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June 5, 2008
BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON – Coco Crisp was drilled on his right thigh by a 1-and-0 pitch from Tampa Bay starter James Shields in the second inning Thursday night.
And the bench-clearing brawl was on, a combustible situation waiting to happen because of charges of “shady” play, a hard takeout slide and a bruised left thumb from the game the night before, featuring Crisp, a couple of Tampa Bay infielders and Rays manager Joe Maddon.
After getting hit, Crisp took a few short steps toward first, but then flicked away his bat, knocked off his helmet and charged the mound. Shields knocked off his cap and as Crisp neared the mound, Shields threw a wild right at Crisp’s head. But Crisp ducked back, avoiding the blow and then the Red Sox center fielder threw a right of his own, which connected with the outside of Shields’ right (pitching) shoulder.
The action was fast and furious after that, all of it taking place right around the pitcher’s mound, most of it on the turf.
Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro put a bear hug on Crisp from behind and dragged him to the ground as the benches and bullpens emptied, players running as hard as they could to join the fray, either as peacemakers or as combatants.
The Rays clearly were expecting something to happen because they were on the top step of their dugout and on top of Crisp in an eye-blink, led by burly and not-very-speedy designated hitter Jonny Gomes.
Gomes jumped on Crisp as he was going down and threw a haymaker, hitting Crisp underneath his left shoulder. Speedy Carl Crawford zipped in from left field and got down on the ground, throwing a couple of quick rights in the direction of Crisp’s head.
Boston third-base coach DeMarlo Hale, meanwhile, ran from his post and tackled Shields from behind, body-slamming him to the turf as the players from the respective bullpens joined the action. The last ones out of the Red Sox dugout were Bartolo Colon, trailed by Manny Ramirez.
It took a while for order to be restored, with Crisp finally crawling out of the scrum, his shirt torn down the front. Manager Terry Francona stayed in front of him, making sure hostilities didn’t heat up.
As in most such cases, many punches were thrown, but it didn’t appear as if all that many landed.
What was clear, though, was that Tampa Bay was willing to sacrifice its ace starting pitcher to settle a score and send the message to the Red Sox that they are not the doormats they have been in the first 10 years of the organization’s existence.
It was about respect for the perennial last-place Rays, who entered this three-game series on Tuesday night in an unaccustomed spot in the standings – in first place, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox. Tampa Bay lost the first two games, falling a half-game behind Boston, but it was Crisp’s actions Wednesday night that had Maddon incensed.
Crisp suffered a bruised left thumb sliding head-first into second base on a successful stolen-base attempt in the sixth inning Wednesday night. Crisp accused Tampa Bay shortstop Jason Bartlett of a “shady” play, dropping his knee in front of the bag as Crisp slid in, causing the Sox center fielder to mash his thumb against Bartlett's leg.
That incident led to an incident in the eighth inning. Crisp slid hard into second baseman Akinori Iwamura on an unsuccessful stolen-base attempt. That takeout slide precipitated a shouting match between Maddon (from the mound) and Crisp (in the Sox dugout) as a pitching change was made later in the inning.
Maddon claimed Crisp's slide was made with an intent to injure. Crisp said he was sending a message, though it was intended for Bartlett.
So there were expectations before last night’s game that there might be some payback or left-over hard feelings. In the first, Shields hit Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia with a pitch. Was that retribution for Crisp’s upending of Iwamura the previous night? Second baseman for second baseman?
Maybe, maybe not, but there was no doubting the purpose of Shields’ 1-and-0 pitch to Crisp, which was a fastball off the upper part of Crisp’s right thigh. Shields didn’t head-hunt. He followed old-time baseball etiquette by hitting Crisp on the leg. And Crisp knew before the game that he was likely to be a target.
But that didn’t stop the brawl from erupting. Tampa Bay’s Shields and Gomes were ejected as was Crisp and the game continued with Boston leading, 3-0.
Another flare-up came in the fifth when Boston starter Jon Lester hit Crawford – the Ray who jack-hammered a couple of punches to Crisp’s head in the mound pig-pile -- with a pitch with two outs and none on and the Sox on top, 7-1.
Lester, though, nicked Crawford on the upper part of his right arm with a breaking ball that didn’t break, so plate umpire Jeff Kellogg didn’t feel the need to eject Lester for throwing at Crawford.
Nor was Lester ejected after he buzzed Cliff Floyd up and in as the veteran led off the seventh.
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 8:37 PM | Permalink
