Manfred really trying to stick it to the Astros. In his mind he probably thinks he'll gain some favor from the hate he gets for not suspending players from 2017...even though he had no authority to do so.
What is the appeal process like and is there any chance he can win in? How can they say definitively that there was intent? This is such blatant horsesh1t.
That is some serious BS there. I can't even count how many times our guys have been hit without even a warning to the pitchers. Just because they decided it's intentional after a long discussion doesn't make it fact. I hate the way sports penalties are handed out. There is no consistency to it at all. It's a simple way for the leagues to do their best to give the team they want an advantage. Even worse is when the batter goes all crazy on everyone. What a difference between when Alvarez was hit or when Altuve would have been struck in the head if he had just stood there not moving. Those guys didn't go charging at people and throwing a tantrum, or putting their hands on the umpire like Garcia.
What a shameless, punk ass, cowardly, piece of **** Rob Manfred is. And because the judgement has been levied, I'm assuming the burden is on the Astros to come up with evidence as to why it WASN'T intentional. What a crock of ****.
How do you prove what someone was thinking and then set out to do with a pitch? This is a subjective call based on timing only.
It's not even a logical conclusion, considering we didn't want to put guys on base that late in the game with a 2 run deficit. It's simply bias. You know most people want Houston to lose, including the stupid announcers we have to stomach every game.
Firstly, game 5 should have been considered as 1 game already. Secondly, he could appeal tomorrow right and possibly still play game 6 and 7 if necessary?
Honestly, I don't think the league is saying he intentionally wanted to hit him, only that he intentionally wanted to make a non-competitive pitch to brush Garcia back due to the homerun celebration before. If it happened on pitch 3 or so then there's a case, but first pitch is pretty obvious Abreu was not trying to throw a strike, or a pitch to get the batter to swing at.
@Nook - i wonder if Abreu can wait until tomorrow just before the game to file his appeal, which then triggers the 48 hours to have a hearing. That would maximize the chances Abreu is available through the ALCS.
So now what? What is the league going to do every time a player gets hit? If every player who gets hit makes a big scene and get the benches cleared regardless of the game situation, or whether it was intentional, will the pitcher get ejected and suspended?
Anyone with a brain cell would determine the Astros didn’t hit him intentionally. Think of the game situation. This is 100% personal between the backlash Manfred got for not suspending players in 2017. Double Jeopardy at play here. They are making this personal and it’s legitimately unbelievable.
In a playoff moment, it is hard to believe B. Abreu beaned Garcia intentionally. Garcia thew a tantrum thinking it was intentional because he knew he was trying to show the Astros up after his victory lap in the 6TH INNING while only up 2 with their bullpen. It was a big moment for him but I got a little chuckle because you could have sworn he hit a bottom of the 9th game winner. Would be totally bullshit and bias against the Astros if Abreu has to miss 1 game in the rest of these playoffs.
