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HOT CORNER
Brawls and Broken Wrists
March 22, 2002
Opening day is still a week and a half away, but that hasn't stopped baseball players from rushing the mound causing the pitcher to flee like he's running from the bulls in Pamplona. In a recent game between the Padres and Angels, Ryan Klesko charged the mound in the first inning which naturally led to a brawl later in the game after the expected retaliation.
The fights led to multiple game suspensions for several players not to be served until the beginning of the regular season. The easy thing to do is to call the players idiots for putting their teams at a loss right at the outset of the season. Having never had a 95 mph fastball whiz by my face, just inches from my head, I cannot pass judgment on this issue. I'm just glad it's not me (although I wouldn't mind the salary bump). Everybody is quick to criticize ballplayers when they fight, but most of us have never been in that position. I get mad when an old lady accidentally bumps my shoulder on the street. I can only imagine that if someone threw at my head AND I thought it was intentional, I might be inclined to rush the said hurler, equipped with a device for clubbing in one hand. As Bob Dylan said, "Don't criticize what you can't understand."
In other news, Jeff Kent broke his wrist seemingly while WASHING HIS CAR. Everyone knows, at this point, that he fell off his motorcycle (a no-no in the Kent contract), so he's protecting his money with his mouth. Unfortunately, he forgot to offer a couple steak dinners to the eyewitnesses who saw him doing wheelies on the expressway.
News stories you'll see more than once this year: Larry Bowa is fined for arguing and Matt Williams is hurt.
Fearless predictions: the Twins will win the AL Central, the Yankees will NOT win the AL crown, Rickey Henderson will alienate more teammates on yet another team, and the A's will not miss Giambi as much as people think.
