Home Run Derby

So Wednesday night, Coco Crisp slid cleats up into second base trying to break up a double play – and got a handful of crotch while he was at it. 

The Rays thought that tactic was a bit excessive as TB Manager Joe Maddon yelled at Crisp Wednesday … so everyone expected that Crisp would be the target of a plunking on Thursday Night. 

Tampa Bay didn’t waste any time Thursday … Coco Crisp leads off the second inning.  With a 1-0 count … Rays pitcher James Shields sends the message … right on Crisp’s thigh.  And then tries to leave one on his face after Crisp charged the mound.

Video has been removed

Crisp took it to the mound, where Shield was waiting for him with a right cross.  Coco got a swing in before getting tackled by Rays catcher Dioner Navarro.  And then Jonny Gomes and some other Rays got their licks in on Crisp.

First off – what the hell was Crisp thinking?  Shields didn’t throw at his head … take your bvase and let Maddon and Shields get tossed or fined or suspended.  Now Crisp will be out eight games (okay - five or six after appeal). 

Add in the fact that David Ortiz is gone for a month and Jacoby Ellsbury tweaked his wrist later in the game (day to day) and the Red Sox’ outfield could look interesting for a few days.

Meanwhile – the Rays continue to look anything like your father’s Devil Rays squad.  Even in the final game of another Sox Sweep at Fenway … The Rays sent the message tonight. 

Mess with one of us … and you mess with all of us.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Anger Management, Rays, Red Sox. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.