Reds/Cardinals Brawl

[Punch]

You could argue that Cueto was protecting himself. However, he had spikes on, and he knowlingly kicked the head of Jason LaRue with said spikes on, causing an apparent concussion. Carpenter is right, where'd Cueto learn to fight? Cueto fights like he is wrestling away from his big brother and his friends playfully attacking him.

I believe Phillips will get suspended. He started this with the comments and then the love-tap, and then the face-to-face verbal battle with Yadi. I find it unlikely that Molina will get suspended, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was. As I watch replays, I think Scott Rolen, Cueto, Dusty Baker, Tony LaRussa, and Brandon Phillips will get suspensions/fines. Yadier Molina is a sleeper candidate for suspension/fine #6.

Punch9

[Sport]

I was there last night, but due to the position of my seat (first base line lower level near the foul pole) I had a worse vantage point than those of you who saw it on TV.

Molina hit a home run and had a big night so...he wins and because St. Louis won the game, so do the Cardinals, which sucks for me.

This will be a good rivalry for the next few years. St. Louis has Jason Larue and Felipe Lopez (I'll gladly let you keep both) while the Reds have Scott Rolen, Walt Jocketty, and now Edmonds and Isringhausen. There's a lot of familiarity between the two teams. Add in the fact that the Reds are an intense team that takes their division rivalries seriously (see: Joey Votto and his feelings about the Chicago Cubs) and that the Cardinals are also an intense team and something like this was bound to happen. I like that the Reds seem to have fight in them and that they have personal invested interest in the games. I also like that Dusty Baker personally dislikes Tony Larussa because I dislike Tony Larussa.

What the Reds need to do is pull their collective head out of their collective ass and start playing baseball. They made way too many errors and mental mistakes to win either of the first two games. They're not playing the 01 Mariners here, but it's like they've psyched themselves into playing this geeked up goofy baseball that they haven't played all year. The Cardinals are the kings of the Central. They have been for most of this decade. If you want to win the division then this is the team you have to beat. So when you're facing Chris Carpenter, Garcia, and Wainwright you can't give the other team any extra outs/runs.

All is not lost, a win today and the Reds still lead the division by a game, but that's a tough task.

[cameroncrazie07]

Am I the only one that hates Chris Carpenter? Not a fan of the Reds or any of the Cardinals rivals but I just hate him

[Punch]

Am I the only one that hates Chris Carpenter? Not a fan of the Reds or any of the Cardinals rivals but I just hate him

The only reason someone would have to hate him is the fact that he said "What he did was totally unprofessional. I don't know where he learned to fight" regarding Reds' pitcher Johnny Cueto. Also, if your a Reds fan, he plays for the Cardinals.

Maybe you hate him because he only has two jersey options. The Cardinals really need an alt.......

[infrared41]

Meh that was a mere pillow fight to the baseball brawls from the 80s.

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/baseball/professional/mlb/padres/article_e308dd18-6149-5a9f-beb7-1d02fe053267.html

I was watching that game on "The Superstation" when it happened. Ugliest baseball game I've ever seen.

[DustDevil61]

I know I'm biased as a Cardinal fan, but Molina did the right thing here--I wouldn't like to be tapped, either. Most importantly, the Cards came out on top.

[MadmanLA]

I just love that Phillips is 0fer in this series. Warms my heart....

Its men being competitive. Rarely does anything make any sense when it comes to this stuff. Phillips shouldn't have tried to make nice...Molina could have let it go. But they are guys. I've seen this crap go down in wednesday night E League softball games...

After watching some video...I feel bad for you Reds fans. Those TV guys are just as bad as anyone in the league (Including the Cardinals who's TV guys suck)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUF_BlodYkI

Here's the Reds (Fox Sports Ohio) telecast in question...I was kinda surprised that Thom Brennaman wasn't calling the telecast (he may have been doing the radio broadcast with Daddy or had the night off).

Better enjoy it while you can before MLB forces YouTube to pull the video.

[The_Admiral]

I expect Tony La Russa to call for every Cincinnati batter to get hit by a pitch. Then after the game he'll threaten to attack the assembled media with a bat if they ask him what happened. Then he'll get blitzed and fall asleep at the wheel. Dusty Baker's response to this will be "that's baseball, dude."

[infrared41]

This has made the race for the NL Central even more interesting for the remainder of the season. I like it.

[Dilbert]

What I think is funny is that the Reds had a UFC fighter, throwing out todays first pitch!

[Jigga]

What I think is funny is that the Reds had a UFC fighter, throwing out todays first pitch!

They should have had his ass out there last night throwing 'bows at mother:censored:ers.

[Panhead1]

That was an interesting thing to see on ESPN.

[zer0dotcom]

I'll back Molina on that one. If you talk trash, you've got to be ready to accept that the other team will hear it, and isn't going to like it. Human beings in general don't like to be told they are hated.

I don't understand tapping the shin guards. My mindset immeadiately slips to hockey, would you smack the pads of the opposing goalie? Maybe my perception of sportsmanship is skewed, but a nod, or other gesture would seem to be a safer method of aknowledging another player on friendly terms than going up to an opposing player and tapping on his protective equipment with a blunt, solid wood object.

Could you imagine a Bosox player ripping the Yankees, then his first at bat he taps on Posada's guards at the dish?

[worcat]

Besides Phillips, Cueto comes out with the worst in this whole scenario. What a coward. You can't make the argument that he was defending himself. There were atleast 10 other guys against the netting and both teams were on the field with everyone having the same amount of risk of being injured. You didn't see any other player - whether it be a red or a cardinal - kicking people like a 5 year old.

I'll put it out there up front, I am a Cardinals fan but I'm trying to look at this like a general fan. MLB should fine or suspend Phillips for his comments towards the Cardinals. They were vulgar and inappropriate, shows that he has absolutely no sportsmanship what so ever. Whether it's his tradition to tap the catchers shin guards before each at bat or not, the timing of this was inappropriate as well. Let's bash a team and then the next day act like we're best friends on the field. What a moron. Molina did what any catcher should have done for his team.

La Russa and Baker have a long history of fights on the field, so their behavior really didn't surprise me. However, I believe the Cardinals took the high road and didn't retaliate with hitting a batter - especially Phillips - who deserves a Piazza moment and have his helmet dented in.

What happened to players and teams being classy? Why are the Reds of all teams starting crap? I understand they are division rivals and they are in the last leg of the season for a playoff run but really? Because the Cardinals have actually been a successful franchise and have been consistent for the last 10 years+ You're exceeding expectations and all of a sudden the Reds think they are owed something? I never had an issue with the reds before but unfortunately Phillips really pushed me over on the franchise, simply for the fact that the ownership alone didn't even take out a response saying that they did not agree with his comments and do not approve of his statements. I can watch the replay all day and only be more and more angry at Cueto. He may as well be swinging a bat and declaring it self defense...

[The_Admiral]

However, I believe the Cardinals took the high road and didn't retaliate with hitting a batter - especially Phillips - who deserves a Piazza moment and have his helmet dented in.

Well, don't worry, it's not like the Cardinals under Tony La Russa have been known to eschew the tactical hit-by-pitch. I'm sure Ol' Sunglasses will make Phillips pay for his sins by advancing to first base soon enough.

What happened to players and teams being classy?

Does any fanbase have a bigger obsession with "being classy"? Honestly. The Cardinals aren't even that themselves! Apparently it's not enough to field a perennial contender; you guys also have to be told repeatedly that you're the bestest fans in the whole wide world who would never dare to boo even the most egregious lying cheaters, and when not fetishizing death, are known to retrieve housecats from trees and help old women cross streets. It's never enough simply to like the damn team.

[Jigga]

Besides Phillips, Cueto comes out with the worst in this whole scenario. What a coward. You can't make the argument that he was defending himself. There were atleast 10 other guys against the netting and both teams were on the field with everyone having the same amount of risk of being injured. You didn't see any other player - whether it be a red or a cardinal - kicking people like a 5 year old.

I'll put it out there up front, I am a Cardinals fan but I'm trying to look at this like a general fan. MLB should fine or suspend Phillips for his comments towards the Cardinals. They were vulgar and inappropriate, shows that he has absolutely no sportsmanship what so ever. Whether it's his tradition to tap the catchers shin guards before each at bat or not, the timing of this was inappropriate as well. Let's bash a team and then the next day act like we're best friends on the field. What a moron. Molina did what any catcher should have done for his team.

La Russa and Baker have a long history of fights on the field, so their behavior really didn't surprise me. However, I believe the Cardinals took the high road and didn't retaliate with hitting a batter - especially Phillips - who deserves a Piazza moment and have his helmet dented in.

What happened to players and teams being classy? Why are the Reds of all teams starting crap? I understand they are division rivals and they are in the last leg of the season for a playoff run but really? Because the Cardinals have actually been a successful franchise and have been consistent for the last 10 years+ You're exceeding expectations and all of a sudden the Reds think they are owed something? I never had an issue with the reds before but unfortunately Phillips really pushed me over on the franchise, simply for the fact that the ownership alone didn't even take out a response saying that they did not agree with his comments and do not approve of his statements. I can watch the replay all day and only be more and more angry at Cueto. He may as well be swinging a bat and declaring it self defense...

You want "class", but you say some ignorant :censored: like that. That's funny.

Just to note, I'm not calling you ignorant, just what you said. I don't want you trying to dent my helmet in retaliation.

[epper]

This has made the race for the NL Central even more interesting for the remainder of the season. I like it.

I thought the same thing. Anything to give the most boring division in baseball a little spice.

[infrared41]

La Russa and Baker have a long history of fights on the field, so their behavior really didn't surprise me. However, I believe the Cardinals took the high road and didn't retaliate with hitting a batter - especially Phillips - who deserves a Piazza moment and have his helmet dented in.

You really think Brandon Phillips deserves to get hit in the head by a pitch? What a -ing idiotic thing to say. I'll follow Jigga's lead here. I won't call you ignorant. But that's only because there's a difference between being ignorant and being downright stupid. Take that however you'd like.

[NJTank]

The Cardinals are a bunch of babies.

C'mon Man all Phillips said is I hate the Cardinals, they are division rivals and fighting for the division hatred comes with the game.

[Jigga]

The Cardinals are a bunch of babies.

C'mon Man all Phillips said is I hate the Cardinals, they are division rivals and fighting for the division hatred comes with the game.

To be fair, Phillips also called them bitches during his rant. Of course, they went out and proved him right, but that's beside the point.