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Minor league baseball brawl ends with an innocent fan going to hospital
Posted by Thomas the Terrible on July 25, 2008
Sometimes baseball can be a violent sport, whether it is a senseless brawl or a violent collision at the plate. But when an innocent fans get hurt a sacred line has been crossed.
Fifteen players and both managers were ejected — and a fan was sent to the hospital — following a 10-minute, benches-clearing brawl in a Class-A minor league game between affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs on Thursday night.
The innocent fan was taken to the hospital after being hit by a ball thrown by Peoria (Cubs) pitcher Julio Castillo, who was throwing at the Dayton (Reds) dugout but missed during the first-inning melee between Midwest League teams. You can see him throw the ball around the 22 second in the video.
While watching the video look for a player that looks like Ron Artest! The man keeps busy even in the off-season.
Castillo was arrested and faces one count of felonious assault. He is in the Montgomery County Jail and has a court appearance Friday. I hope he gets his jock sued off by the guy who went to the hospital.
Dayton pitcher Kyle Lotzkar hit Peoria’s Nate Samson with a pitch in the top of the first. In the inning’s bottom half, Castillo hit Dayton’s Zack Cozart in the head with a pitch. Cozart fell to the ground, was helped to the dugout and didn’t return.
Several batters later, Castillo hit Angel Cabrera, who angrily threw his bat and batting gloves toward his dugout before taking first. Dayton’s next batter hit an infield grounder, and Cabrera made an aggressive slide into second to break up the double play.
Castillo followed that with a high-and-tight pitch to the next batter, Brandon Menchaca, prompting Dayton manager Donnie Scott to complain to the home plate umpire. Interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez came on the field to join the discussion.
That led to an argument between the two managers, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied. Several fights between players broke out behind home plate. Castillo’s ball went into the stands, and Menchaca jumped on Castillo’s back.
This is ridiculous I don’t know how much control MLB has over these teams, but they need to come down really hard on these guys if they do. I think there are too many so called managers doing things that are way out of line and fueling these things. I can’t recall ever seeing one manager come out to argue when the other manager is out there arguing with the umpire.
That is what got this thing going, had the managers not pushed each other this may not have gone in the direction it went in.
As for the pitcher that threw that ball at someone, that guy needs to spend sometime in jail.
Danometer said
Perm-banned the whole lot from baseball. The pitcher needs a year in prison to consider his actions.