Kudos to Sheffield

[Velcro]

I don't think Sheff was going to start anything... he got control of his anger very quickly.. hence the kudos... but had the fan been rowdy or drunk.. you may have seen something worse result as sheffield then may have gotten into a fight with him (by fight i mean a punch and the fan knocked out).

It wasn't obvious that there was contact... except by GS's reaction.  Not once did sheffield's body shift because of contact.  If anything... his hat MAY have been grazed.  I think sheff may have tried to make it look worse than it was and get the play called fan-interference and get ortiz sent back to 3rd or 2nd even.

Both were at fault... but the intentions of the fan seemed more disappointed that he couldn't grab the ball for a ground rule double (which would have been worse than the result - triple).

A player CANNOT retaliate... he can defend himself from an attack.. .but THAT obviously wasn't the case.  Sheffield retaliated to what he thought was an intentional interferance.  I don't think he should be suspended... but a fine will likely come down from MLB.

[Brad]

You are really reaching about Damon high fiving fans. That is a huge stretch there and quite a laughable one.

It was supposed to be - just as laughable as the fan entering the playing field with Sheffield.  Sheffield caught the ball, he should have thrown it in - perhaps saved a run - but no, he had to be a punk ( I guess he wanted his respect more than helping his team).  That's my point - 90% of the rest of baseball would have continued the play - but not Gary Sheffield because he has been a punk his entire life, why change now in the bottom of the eighth with the game on the line?  Cuz I'm Gary.

[LastKnight]

It was pretty clear there were no bad intentions.  

Not so clear if you were in the middle of a play and someone hits you in the face...intentionally or not....

Futhermore, a Boston reporter on ESPN this morning interviewed many in the area of the altercation and he said it was a mixed bag......some of them thought the guy was trying to distract Sheffield, some thought ithe contact was intentional and others thought he was just trying to get to the ball........

Further reinforces my dislike for the Yankess and and new found admiration for the Sox and their fans.

You admire fans that go onto the field?  

Sheff represents all Yankees?

Sounds like you are just looking for reasons to hate the Yankees................I guess you missed the ring ceremony where the Yankees applauded and tipped their hats to the Sox for winning the title........your right, what a bunch of punks......

[Brad]

I don't think Sheff was going to start anything... he got control of his anger very quickly.. hence the kudos...

This is where I see it differently...I think he was going to start something and then eventually cooled - it was clear the fan did not want to provoke anything.  Sheffield had no right to consider starting a fight.  Most other professional players would have continued to play the game and ignored the interference.  

Sheffield chose to make an issue of the interference (whether he threw a punch or not).  Makes he wonder if someone bumps him in the grocery store does he beat the crap out of them...  play ball.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Velcro,

There was a camera angle from the right field roof that clearly showed Sheffield's head move to the side when the fans arm swung by. Sutcliffe also mentioned seeing the same thing. His body didn't shift because he was hit in the head and not very forcefully. There was definite contact though.

I also think the fan was very drunk. The guy in the red jacket who held the fan back after Sheffield threw the ball back isn't getting enough credit.

Obviously we see things in a gray area in terms of fan interference. They player has the right to defend himself and since he was struck on the playing field, there should be no fine or suspension. Had Sheffield went into the stands, then that is another case.

Bulliever,

Sheffield is no angel, but he hasn't been as much of a "punk" since coming over to NY. Old habits are hard to break I guess.

The play happened so quickly and unexpectedly that it's a little unfair to judge his action the way it occurred. I am sure that if the same thing happened to us that some might do the same thing as well.

[Velcro]

I haven't seen any obvious contact video... not saying it doesn't exist.  But even if there was contact... there should be no retaliation.  The fan should be thrown out, and that should be the end of it.  Any fan interference should result in ejection, and then the story ends there.  When the player gets in the face of the fan... the player is to blame there, every bit as much as the fan.

I think worse was the couple fans that tossed beers from 5 rows back... those people should be taken behind the woodshed.

[Brad]

You admire fans that go onto the field?  

Sheff represents all Yankees?

Talk about exageration - the guy didn't go onto the field, nor did he hit Sheffield.  Even your data suggests the inconclusiveness of the fan's intent.

Does Sheff represent all Yankess? Yes - as long as he wears the uniform.

[Brad]

The player has the right to defend himself

From what?  Retaliating and defending oneself are two different things.  There was not another coming graze from the fan - so Sheffield had nothing to defend - especially had he gone on with the play.  He retaliated and then provoked - that is what people are missing.

I am sure that if the same thing happened to us that some might do the same thing as well.

Absolutely not - having played team sports my first reaction would be to finish the play.  My second reaction would be to allow the proper authorities to do their job while I do mine.

[Velcro]

Sheffield should have tossed the ball in, then talked to the umpire, in that order.  

Not swing at the fan, then throw the ball in, then get in the fans face, THEN talk to the umpires.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Velcro,

If you watched the game, and I presuming you did, then it was hard to miss the angle they showed where there was contact. It was subtle contact, but contact nonetheless.

Just throwing the fan out is not the solution. You're basically saying that a fan can watch a majority of a game, then interfere in said game and with players and only have to worry about being tossed out of the stadium? There is no way that is the best solution because if it were, then there would be more frequent incidents that would occur because of it.  A player has the right to protect himself.

Bulliever,

You're trying to tell me that the guys arm wasn't on the field of play? Sorry, but there is no way you're going to convince anyone that the arm of the fan was not in the field of play.

Saying Sheffield represents all of the Yankees is a bit much. It's like saying T.O. and Freddie Mitchell represent the Eagles. I'm sure Donovan McNabb would think otherwise.