Matt Barnes suspended for four games and fined

[FredLynn]

Matt Barnes just got suspended for four games for throwing BEHIND the head of Manny Machado. What a jackass, if it was intentional. I am not buying his "it just got away from me" excuse. Should have been at least 10 games. You NEVER do that.

 

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2017/04/24/red-sox-pitcher-matt-barnes-suspended-4-games-for-buzzing-orioles-manny-machado

[Jasonbay44]

I really don't think he was aiming for his head, it really is hard to hit a guy intentionally in the right spot, and we all know Barnes has questionable control. Suspension was expected and justified.

[Northern Star]

Passan calling for 20 games for throwing at the head. Debatable, at least.

[FredLynn]

I really don't think he was aiming for his head, it really is hard to hit a guy intentionally in the right spot, and we all know Barnes has questionable control. Suspension was expected and justified.

 

Well you have to AT LEAST make sure that if you miss the guy, you miss low. Bounce it in the dirt or something. I think every ML pitcher has enough control to miss low.

[jacksonianmarch]

You don't go high in this day and age. 30 years ago you went high for the hell of it

[FredLynn]

Barnes was suspended by the league for 4 games. If the Sox management wanted to make this right they would suspend him without pay for another six games. This is more important than winning a baseball game.

[Spudboy]

You don't go high in this day and age. 30 years ago you went high for the hell of it

 

Yup. That is why we have "chin music" and "beanball".

[Fisk]

Barnes was suspended by the league for 4 games. If the Sox management wanted to make this right they would suspend him without pay for another six games. This is more important than winning a baseball game.

 

Why? Do you really think he intentionally went for the head, and do you think he did it on hid own.

[Bellhorn04]

The really ironic thing is that under the Retaliation Code, Barnes can't tell the truth about what his intentions were. If he said he was throwing at Machado's chest or back and the pitch got away most people would believe him.

[S5Dewey]

The really ironic thing is that under the Retaliation Code, Barnes can't tell the truth about what his intentions were. If he said he was throwing at Machado's chest or back and the pitch got away most people would believe him.

 

Very true...nice observation.

 

I watched the interview with Barnes on the post-game show that night and he was very carefully measuring what he said. I got the feeling that he wanted to say, "Yeah. I was trying to hit him but the damn ball got away from me. I feel terrible about how close it came to his head. I would NEVER throw at someone's head."

 

Maybe it's because that's what I wanted to 'hear', but it was the impression I got FWIW.

[Bellhorn04]

Very true...nice observation.

 

I watched the interview with Barnes on the post-game show that night and he was very carefully measuring what he said. I got the feeling that he wanted to say, "Yeah. I was trying to hit him but the damn ball got away from me. I feel terrible about how close it came to his head. I would NEVER throw at someone's head."

 

Maybe it's because that's what I wanted to 'hear', but it was the impression I got FWIW.

 

You're probably right. The Retaliation Code is the same as Omerta. If Barnes fessed up, his body would be found in a dumpster.

[S5Dewey]

you're probably right. The retaliation code is the same as omerta. If barnes fessed up, his body would be found in a dumpster.

 

lol

[Bellhorn04]

In a case like this does the Commissioners Office ask the manager if he told the pitcher to throw at the hitter? If they did it would be rather embarrassing because Farrell would obviously have to lie about it. I'm pretty sure Barnes got a signal of some sort from John. As has been noted, it appeared that E-Rod had made a couple of attempts to throw at Machado earlier.

[S5Dewey]

I've always wondered if intentionally plunking a batter is something that's spoken about in the dugout or if it's just something that a pitcher takes upon himself to do but with tacit approval of the manager and the rest of the team.

[Bellhorn04]

I've always wondered if intentionally plunking a batter is something that's spoken about in the dugout or if it's just something that a pitcher takes upon himself to do but with tacit approval of the manager and the rest of the team.

 

I don't think Barnes did that on his own.

[S5Dewey]

I don't think Barnes did that on his own.

 

IMO hitting Machado falls into the category of 'don't ask, don't tell". I don't believe that Farrell would actually tell Barnes to go out there and hit him with a pitch, but I do believe that Barnes knew that Farrell would cover his ass if he did hit Machado.

 

I can make a pretty good case for this either way,

 

Case #1 - John Farrell isn't going to make himself complicit in hitting Machado by telling Barnes to do it. At least not when Farrell knew that the "code" demanded payback for spiking Pedey. Doing that would hang Farrell's ass out too far at a time when he didn't have to have his ass out there at all.

 

Case #2 - No player would go against the wishes of his manager and do something that would assuredly result in a suspension and probably a fine. That could cost the team a game (or several) and would show the pitcher as being immature, putting his own beliefs above the team.

 

I'll say this: I don't think Farrell told Barnes to NOT hit him!

 

Do you think Dempster was told to hit ARod?

[Jack Flap]

Kind of dumb if Farrell instructed (explicitly or implicitly) his most invaluable reliever not named Kimbrel at this point in the season to throw at Machado, knowing a suspension was certain to follow. Why not put Abad in the game if you want to bean somebody...at least he'd be doing something useful to justify his roster spot.

 

Anyway, the suspension is just and hopefully the whole affair is behind us.

[Emp9]

Kind of dumb if Farrell instructed (explicitly or implicitly) his most invaluable reliever not named Kimbrel at this point in the season to throw at Machado, knowing a suspension was certain to follow. Why not put Abad in the game if you want to bean somebody...at least he'd be doing something useful to justify his roster spot.

 

Anyway, the suspension is just and hopefully the whole affair is behind us.

 

I partly agree, Abad would have been the pitcher to use. Although I think Hembree is our best RP, over Barnes (and looks better than Kimbrel at this point too).

[S5Dewey]

Kind of dumb if Farrell instructed (explicitly or implicitly) his most invaluable reliever not named Kimbrel at this point in the season to throw at Machado, knowing a suspension was certain to follow. Why not put Abad in the game if you want to bean somebody...at least he'd be doing something useful to justify his roster spot.

 

Anyway, the suspension is just and hopefully the whole affair is behind us.

 

Not only that, he'd be helping the team by getting suspended.

[Station 13]

Sending a boy to do a man's job, Farrell should get 5 games.

 

/s

[Slasher9]

Matt Barnes should not have to buy a beer in Boston the rest of the year. he did exactly what a BASEBALL PLAYER is supposed to do.

i posted this in the other thread but it belongs here as well:

btw - was anyone else really bothered by the fact that Pedroia sold out Barnes the other night. yeah, the pitch got a bit higher than Matt wanted it or it should have been. but does Pedroia really need to whistle over to Machado and scream like a little bitch "it wasn't me. talk to him."

eff that. if i was Matt i would lay Pedroia out.....

[cp176]

Matt Barnes should not have to buy a beer in Boston the rest of the year. he did exactly what a BASEBALL PLAYER is supposed to do.

i posted this in the other thread but it belongs here as well:

btw - was anyone else really bothered by the fact that Pedroia sold out Barnes the other night. yeah, the pitch got a bit higher than Matt wanted it or it should have been. but does Pedroia really need to whistle over to Machado and scream like a little bitch "it wasn't me. talk to him."

eff that. if i was Matt i would lay Pedroia out.....

 

yup - I have written a number of posts saying as much. i hope we hear something else about it. He ain't my main man so much these days. Maybe he just should have kept his mouth shut.

[Station 13]

yup - I have written a number of posts saying as much. i hope we hear something else about it. He ain't my main man so much these days. Maybe he just should have kept his mouth shut.

 

Pedroia, keeping his piehole shut? Not possible.

[cp176]

Pedroia, keeping his piehole shut? Not possible.

 

for sure!

[jacksonianmarch]

It's rare that a coach tells you to hit someone. You usually get the stand down order far more often. If the coach doesn't tell you stand down after an incident like that, then usually you have the green light to retaliate

[Bellhorn04]

It's rare that a coach tells you to hit someone. You usually get the stand down order far more often. If the coach doesn't tell you stand down after an incident like that, then usually you have the green light to retaliate

 

If that's the case, Farrell not giving a stand down order is the same thing as him saying somebody has to do it, right?

 

It's also worth noting that the retaliation didn't take place until 2 games later and when the Sox had a lead. The timing of these things is usually telling in itself.

[S5Dewey]

If that's the case, Farrell not giving a stand down order is the same thing as him saying somebody has to do it, right?

Almost. I think it's called "culpable ingorance" or some such thing.

[oldtimer]

Barnes was suspended by the league for 4 games. If the Sox management wanted to make this right they would suspend him without pay for another six games. This is more important than winning a baseball game.

 

I don't know why you feel a 4 game suspension isn't enough? The league has spoken and I am okay with their decision. Now if he was a repeat offender, perhaps a longer suspension would be justified.

[FredLynn]

Regardless of the reason Barnes threw a beanball behind Machado's head he deserves more than four games for it. I suspect he meant to throw it behind his tochas but lost control of it somehow. He should pay dearly for that mistake. In real life you pay for your mistakes. The rule should be "nothing over the belt" when you are seeking retribution. A 95 mph fastball to the head, even with a helmet on, not only threatens a player's career but his life as well. Barnes is getting off easy IMO.

[moonslav59]

We'll never know for sure, if Barnes was aiming at his head. He might have missed by a foot or more.

 

It's a dangerous road to take, and the league did well with their punishment, but I do think Barnes was expected to do something.

 

Maybe the O's will be less likely to make slides that that against us going forward.