Pinella vs. Schilling....................

[LastKnight]

I can't wait for the next time these teams matchup!   ;D

---

Pinella 'lost a lot of respect' for Schilling after comments

TORONTO-- A day after Boston pitcher Curt Schilling used the word "idiot" in criticizing Lou Piniella, the Tampa Bay manager held a team meeting and fired back.

The Red Sox and Devil Rays tangled Sunday, with two-bench clearing scuffles and six ejections. The teams have had trouble in the past, too.

"The problem is when you're playing a team with a manager who somehow forgot how the game is played, there's problems," Schilling said on a Boston radio station Tuesday. "This should have been over a little bit ago. Lou's trying to make his team be a bunch of tough guys, and the telling sign is when the players on that team are saying, 'This is why we lose 100 games a year, because this idiot makes us do stuff like this.' They [Rays players] said that on the field."

Piniella called a team meeting before Wednesday night's game at Toronto and issued a statement ripping Schilling.

"Forget how the game is played? I have forgotten more baseball than this guy knows," Piniella said.

"On the idiot subject, I'm appalled he would actually say something like that. I had a meeting with my team and to a man they denied it. He's questioning my character and integrity and that is wrong. He's never played for me, never really spoken to me, so he really doesn't know what I stand for.

"If I were Curt, I would be really embarrassed at the cheap shot he took and get the story correct. I'll tell you I've always admired his pitching ability and competitiveness, but I can honestly tell you I've lost a lot of respect for him. I'm looking forward to talking to Curt myself and get this matter cleared up," he said.

Piniella later said he had Tampa Bay's traveling secretary call Boston's traveling secretary to try to get a hold of Schilling. Piniella said had yet to hear from Schilling before the Devil Rays-Blue Jays game.

"I was told Curt was going to call," Piniella said. "I'll he happy to pick up the phone if that's what it takes."

Boston's game against Baltimore was rained out Wednesday afternoon. Earlier in the day, the Red Sox said Schilling will miss at least two weeks with a bone bruise on his surgically repaired right ankle. Schilling hurt himself while pitching Saturday at Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Piniella and Devil Rays pitchers Lance Carter and Dewon Brazelton were ejected Sunday, as were Boston manager Terry Francona, starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo and outfielder Trot Nixon. The ejections in the seventh inning followed a sequence of inside pitches and the two scuffles.

The teams have a history of games involving beanballs, including a fight between Pedro Martinez and Gerald Williams on Aug. 29, 2000.

Tampa Bay starter Scott Kazmir and Piniella were ejected from a game last September after Kazmir hit Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar in a span of four pitches. That came one inning after Arroyo hit two batters.

Piniella disputed Schilling's claims in the statement.

"He talks about making our players tough guys. Well, we do that quite well here but we don't do it by advocating fighting or throwing at opposing hitters. I don't know how many meetings I have had with my pitching coach on this subject," Piniella said.

"The problem is, Curt has a short memory. He doesn't remember when he was a young pitcher. We have a lot of young pitchers here and they're trying to learn to pitch at the big league level. Our kids are learning to pitch inside and they have to do that to survive up here. Nobody here wants anyone hit, believe me," he said.

After Tampa Bay's game against Toronto, Piniella went off on a TV reporter when he was asked about his dispute with Schilling.

Asked if Tampa Bay's recent beanings are a reflection on him, Piniella said sternly: "Why is it going to reflect on me? I don't throw the balls. I don't throw them, I don't throw them and I don't order people getting hit, so it's not going to reflect on me."

[KnightsRule]

And Kruk, Pinella, and Magrane Go Down Looking

4.26.05: Curt Schilling on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan

On ESPN's John Kruk's saying "until David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez stop flipping the bat after home runs and disrespecting and showing up opposing pitchers, this (bean brawl) is going to continue to happen": That's crap. That's Krukie doing what he does best which is stirring up crap. This started last year and he obviously wasn't paying attention and that's not surprising. This started last year when Kazmir hit Manny and Millar and continued this year. They're (Tampa Bay) leading in hit-by-pitches by the way. One of the problems with being an analyst and not paying attention is that you miss some of the important facts of the story... John Kruk's been around this. John Kruk was involved in a scenario much like this back in the early '90's (tells story)... I don't like to see people who played the game make idiots of themselves like John did. Kruk's as much a part of the problem as he is talking about it 'cause they show it every night. And they glorify it, laugh about it, think it's funny, and guys do it for that reason.

On Rays' manager Lou Pinella: The problem is when you're playing a team with a manager who somehow forgot how the game is played, there's problems. This should have been over a little bit ago. Lou's trying to make his team be a bunch of tough guys and the telling sign is when the players on that team are saying "this is why we lose 100 games a year because this idiot makes us do stuff like this." They (Rays' players) said that on the field.

On Rays' television color analyst Joe Magrane: Magrane said on Sunday’s telecast during the bench clearing “Schilling running his mouth again, shocking Dwayne (Staats), shocking. He’s too old for this. He threw his walker down and tried to make his way out there." He’s an idiot. He’s a frickin’ idiot. The funny part about that is a guy’s who’s career is over at 24-25. He was a sub .500 pitcher who obviously… he came into the big leagues with a lot of… he was a high pick, but getting on my health when he was done at 25 and I had my best years after I was 34, I mean there’s kind of an irony there I guess, I don’t know, but you know Joe Magrane tool when he played, and he is now. I mean he’s the kind of guy when you’re in the clubhouse and the game’s on, you turn the sound down. It’s tiring to listen to, and it’s the same way when he played. But you expect that from people like Joe. That’s how he was when he played. He was an idiot.

[Velcro]

Its funny that Pinella is so up at arms over schilling calling him an idiot, when really Schilling said that Pinella's Team called him an idiot on the field during the fight.

Pinella asked his team if they called him an idiot... as if they would actually say yes....  what an idiot!

[Markeymark]

Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella is upset with Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling for telling a Boston radio station that Rays players had called Piniella an "idiot." For their part, the players insist they weren't referring to their manager but their owner.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/pete_mcentegart/04/28/ten.spot/index.html

[go_usfbulls]

Sure someone on the Rays called him an idiot!!!!!  Come on, Schilling made that up and all of you know it.  He is a true jerk and most of the league would agree.  He gets away with it because he is such a great pitcher.  As for when this all started between the 2 clubs go back a few years when Pedro felt it best to start throwing at the Rays.  It all started then and each year since there seems to be an incident.  Funny on who leads the league in hit batsmen!  Funny also how no Red Sox got hit on Saturday yet there were 2 Rays that got hit.  Spin as you must Red Sox fans but it is what it is:  A WS champ picking on the poor little guy but when the little guy does well and fights back the WS champ in Schilling just wants to act like a cry baby.

As for Magrane's comments that was just funny and he said it in jest.  Don't take life so seriously Schilling.

[mulheap]

I'm a diehard rays fan and this whole bean ball thing started back in 2000 with Pedro Martinez beaning rays players becuase the rays had beat him three times in a row.  That is where the whole thing started.  And on Sunday Arroyo hit Huff after Huff was 2-2 or 3-3 that day.  That is where it started sunday.  The rays are not leading the league in hit batsmen, they are 5 or something.  They are only that high because none of thier pitchers have control.  They are up near the top, if not leading, the league in walks.  Kruk is right, if the batter is going to hit a homerun and rub it in the pitchers face, the pitcher has every right to send a fast ball right at his ribs next time up.  Curt Schilling is an idiot.  The red sox are a bunch of punks.

[KnightsRule]

Rays hit 4 sox batters friday and saturday and sox hit noe of theirs in those two games. Arroyo led league in hit batters last year and is a breaking ball pitcher. Grow some nuts Rays and maye you will be a major league team some day.

[go_usfbulls]

What???????  On Friday yes Kazmir was off, obviously without intention.  On Saturday at least 2 rays got hit.  Who needs to grow some, Schilling, 'hold me back, hold me back'.  Or how about Ortiz who started the whole thing.  Did the Ump hold him back after he caused the whole thing.  Typical Sox response.  Sox fans are as bad as Yankee fans after one WS win in my grandfather's existence.  Congrats.

[Velcro]

You guys are hilarious.    Enjoy the bottom of the AL for the rest of eternity  ;D ;D

[go_usfbulls]

Enjoy living in the South but holding on to some dream of the North.  Must be great to enjoy that World Series down here.  Go back home if it means so much to you!!!!!!

BTW,  I realize that the statement of hit batsmen above was for Friday and Saturday and I confused it to mean Sunday as well.  My bad there.