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By now the entire world knows how the incident went down. San Diego Padres player Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch thrown by Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Zack Greinke. Quentin charged the mound for some reason that apparently everyone in baseball is supposed to know, and Greinke wound up with a broken collarbone. Of course by now the suspensions have been laid out and everyone has said they were sorry for what happened – oh wait. No, that’s not right. Quentin has yet to do anything but cross his arms, pout and say, “It is unfortunate, but it could have been avoided.”
You know what? I never thought I would agree with this guy but I actually do on that point. This could have been avoided. Not in the way Quentin means though, it could have been avoided if he had put on his big boy pants on the night of the game. Maybe he could have been a real man instead of one that claims pounding on others makes you a man, and just walked his happy rear down to first base. Sure, say a word or two. Mouth off and elbow the first baseman slightly. Do something to let the world know you are seething on the inside, as on the outside you behave like you are not in the third grade!
I refuse to believe this junk about it being a baseball situation. Baseball people know what happened here, he likes to say. Well, I haven’t played professionally but I have watched it for longer than Quentin has been alive and studied it as well. I know that a pitcher doesn’t throw at someone in retaliation, or for whatever reason, in a 2-1 game with a 3-2 count. That is what baseball people know, Mr. Quentin.
Maybe just one time he could say he is sorry. Perhaps just one word that led us to believe he had any remorse at all for what his actions caused would be nice. Maybe then I wouldn’t believe that what Greinke said was true. This thug is just trying to bully every pitcher in the league so they won’t pitch inside. Oh but he reportedly told Matt Kemp that he was reacting because Greinke threw at his head. Well, I can’t speak to where his brain was on that night but his head was a foot or more from the fatty part of his arm where the ball hit him.
This kind of thing does happen in baseball; Quentin has a minor point there. Just the other week Kevin Youkilis of the New York Yankees had a ball thrown actually at his head. Like his real head this time Quentin, not the one in his triceps area like yours. Talk about a history, Carlos Corrasco has such a headhunting history that he was thrown out without a warning and then suspended for eight games. Youkilis of course, because he is a baseball man, ran to the mound like a Neanderthal and began pounding on Corrasco for all he was worth. After all that is what baseball men do, right Quentin?
Actually no, that isn’t what he did. After barely ducking so the ball didn’t get him in the head, Youkilis just kept his mouth closed and went to first base! Nothing else happened to him and his team was better off because they had a man on base. That is what happens when a baseball man gets hit by a pitch, sir. You are not required to defend your honor by charging the mound, no matter what the pitcher says.
I’ve seen the video and sure, Greinke said something. It appeared to be a sort of, “Whatever, come on then,” kind of gesture. Is that supposed to be what excuses Quentin for running to the mound? Really? How about rewinding the tape a few seconds earlier when the pitch hit Quentin. That little sigh and look to the side speaks more of Greinke not hitting him on purpose than anything else. He clearly was irritated that he plunked the guy.
Eight games is too short for something like this when the guy shows no remorse at all. Basically it proves that the next time he hangs his arm and face over the middle of the plate and gets plunked that he’ll be just a short fuse away from teaching another pitcher a lesson. Isn’t that really what it comes down to? Greinke stepped on his little feelings and he had to go take care of the situation like a “man”.
No, that isn’t what a man would do. It’s what Quentin would do. There is a clear and distinct difference in my opinion. As far as the too short suspension goes, it would be a blessing for me if I were the Padres. They haven’t won but two games anyway. Quentin has stunk up the joint so bad that the Padres could randomly choose a minor leaguer and have him perform at a higher level and likely act more mature in the process.
So, Padres, if I were you I would get rid of this guy before he does more to give you a bad name. He obviously needs anger management courses and also a hard lesson on difference between a real man and one that behaves like a five year old when his feelings are hurt. If the Padres aren’t willing to trade him they need to sit his 4 for 23 .123 average self on the bench until he can buy big boy pants and learn how to play the real game of baseball instead of the one going on in his head.
David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.
