Kudos to Sheffield

[Velcro]

Protect himself?  retaliating is not protecting...

I did watch the game... and there was no camera angle that showed contact... only possible contact.  

Also, if you are wearing pinstripes, you are expected to act with the class expected of ANYONE wearing the uniform.  It is an honor (as hard as that is to say  )  and every individual represents the team.

[Brad]

I knew this would come down to the "on the field" argument.  He was not on the field - a limb of his reached onto the field.  Just as a number of other fans on that same play.  They should have all been ejected then.  Let MLB eject anyone that crosses the invisible line.

This is not the issue.  Until MLB pulls a Sun Dome trick and backs all the fans off the field, the MLB and its players need to be able to deal with this.  Ejecting or arresting a fan for reaching over a wall is ludicrous.  I love baseball and played for a long time.  If I had a seat on the wall, I am not sure I would contain myself.

Look at the guy that fell onto the tarp for a foul ball - did they eject him?  No.  Why?  Because he didn't make contact with a prima donna - that's why.

This argument is an MLB issue.  Can a player reach into the stands for a fly ball?  Yes.  All bets off then?  No.

The MLB is caught between trying to protect the prisses while not alienating the fans (as they seem to do more and more).

Bottom line is that it was a minor incident that an egomaniacal street punk in a nice uniform made into a bigger deal.

[South_Florida_Flip]

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.

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.

[LastKnight]

Talk about exageration - the guy didn't go onto the field

Of course he did.......you are the only one in the sports world who I have heard say otherwise......

nor did he hit Sheffield.  Even your data suggests the inconclusiveness of the fan's intent.

It looked like he hit Sheff to me.......As far as intent goes......when someone hits you......you worry about intent later.......

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

I guess since Manny wears the Red Sox uni and is an Jackass then all Red Sox players and their fans are jackasses?  

[South_Florida_Flip]

Lost my post there.

Bulliever,

If someone came up to you and punched you, then you would think you would RETALIATE and DEFEND yourself by hitting that person back. You have the right to do that.

Yes, he then went to the fan after he threw the ball in, but he did not strike that fan a second time. Hard to say if he provoked the fan at that point. Only Sheffield and the people sitting there know what was said.

The fan was on the field. Yes, his entire body wasn't, but his arm was IN THE FIELD OF PLAY during the play. That constitutes being on the field.

Man, that last post of yours is full of moot points and back tracking. You can throw out any instance you want, but when a fan enters the field of play during play and strikes a player, then it's a different story

Velcro,

You can continue to say you didn't see contact, but it was certainly shown on ESPN during the game on replays. Sutcliffe at one point slow motioned the replay and showed the instance of contact.

You're better than that!

[sdgukhsdgl]

ok dont really feel like readin all the crap above, but it was clear the fan had no intention of going for the ball, his arm would have to of been 6ft long to reach the ball from his position.  He also clearly makes a upward swinging movement with his hand right in sheffield's face.  it looked like a move you would use to knock someone's hat off, but instead he hit him in the face.  Sheffield had every right to be pissed.  if someone hits me in the face, im going to retaliate as well, it's pretty simple

for anyone to claim sheffield was in the wrong in this situation is asinine

[Velcro]

Retaliation = wrong = fine or suspension...

whether you would do that or not doesn't matter... it isn't right.

[Brad]

This is a lot of fun....and let the truth be told - I am not a Red Sox fan....in that dog fight, I will root for the Sox, but I am not a fan.

Of course he did.......you are the only one in the sports world who I have heard say otherwise......

"Onto" the field, and an arm in the realm of play are two different things...Fans that make their way onto the field are usually tackled and cuffed.  Fans that insert an arm or a finger into the realm or "into" the field of play do not typically get tackled and cuffed.

It looked like he hit Sheff to me.......As far as intent goes......when someone hits you......you worry about intent later.......

And find yourself a good lawsuit as well.

I guess since Manny wears the Red Sox uni and is an Jackass then all Red Sox players and their fans are jackasses?  

What I have said is that the players represent the organization.  That simple LK, nothing more.  The teller at my bank represents my bank - hence we don;t scuffle over an inadvertent error in my deposit processing.

[Velcro]

I just watched baseball tonight... they showed it over and over... and there wasn't one view that showed contact for certain, but i'm not even saying there wasn't... just that i couldn't see any.  Even if the fan had intentions of decking sheffield... sheffield swung back... fine... then left tossed the ball, then came back.  It then becomes retaliation...which is wrong.  If he had done anything more... it would have been ALL his fault.

He should not have gotten back in the face of the fan.

[Brad]

If someone came up to you and punched you, then you would think you would RETALIATE and DEFEND yourself by hitting that person back. You have the right to do that.

Not relevant your honor.

Yes, he then went to the fan after he threw the ball in, but he did not strike that fan a second time. Hard to say if he provoked the fan at that point. Only Sheffield and the people sitting there know what was said.

Going back that time, and afterwards as his teammates were restraining him can be considered provocation - bad judgment at the least.

The fan was on the field. Yes, his entire body wasn't, but his arm was IN THE FIELD OF PLAY during the play. That constitutes being on the field.

Right, but that is not the issue.  The issue is Sheffield reacted.  Fans were, be definition, on the field the entire game.

Sutcliffe at one point slow motioned the replay and showed the instance of contact.

Sutcliffe and Reynolds were quick to defend Sheffield....The union is a strong power in the MLB.  Did you know scabs from the last strike are still not allowed in the union?  Even though there are some, few, still in baseball today?