Jose Offerman strikes players with bat

[Shumway]

I didn't even know he still played, but this is some weird stuff:

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) -- Former major league All-Star Jose Offerman was charged with two counts of second-degree assault after hitting an opposing team's pitcher and catcher with his bat during an independent minor league game.

Offerman posted $10,000 bond and was due in Bridgeport Superior Court on Aug. 23, court officials said Wednesday.

Offerman, playing for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League, homered in the first inning Tuesday night. The next inning, he was hit by a pitch from Bridgeport Bluefish starter Matt Beech and charged the mound with his bat.

Catcher John Nathans was hit in the head and sustained a concussion. He tried to keep playing, but left the game with nausea and collapsed in the dugout, team spokesman Nick Razzette said.

Beech, a left-hander, sustained a broken middle finger on his right hand. Both players were treated at a hospital and released.

Bluefish chief executive officer Mary-Jane Foster said she asked the Atlantic League to suspend Offerman from the league for life.

Ducks owner Frank Boulton, who also is the league's chief executive, said his team would abide by whatever punishment the league's executive director, Joe Klein, deems appropriate.

Klein is responsible for dealing with any discipline involving actions within a game, and was reviewing the incident, Boulton said.

"I can say that Jose's conduct in bringing the bat to the mound after being hit was wrong, there is no question about that," he said. "We're all saddened by this because Jose has had a 15-year major league career and is a true gentleman."

Offerman batted .273 during his 15 seasons in the majors. He last played in the majors in 2005 with Philadelphia and the New York Mets. He was an All-Star in 1995 with the Dodgers and in 1999 with Boston.

Boulton said it was important to consider that the incident started with Offerman being hit by a pitch.

"The pitcher was ejected because the umpire felt he threw at the batter," he said. "We all know that stuff happens."

Offerman, Beech and Bridgeport manager and former major league pitcher Tommy John were ejected.

"Luckily for Matt Beech, he was agile enough to dodge a bat," Bluefish pitcher Mike Porzio told the Connecticut Post. "But it may have only been John Nathans taking one on the backswing in the head to have saved Matt Beech from really taking one in the face."

The game was delayed about 20 minutes because of the brawl. Long Island went on to win 13-12.

[andysoccer12]

Was this filmed, I saw a snapshot on CNN, but thats it.

[DEAD!]

I suppose those were his only hits of the day?

[Mings]

I suppose those were his only hits of the day?

No, he went 2-3 with a HR, Concussion but struck out on a head shot.

[DEAD!]

I suppose those were his only hits of the day?

No, he went 2-3 with a HR, Concussion but struck out on a head shot.

this should have a term, like the Jose Offerman cycle?

[floydnimrod]

Yeah I heard about this too. and the CEO of the other team wants Offerman banned for life, as he shuold be.

But the Long Islnad Ducks are probably the most popular independent league team in the US right now. The have(I think) 13 former Majer Leaguers (including Offerman) on the team, also Edgardo Alfonzo and Danny Graves, and I think 8 of them are former Cincinnati Reds, or at least played in the reds minor league system.

[OB33]

Just for pictoral reference.

It looks like someone finally topped

.

[Burning River]

Finally... it happened. It a crazy thing that it is "Acceptable" for a pitcher to throw a 95 MPH fastball at the batter... But don't you DARE turn the table and swing the bat on him! ?? It has to stop. Pitchers can NOT continue to drill guys. Maybe this will make the pitcher think next time before drilling someone. I'm not as upset as others. I think it's sickening that a pitcher can hit people and is basically protected. The ball is a weapon just as much as the bat is.

Wasn't there a scenario years ago that a batter got "buzzed" by the pitch. Then the next pitch he happened to (ahem) lose his grip and "buzzed" the pitcher with the bat?

[EatSleepJeep]

It was a cutter that hit him in the calf. Let's get serious. It is never acceptable to:

1) Kick the catcher with your spikes before rushing the mound (the izzy)

2) Swinging your bat at the pitcher (the offerman)

However it is always acceptable to rush Nolan Ryan and run smack dab into a head lock and the fist o' fury (the ventura)

As a catcher, I would have been swinging my mask at his hand holding the bat. I'd rather get hit with a bat than a catcher's grille.

[VitaminD]

Finally... it happened. It a crazy thing that it is "Acceptable" for a pitcher to throw a 95 MPH fastball at the batter... But don't you DARE turn the table and swing the bat on him! ?? It has to stop. Pitchers can NOT continue to drill guys. Maybe this will make the pitcher think next time before drilling someone. I'm not as upset as others. I think it's sickening that a pitcher can hit people and is basically protected. The ball is a weapon just as much as the bat is.

Wasn't there a scenario years ago that a batter got "buzzed" by the pitch. Then the next pitch he happened to (ahem) lose his grip and "buzzed" the pitcher with the bat?

How is the pitcher protected? In the National League, he has to bat. In other leagues, if a pitcher hits one of your guys, your pitcher's job is to protect his teammates and hit one of their guys to keep the opposing pitcher from hitting people with impunity. If enough of his guys get plunked, he'll realize he needs to find some control. Let the players police the game, and all will be well.

[sc49erfan15]

Finally... it happened. It a crazy thing that it is "Acceptable" for a pitcher to throw a 95 MPH fastball at the batter... But don't you DARE turn the table and swing the bat on him! ?? It has to stop. Pitchers can NOT continue to drill guys. Maybe this will make the pitcher think next time before drilling someone. I'm not as upset as others. I think it's sickening that a pitcher can hit people and is basically protected. The ball is a weapon just as much as the bat is.

Wasn't there a scenario years ago that a batter got "buzzed" by the pitch. Then the next pitch he happened to (ahem) lose his grip and "buzzed" the pitcher with the bat?

How is the pitcher protected? In the National League, he has to bat. In other leagues, if a pitcher hits one of your guys, your pitcher's job is to protect his teammates and hit one of their guys to keep the opposing pitcher from hitting people with impunity. If enough of his guys get plunked, he'll realize he needs to find some control. Let the players police the game, and all will be well.

Which is why I'm no fan of the DH.

[WJMorris3]

Well, that marks the first time that Offerman hit something hard on two consecutive swings.

[HedleyLamarr]

Anyone remember the old Offerman joke?

"How do you spell Offerman?"

"1 O, 2 F's, and 47 E's....."

[Burning River]

In the AL, the pitcher doesn't bat. So, "Policing the game" is allowing pitchers to continue to throw at batters?? Sorry, if I buy it. The guy throwing the ball is not getting drilled in retaliation. There are other situations where there are batters who get drilled in the head by a pitcher. So, the other pitcher is supposed to drill yet another guy in the head whos not ieven involved? I'm not going to be convinced that getting clubbed with a bat is more harmful than a 95 mph pea to the head... or face. The batting helmet is not an excuse to say it's OK for a pitcher to hit a guy up high. I just don't get why the bat is considered a weapon (and inexcusable)... yet the ball is not?

This specific scenario may not be flagrant. I guess I'm talking more about the cases involving intent by the pitcher. There are pitches that get away, sure. But, these b*tches who drill a guy because the batter hit a HR the previous at bat have to learn to be a man and suck it up.

[jtthasportfreak]

Juan Marichal is unavailable for comment...

[infrared41]

Well, that marks the first time that Offerman hit something hard on two consecutive swings.

...said Keith Olbermann on last night on Countdown. Nice thievery.

[Jigga]

The McSorely and Bertuzzi incidents have set the precident for charges being level for on-field incidents. Offerman should be charged with assault. He intentionally hit someone with a baseball bat for crying out loud (and "accidentally" clipped someone else).

I do think that if it is clear that a pitcher is throwing at someone and plunks him causing injury, someone is probably going to press charges against said pitcher at some point. The guy will be laughed at and have his manhood questioned, but in our litigious society, it WILL happen at some point.

[pcgd]

In the AL, the pitcher doesn't bat. So, "Policing the game" is allowing pitchers to continue to throw at batters?? Sorry, if I buy it. The guy throwing the ball is not getting drilled in retaliation. There are other situations where there are batters who get drilled in the head by a pitcher. So, the other pitcher is supposed to drill yet another guy in the head whos not ieven involved? I'm not going to be convinced that getting clubbed with a bat is more harmful than a 95 mph pea to the head... or face. The batting helmet is not an excuse to say it's OK for a pitcher to hit a guy up high. I just don't get why the bat is considered a weapon (and inexcusable)... yet the ball is not?

This specific scenario may not be flagrant. I guess I'm talking more about the cases involving intent by the pitcher. There are pitches that get away, sure. But, these b*tches who drill a guy because the batter hit a HR the previous at bat have to learn to be a man and suck it up.

This is rarely the case. People don't throw at someone because they hit a home run. They throw at someone because they showed them up, watching the home run, or yapping, or saying "Mine" as a runner...

Its been part of the game since it started. Its already too regulated as is with the warnings system.

Pitchers already don't pitch inside as much as they should. Hense Barry Bonds and others with all the armor hanging over the inside part of the plate trying to get the outer half pitch.

Taking away the inside pitch even more would change the game even more, and I just don't think that should happen.

As a former player, I have been on both ends of a HBP (calling for it as a catcher and being hit) The few times I got hit, I knew it was coming. And everytime I got hit below the waist and I wasn't angry because I knew that my teammates were the cause of it. I was maybe mad at them, but not the other team. If it came at my head, i would have been pissed, but you won't get hurt below the waist. Every pitcher I ever caught would never throw at anyone's head on purpose, and I doubt there is any major league pitcher that would purposly throw at a players head knowing how serious an injury can be.

I think the batters with all the armor are the babies. If you're going to hang over the plate, take the HBP like a man. If you talk crap or show up the other team, take your lumps and your base. Its baseball.

[Lee.]

Well, that marks the first time that Offerman hit something hard on two consecutive swings.

In related news, I went to the driving range yesterday and hit some balls. I stepped on a rake.

[habsfan1]

I agree that the ball should be considered as a weapon as much as a bat. The Umpires sometimes don't let it pass. I watched a game once where a pitcher hit 2 different players. The first one headed to 1st base. When he hit the 2nd player, the ump threw the pitcher out of the game because he felt that one was intentional. The point is you can easily feel when it's intentional or not.