Beanball War

Is there a beanball war going on in major league baseball now?  8 players have been hit in the last few games and according to the media on yahoo sports, there is a beanball war of sorts happening before are eyes.  Come on guys, you have got to be out of your mind.

Beanball wars, not likely.  Just because a few players are getting hit doesn't mean a war is on.  No guts Fielder made a play at the Dodger Clubhouse door for what, big deal, he got hit in the leg after Manny R. got thrown at in the head.

Twice the pitcher for the Brewers tried to hit Manny in the head and finally settled for his forearm. Paul K from the White Sox and a few others are getting hit in the ribs, arms and legs. Nothing new for baseball. In fact, this is nothing compared to the old days when you were thrown at for hitting a homerun or watching the ball travel over the fence, looking at the pitcher while you rounded the bases.

I will state here that todays so-called beanball war has been started by the players at the plate. Over the past years the players, and there are quite a few, have been sitting on top of the plate and sticking their heads, arms and hands over the plate to hit the outside pitch. During the years from the late 50's until just around 1990's pitchers like Drysdale, Spahn, Gibson, Williams, Marichal and lots of others would put the ball in your ear without losing any sleep or anything coming of it from the umpires.

It has always been, you hit one of ours, we will hit one of yours and so on and so forth. This comes down to who is in charge of the plate area. If it is the pitcher, then he is within his rights to take it over and pitch inside to get the batter away. If it is the player at bat, then the opposite applies and it isn't the proper thing to do.

Baseball has always been a game that involves many different ways of playing and for everyone it is always different. Pitchers see it as keep off my plate or else it's in your space and the batter gets plunked. The batter views it as I am guarding the opposite side of the plate to allow myself to hit the pitch.  This is a no win situation and will continue to be just that forever.

I can see Don Drysdale right now laughing up above at all this trouble over just a little hit batsmen. Instead of going to the clubhouse after the fact why not try something difficult like hitting the ball up the middle and through the pitcher. Remember what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Where is the Babe when you need him now?

The oldest manVarsity

111 days ago

Score 1

Boy, you guys today know absolutely knowing about what it was like when there ready was a BeanBall of sorts. Feller and Grove and Walter Johnson and Ruth to use to scare the living crap out of the players when they would come inside and high. At any time they could put one in your ear and in some cases they did. If I remember correctly, isn't Drysdale the all-time leader in hit batsman.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

111 days ago

Score 3

Hitters have become a bit overly sensitive. Understandable when it's near the head, or at a joint (wrists, knees, etc.). But the hitters get mad, which mean his pitcher teammate has to retaliate, so some beanball wars can go on forever.

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Steel TownDraft Pick

110 days ago

Score 3

The Brewers have been involved in two incedents this year. They seem to not understand the unwritten bean ball rules. But, I guess that is the problem with unwritten rules, huh? Sunday afternoon Pujols got plunked by Matt Capps and Capps was immediately ejected. I believe the ump was trying to keep a bean ball war from starting but, ejecting a pitcher after an accidental bean ball in the interest of keeping the peace is not the appropriate action to take.

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