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Forum nameOkay Sports
Topic subjectTwo of three with real pitching performances?
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2155715&mesg_id=2165978
2165978, Two of three with real pitching performances?
Posted by Walleye, Mon Apr-22-13 09:01 AM
Ugh. This team is going to draw me in with the first decent April in what seems like forever. In fairness, I was a lost cause anyhow.

Relatedly, here's a story about Miguel Sano being kind of a badass and getting thrown out of a game along with Doug Mientkiewicz and DJ Baxendale. I like that our prospects also come with some "fuck you" in their game.

http://www.twinkietown.com/2013/4/21/4250738/miguel-sano-homers-after-message-pitch

Maybe I'm dramatizing this a little bit. I wasn't there. I haven't seen the tape. But whatever the intention may or may not have been, the result was awesome. Here's what happened.

With two outs in the top of the fifth, the Fort Myers Miracle were trailing the Palm Beach Cardinals 5-3. Cardinals pitcher Brandon Creath threw a pitch that appeared to be meant for Miguel Sano's body. According to Brice Zimmerman, play-by-play announcer for the Miracle, it looked like it was actually headed for Sano's head.

Sometimes baseballs get away from pitchers. Especially minor league pitchers. And for a guy who is walking 5.1 batters per nine innings this season, it's not like a lack of command is unexpected. So maybe he was throwing at Sano, and maybe he wasn't.

But Sano took exception. From Brice Zimmerman's Twitter account:

Brice Zimmerman @ZimMiracle

Creath's first pitch to Sano was at his head, but missed behind him. Sano then launched a 450-ft plus HR on a 3-1 pitch.
4:46 PM - 21 Apr 2013

Brice Zimmerman @ZimMiracle

Mientkiewicz wanted Creath tossed for throwing at Sano, but HP ump just warned him and both dugouts.
4:46 PM - 21 Apr 2013

Brice Zimmerman @ZimMiracle

Sano admired his HR, then turned to the Palm Beach dugout and pumped his fists, was tossed, Mientkiewicz and Baxendale tossed too.
4:47 PM - 21 Apr 2013


Sano felt he was being thrown at. Clearly manager Doug Mientkiewicz (I still don't have to look up how to spell that name) thought Creath had done it on purpose. So did D.J. Baxendale.

Usually I'm not a fan of players showing someone else up. I love seeing passion in our players, and I love that Sano punished Creath in the best way possible by launching a massive home run, but sportsmanship matters to me. So I also have no problem with Sano getting tossed for making so blatant a gesture.

Whatever Creath's actual intent, however events actually played out in terms of Sano's gesture and Mientkiewicz's belief of intent, two things are certain. Sano thought Creath was throwing at him, and Sano took him yard.

Awesome.