First off, hell yeah! I JUST wrote an article about how the Yanks v. Sox rivalry needed this the other day. Last night,Tyler Austin of the New York Yankees and Joe Kelly of the Boston Red Sox got into it, benches cleared and hilarity ensued.

Notes on fight:

Part 1 - Benches clear, no fight. 

A - The whole thing starts with Austin's slide into second. Sox players say he came in spikes up. He did, that's his job. "That's baseball, Susan."

B - Austin made all of this happen by overreacting to Brock Holt. Yeah, Holt may have said something to Austin, likely he did but Austin seems to be the aggressor here.

C - CC Sabathia standing front and center with all the other Yankees behind him is hilarious. He was like Hamilton "The Babe" Porter in "Sandlot."

Part 2 - Benches clear, RE-IGNITE THE F'ING RIVALRY

A - Joe Kelly hits Austin with a pitch, Austin starts toward the mound, Kelly calls him out, Austin accepts. This is classic baseball fight behavior. Joe Kelly is required, by the unwritten baseball laws to at the very least throw WAY inside here. Kelly did his job. Tyler Austin now is required to make an issue out of being hit and at the very least start heading to the mound. He does his job. Joe Kelly does more than his part, escalates the situation and says "C'MON." I don't have to like Joe Kelly but I'll be damned if I do not respect him after that. Now Austin goes right after Kelly. Everyone here has done their job.

B - Austin comes in too high, too fast. Classic baseball fight mistake. Joe Kelly, again with a classic pitcher fight move waits for Austin to come in too hot, ducks and then covers.

C - Aaron Judge did just enough to be part of the fight without looking like a tool. He also, upon careful over examination was actually trying to break it up.

D - Austin ends up with a bloody lip and a nice effort. Joe Kelly ends up with a bloody neck and a nice effort.

Baseball Fight Pro's and Con's 

Pro's - 

Watching sports fights is fun. It's just great watching rivals hate each other.

Some guys end up getting embarrassed in a very public way that stays with them forever. Just ask Robin Ventura. Nolan Ryan beat him like he was his daddy and he's never heard the end of it. (Yes, this is a pro)

Most people who intend to play peace maker often take the worst beating.

Con's - 

The Batter's never learn. Baseball fights are largely disappointing. The fights never live up to what they could be because the batter's often make the same mistakes. They sprint to the mound, instead of jogging. The sprint puts them off balance and they end up on the ground 90 percent of the time. The batters also always forget about the catcher's hot on their tail. They leave a huge blind spot right behind them. This means that the part of the fight baseball will actually allow to happen is over before it starts.

The team's star player has a whole different set of rules. Aaron Judge played it as best as you can last night in the position he holds as the face of the Yankees. You cannot be actually in the fight as the team's ambassador, you have to appear to be.

Outside game retaliation is rare. If the benches clear 3 times in one game, everyone seems to be OK with it. However, when the teams meet again, everyone will be on their best behavior. The players stupid coaches, family and management teams get in their ear and ruin a good feud.

Overall fight grade - B - I must say, the more I see Tyler Austin play, the more I like him. Again, much respect to Joe Kelly. 

 

 

 

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