Suspensions of MLB Pitchers

by depoalob on Jun 11, 2011 10:49 PM EDT

I have Washington Nationals pitcher Jason Marquis on my fantasy baseball team and he was recently suspended 5-games for hitting Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton. He was appealing the suspension but thinking that it was not going to get reduced he dropped the suspension and decided to serve the 5 games. The thing that bothers me is that with the Washington Nationals having an off-day on Monday 6/13, he is not going to miss a scheduled start. As much as it benefits me since he is on my Fantasy team, it bothers me that he is not going to suffer any consequences for hitting Justin Upton. The league suspended him five games because they felt that he was intentionally trying to hit Upton, and yet he is not going to face any punishment since he isn't even going to miss a start.

Something that I would suggest to remedy this situation would be to start suspending pitchers by "starts." For instance if the MLB would suspend Jason Marquis for one start, he would, in essence, have until 21st of June to start for the first time since the suspension instead of June 16th. This would mean that Marquis would have faced some type of punishment. It might be difficult to be fair to all starters this way, but I think it's the only way they could truly suspend a pitcher. For instance, if a pitcher gets suspended 15 games, which is a rather significant suspension, it might end up he only misses one or two starts instead of the "three" that the MLB would say the 15 game suspension is equivalent to.

One last thing before I go. Today, during the Yankee game Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch from Mitch Talbot two batters after Curtis Granderson hit a towering home-run. After A-Rod was hit, Talbot was IMMEDIATELY ejected and both benches were warned. I think that the Yankees should have been given a chance to retaliate, or to send the message to the Indians that we weren't going to take this getting hit. We have been hit 7 times in 5 games on this home-stand and our opponents have been hit a whopping, 1 time. Yankee pitchers need to realize that they need to have their batters backs, and umpires need to realize that opposing teams need a chance to retaliate.

Poll

How Should MLB Pitchers be Suspended so that it is fair?

By Games

3 votes

By Starts

35 votes

38 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I voted starts, but here's the problem.

A manager could say they were going to start him the next game and poof suspension over. So there should be a second rule demanding that they have to wait the until a full 5 games has been played without him getting in any of them.

Plus I don’t get what an off day does. It’s GAMES not days. So I don’t think it matters much whether you go by games or starts.

"I'm coming after whoever who has it."

by Jeterian 2 on Jun 11, 2011 11:00 PM EDT reply actions

The minimum suspension for a starting pitcher should be 9 games

That way you guarantee he misses a start.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jun 12, 2011 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions

that is a good idea, starting pitchers should be treated differently since they only pitch every 5 days or so

by jadedeed2327 on Jun 12, 2011 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

So, just to be clear...

You’re proposing that MLB pitchers, like Marquis, be punished and suspended by starts for intentionally hitting Justin Upton, but then advocate that the Yankees, or other teams, have a right to retaliate (I.E. intentionally hit) against someone after they’ve been unintentionally or intentionally hit just for retaliation purposes or to “send a message?”

…Wouldn’t that mean that the Yankees pitchers would be suspended, by starts, for retaliating?

"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"

by I'mGivingYouARaise on Jun 11, 2011 11:19 PM EDT reply actions

This makes no sense really.

Not you I mean the post. Marquis will miss 5 games. Not 5 days. The off day is irrelevant.

"I'm coming after whoever who has it."

by Jeterian 2 on Jun 11, 2011 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

It makes sense...

If there’s an off day, they can move another pitcher up a day and move Marquis back, so Marquis doesn’t really miss a start.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jun 12, 2011 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think that the Pitchers who retaliate for any team, even the Yankees, should be free of consequence. I was basically saying that the umpires should realize that if 2 players on one team get hit, or if someone hits a homerun and the next pitch is at the next batters head, that that the team is going to do something to protect their teammate. Then their should be a warning. I just think that Umpires should wait until after a team has a chance to defend their teammates to warn both benches. However, I don’t think that the Yankees pitchers or any other teams pitchers for that matter should be able to avoid punishment. If there was a warning and a pitcher hits someone and the umpire thinks it was intentional, suspend him, but by starts.

by depoalob on Jun 12, 2011 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions

i agree, it should be starts instead of games since games are basically rest days anyway for starting pitchers

by jadedeed2327 on Jun 13, 2011 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions

they should just play bloody knuckles on the black top for respekt

by jetanumba2 on Jun 14, 2011 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I think a 10 game suspension is a bit ludicrous, but it’s the only way to ensure a pitcher will miss one start. I’m not suggesting this as a proper means of punishment, but a five game suspension really just pushes a starter back one day.

"Nature never intended for you to survive here. But this fall, nature isn't the only thing to fear." September 10, 2011. Alabama vs. Penn State. White House.

by Chris McKeown on Jun 13, 2011 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

What about relievers? There are those who pitch 3 or 4 (or more!) out of 6 games a week.

I bet it's good to be playing again, huh?

by david d on Jun 13, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Those guys are probably easier to address, but that wouldn’t make suspensions exactly “fair” if they were drastically different for relievers and starters. Good point.

"Nature never intended for you to survive here. But this fall, nature isn't the only thing to fear." September 10, 2011. Alabama vs. Penn State. White House.

by Chris McKeown on Jun 13, 2011 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Make up your mind

After A-Rod was hit, Talbot was IMMEDIATELY ejected and both benches were warned. I think that the Yankees should have been given a chance to retaliate, or to send the message to the Indians that we weren’t going to take this getting hit.

Why did the Yankees need to retaliate or send a message? The offending pitcher was immediately ejected. That hurt the opposing team more than another hit batter would have. I could almost see your point if the warning was issued without an ejection, but that did not happen.

by waw on Jun 13, 2011 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

We have ya been recently?

"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things." - Joe Paterno

by Chris McKeown on Jun 14, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Busy, busy, busy

I’ve been catching at least parts of the games, but haven’t been able to do more than skim PSA. Things should slow down a bit this week for me, though as usual I have trouble catching the start of the 7:05pm games – schedule conflicts.

by waw on Jun 14, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions