squared up for a fight. There is plenty of blame to go around here - Quentin, sure, but Greinke, Kemp and Hairston each get a share too. The only good news here is that Quentin should be suspended long enough to miss the series in LA next week. Hopefully that’ll tone things down… somewhat. Otherwise it’d be a bloodbath. But they’ll both be back long before the season’s over, so there’s no way we’ve heard the last of this. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/247 "2013-04-12T23:59:29Z")
Alex Rodriguez continues to be stupid, and possibly [criminal](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/i-team/sources-a-rod-bought-biogenesis-documents-article-1.1315322). From the ESPN article on the same story: > [@](#): > > If MLB can acquire physical evidence or convince witnesses to give sworn statements, Rodriguez could not only face suspension from Major League Baseball, but possible criminal charges. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/248 "2013-04-13T00:03:47Z")
I think that’s stretching it a bit, **BoltEater**. Your evidence includes the villain of the piece literally saying that he was _afraid_ that he almost hit the guy. The entire story is that Carlos Quentin lost his fucking mind four years ago, and we’re just finding out about it now. It’s funny how easy it is to slip into the mentality that accepts that sports is just a different universe - like fighting in hockey - but if we’re being rational human beings about this, he ran up and physically assaulted a guy and caused him to suffer a broken collarbone because he had a secret crazypants grudge for years. He _likes_ getting hit by baseballs. He _aspires_ to it. But when Zack Greinke - fucking Zack Greinke of all people! - hits him as the leadoff batter in a close game on a full count, oh shit no it’s time for everyone to physically attack everyone. It’s absurd. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/249 "2013-04-13T00:10:33Z")
Watching the Indians game and they are saying that Greinke hitting Quentin three times shows it can’t possibly be in error. And then Archie Manning said: “If you have a problem with a guy throwing at you, go get him.” Because that’s what Real Baseball Players do, I guess. What a stupid fucking mindset. I’m sick of it. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/250 "2013-04-13T00:15:44Z")
And the worst thing is that I can’t switch to the White Sox broadcast because Hawk Harrelson isn’t dead yet. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/251 "2013-04-13T00:49:45Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > Quentin seems to think that Greinke hit him on purpose. Greinke claims he doesn’t do that. Really Zach? Cause if I’m Quentin, that 2009 game sure as Hell looks like you did it on purpose. 1st at bat, high and tight. 2nd at bat, beaned between the shoulders. You cannot be “beaned between the shoulders.” To be “beaned” is to be hit in the head. Let’s at least get our terms correct. Limiting ourselves to people who’ve played a fair number of games, **no player in the entire modern history of baseball is likelier to be hit by a pitch than Carlos Quentin.** It is virtually certain that, over the course of his career, SOMEONE will have hit him three or four times, just by random chance. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/252 "2013-04-13T01:34:15Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > You cannot be “beaned between the shoulders.” To be “beaned” is to be hit in the head. Let’s at least get our terms correct. > > Limiting ourselves to people who’ve played a fair number of games, **no player in the entire modern history of baseball is likelier to be hit by a pitch than Carlos Quentin.** It is virtually certain that, over the course of his career, SOMEONE will have hit him three or four times, just by random chance. Exactly. The pitcher HAS to be able to pitch inside. If you are a Carlos Quentin and you _intentionally_ hang out over the plate in the hopes of getting a cheap walk, then oh fucking well. Sucks to be you. And don’t cry about it or charge the mound in some stupid attempt to justify your shitty AB’s. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/253 "2013-04-13T01:52:22Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > And the worst thing is that I can’t switch to the White Sox broadcast because Hawk Harrelson isn’t dead yet. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/254 "2013-04-13T02:13:00Z")
And Jose Reyes is seriously injured. From what I can see, his season may be over. Ten games in. Unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/255 "2013-04-13T02:15:38Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > And Jose Reyes is seriously injured. From what I can see, his season may be over. Ten games in. Unbelievable. Watching it too. Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/256 "2013-04-13T02:21:42Z")
Well, there goes Toronto’s season. They don’t have another shortstop. Watch for a big fire sale in July. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/257 "2013-04-13T02:23:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Limiting ourselves to people who’ve played a fair number of games, **no player in the entire modern history of baseball is likelier to be hit by a pitch than Carlos Quentin.** It is virtually certain that, over the course of his career, SOMEONE will have hit him three or four times, just by random chance. [Four someones](http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/34753/quentin-should-be-suspended-for-brawl), as a matter of fact: > [@](#): > > Greinke has hit Quentin three times now. Nick Blackburn has hit him four times. Erik Bedard and Jon Lester have hit him three times. Eighteen others have hit him twice. Nobody tried to hit him with a one-run lead in the sixth inning. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/258 "2013-04-13T02:25:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > And Jose Reyes is seriously injured. From what I can see, his season may be over. Ten games in. Unbelievable. You know that you’re in trouble when you’re praying for an ankle sprain. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/259 "2013-04-13T02:36:21Z")
Eight fucking games for Quentin. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/260 "2013-04-13T02:37:11Z")
And the Nats blow it. Friggen Clippard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370.md?page=14)