The Sheffield Incident

[Clay Dreslough]

Man, no one's chimed in on this yet!

I say it doesn't matter if the guy was trying to punch Sheffield, grab the ball, or just knock of his cap. Either way, he shouldn't have been reaching over.

Some folks have called into WEEI screaming that we should kick people out the game if they interfere, as if that's going to stop it.

It's not. You need a serious penalty. Money won't do it. And a night in jail won't either. You've got to pull the season tickets. If you keep pulling season tickets from front-row fans who interfere (and give the tickets to someone in the 2nd row, or on some other kind of season-ticket waiting list) you will eventually end up with only well-behaved fans in the front row.

Of course, you can't just go and pull season tickets based on last night's event, because the fans had no expectation that they would be punished for reaching over. That's what people have been doing forever. In the case of Jeffrey Maier , it even helped his team (the Yankees) win a playoff game.

This is the same reason you can't keep McGwire out of the Hall Of Fame for using steroids. Because MLB did very little to discourage this behavior and was pretty wishy-washy about what was illegal and what wasn't.

For the same reason, you can't pull season tickets from the 20-or-so people that reached into right field last night trying to grab Varitek's hits, knock Sheff's cap off, or whatever. You can't even pull the season tickets from the guy that bumped Sheffield on the lip.

But you can do this:

1) Send a letter to every season ticket holder telling them they will lose their season tickets if they reach onto the field (they will of course, get a full refund on unused tickets but that's not what matters to front-row season ticket holders).

2) Announce this policy at Fenway.

3) Run a drill at the beginning of every game at Fenway for a few days in a row. It goes like this: "The ball has been hit near you. Stick your arms straight out to your left and right and lean back."

If most of the fans did this, NO ONE would lean onto the field. Even if they wanted to, the guys next to them would be holding them back.

Fenway would be the ONE place in baseball with fans that didn't interfere with the field of play. It would be weird, but it befits a team with such a storied baseball tradition. We are the reigning World Champs after all...

Clay

[edeutsch77]

I think the championship is going to your head, Clay...

But still, go Sox!

[Steiny]

Yeah, its beginning to seep into the cerebral cortex, like all New Englanders. While I was happy as all get out to see the Sox finally win one, their fans have been such asses about it that I'd like to see 'em go 67-95 this year. But I digress...

In looking at the footage I could get to, I think the guy was trying to interfere with Sheffield, but had no idea Sheffield was close enough to make contact. If I were a fan trying to strike a player, I sure wouldn't have done it like he did - I'dve tried to knock the guy flat on his *** (warning to Barry Bonds: don't come anywhere near somewhere I might be sitting).

How this morphed into a McGwire/steroids thing I dunno, but I'll chime in there as well: McGwire's selection will be up to sports writers; MLB won't do anything to try to prevent his election. Whether they vote him in or not, who's to say. IMHO he shouldn't go, because in hindsight looking back on his career it was apparent the guy was juiced for at least the latter half of his career: production numbers, repeated injuries that were aggravated, etc.

3) Run a drill at the beginning of every game at Fenway for a few days in a row. It goes like this: "The ball has been hit near you. Stick your arms straight out to your left and right and lean back."

Maybe we could get Richard Simmons to choreograph (sp?) this.

We are the reigning World Champs after all...

Make that 66-96.

[Clay Dreslough]

Originally posted by Steiny
While I was happy as all get out to see the Sox finally win one, their fans have been such asses about it that I'd like to see 'em go 67-95 this year. But I digress...

The only reason Mogul predicts the Sox to do so well are because it projects Clement, Arroyo and Schilling to have good years. If Clement struggles with walks, Schilling struggles with age, and Arroyo is just an MLB average young pitcher, then the Sox will have real trouble winning 90, even with that offense. Losing Pedro hurts a lot and Wells isn't exactly a #1 or #2 anymore.

And the Yankees are just getting old. Without The Big Unit they might also have a tough time winning 90,

The good news for these 2 teams is that there don't appear to be strong wild card challenegers. Oakland got weaker, and Cleveland and Texas probably don't have the pitching yet.

I would be neither surprised nor saddened much if the post-season was missing the Red Sox or Yankees. Except that it would just give Selig more ammo for his theory that the economic system needs fixing.

It's funny that in Mogul 2K6 you give the Yankees $150+ million every year and they DOMINATE. But Cashman can't dominate with the same advantage.

Clay

[rollsroyce11991]

Every Game you see fans reaching over and grabbing balls in play and security ejects the fan from the game, but they get to keep the ball and everything. There needs to be harsher punishments. I like the season tickets idea.

[anaveragecow]

Originally posted by rollsroyce11991
Every Game you see fans reaching over and grabbing balls in play and security ejects the fan from the game, but they get to keep the ball and everything. There needs to be harsher punishments. I like the season tickets idea.

season tickets is a good punishment for the fan but what about Gary Sheffield. even though i love Sheff he should be suspened for at least a game. you just cant react and try to hit a fan. with all the steroids baseball doesnt need anymore bad publicity. they should crack down harder on incidents like this.

[Steiny]

Originally posted by anaveragecow
season tickets is a good punishment for the fan but what about Gary Sheffield.

What exactly should he be suspended for, though?

In looking at the video of the incident, I can't see where he did anything that would justify a suspension. While I don't really care much for Sheffield as a player, I think under the circumstances he handled himself far better than most might have (myself included - I'dve "gone Pacers" on him).

[anaveragecow]

he did try to hit a fan, or at least thats what it looked like. i dont think that baseball should allow that, no matter what the fan tried to do or if he interfered. Sheffield was just caught up in the moment but i think he deserves at least a one game suspension.

[boomboom]

it actually looked like he put up his glove to move the fan back so he could throw the ball....not hit a fan...give him some room.

[SFSteveG]

He was just playing the game the way it's supposed to be played and get the fans off the field. As far as I'm concerned he was assaulted and did what anyone has the right to do to protect himself and complete his job.

[TwinswillWin]

the fan got his season tickets revoked.

[robinhoodnik]

The fan gets 'em back next year though and the guy that tossed his beer on Gary is banned for the year too.

[robinhoodnik]

Also in reply to the Jeffrey Maier interference non-call, I read that he is or was playing ball in the Yankees system. If it's true it is really sad. Also if Steinbrenner gets booted from baseball again maybe Cashman will be free to run a big league team instead of an over the hill bunch of guys who used to be real all stars but are now mostly only fan favorites.