Brawl in Beantown

Red Sox centerfielder Coco Crisp did say it could be "tit for tat."

Just one night after Crisp's hard, late-slide into Akinori Iwamura, Rays starter James Shields plunked him with a pitch in the right leg during his first at-bat in the second inning Thursday.

Crisp rushed the mound, starting a benches - and bullpen - clearing brawl, reminscent of the one in spring training against the Yankees. This one resulted in three ejections, including Shields, Crisp and, like in the Yankees one, Jonny Gomes.

After getting hit with a breaking ball, Crisp took a slow step toward first, stutter stepped before tossing his helmet off and sprinting toward Shields. Shields, who tossed off his cap, too, wound up and missed Crisp with a right punch. Crisp connected with Shields before getting tackled by Dioner Navarro; Jonny Gomes, once again, came in and punched Crisp a few times on the ground, with Carl Carwford came from the dugout steps to get a few punches, too.

Both benches converged on the mound, trying to hold each other back. It took several minutes to sort it out.

But as Crisp, ejected, walked off the field to a standing ovation, Shields - also ejected - walked off to roars of boos.

For the Rays, Shields and Gomes were ejected. Crisp was the only Red Sox ejection.

Grant Balfour is in to pitch for the Rays in an unexpected long relief appearance. Crisp was replaced by Chris Carter whom, as fate turns out, will be making his major league debut.

How did this all start?

Crisp said he made the hard-slide into Iwamura Wednesday to "send a message," after he felt Jason Bartlett made a "shady" play by dropping his knee to block second base during Crisp's stolen base attempt. Crisp ended up jamming his left hand, but was clearly upset with Bartlett.

Bartlett said today that he was surprised Crisp reacted that way, as he didn't drop his knee to intentionally hurt Crisp, it was just an instinctual play he does when he has to dig for a ball in the dirt to his left.

Crisp's later slide into Iwamura drew the ire of Rays manager Joe Maddon, who was fuming when he came out of the dugout for a pitching change in the eighth on Wednesday. Maddon pointed at the Red Sox dugout and had a long-distance exchange with Crisp, who stood on the Red Sox dugout steps and, according to him, yelled that if they want to take it out on anybody, take it out on him.

Was last night the end of it, or could this turn into something larger? Iwamura said it was over last night, and Crisp hoped it was too, but didn't deny something could come of it...

“I’ll take mine if they want to come back after me for some reason. It’s tick for tack right now,” Crisp told reporters Wednesday. “If they want to come after me with a little extra bonus or whatever . . . it keeps on going back and forth, tick for tack."

Thursday's brawl wasn't the first hint of bad blood between the franchises; here's a short look into history:

Update 8:04 pm Carl Crawford was hit by a pitch from Jon Lester in the fifth, but there were no fireworks this time. Crawford didn't look happy, but that also could be because the Rays are down 7-1 and headed for a sweep.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

BAD BLOOD
There have been a number of heated incidents between the Devil Rays and Red Sox. Among the highlights:
Aug. 29, 2000: Boston's Pedro Martinez hits leadoff man Gerald Williams, igniting the first of two bench-clearing brawls and setting the tone for a night in which eight Rays are ejected.

Sept. 29, 2000: Tampa Bay's Roberto Hernandez strikes out Trot Nixon to end the game that eliminates the Red Sox, then waves goodbye to them from the mound. "They're going home," Hernandez says. "They don't have to worry about any playoffs now. They can stop watching now. Scoreboard's over. Goodbye."

May 5, 2002: Tampa Bay's Ryan Rupe hits Nomar Garciaparra and Shea Hillenbrand in the first inning. The next inning, Trot Nixon's bat "slips out" of his hand and flies toward Rupe, earning Nixon a four-game suspension. Boston pitcher Frank Castillo later hits Randy Winn and is suspended five games.

SEPT. 9-10, 2002: With the umpires on notice from MLB about the potential for trouble, Boston pitcher Derek Lowe and manager Grady Little are ejected after Lowe hits Felix Escalona the first night, then Rays pitcher Lee Gardner and manager Hal McRae are tossed the next night after Gardner hits Lou Merloni. Umpire Jerry Crawford says: "(MLB) feels it is one of the more serious situations going on in the game today."'

Sept. 27, 2004: Boston's Bronson Arroyo hits Aubrey Huff and Tino Martinez, then Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir hits Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar in consecutive at-bats, leading to a bench-clearing gathering. Kazmir and manager Lou Piniella are ejected.

April, 24 2005: After five batters are hit in the first two games and Aubrey Huff is hit Sunday, tempers flare when Lance Carter throws a pitch at David Ortiz's head, leading to a bench-clearing incident and the ejections of Nixon and Dewon Brazelton, along with Carter and Piniella. Arroyo then hits Chris Singleton, and is ejected along with manager Terry Francona.

July 18, 2005: Piniellla had an explosive reaction to a reversal of a ninth inning call by umpire Dana DeMuth, charging onto the field, screaming at the umpires enough to get ejected, and throwing his hat across the diamond. DeMuth had changed his call after a lengthy protest by Curt Schilling, who may have bumped DeMuth.

March 27, 2006: Red Sox reliever Julian Tavarez started a benches-clearing brawl by punching Joey Gathright in the face when the Rays outfielder was down after an eighth-inning play at the plate. By the time it was over, the benches and bullpen emptied, and Tavarez and Gathright were ejected.

June 5, 2008: Coco Crisp's hard slide into Akinori Iwamura the night before boils over when Rays starter James Shields hits Crisp with a pitch in the second inning. The beches- and bullpens- clear in a brawl, with Shields, Crisp and Jonny Gomes, getting ejected.

Comments

[Bill]

These 'sox' fans are either:

A. Trolls who have no life and obviously no woman in their life.
B. People who live IN FLORIDA who still root for the Sox.........and the Sox could care less about you............you don't go to 'their' games, instead you go here and give their competition money.........any gear you buy doesn't go to them because that is all split up evenly.......so you are a moron.

PS: I mean they have 2 more world series in the last 100 years than the Rays..........which is pretty pathetic.

GO BILL BUCKNER and Bucky Dent :)

[a red sox fan]

the ballot stuffers like us are true fans. Im a a red sox fan and i havent even voted yet. Edgar you are upset that every time the sox play at tropicana field that it is filled with red sox fans and that our fans dominate you. i dont see many rays at fenway park. we are dedicated, we travel with our team. that is what true fans are. but you wouldnt know that because you root for the rays. dont be upset that as a nation our fans come and attack your comment wall on your website! GO SOX!!! GO SOX!!! GO SOX!!!

[Edgar]

Jerry, you are a dope. The reason why the Red Sox are leading the All Star vote getters in 6 positions because ballot stuffers like you have nothing else to do. By the way, I am not alone, the rest of country doesn't give a rats tail about the Red Sox and Yankees other than the east coast. I can't stand the Red Sux, Yankees and the Mets. hell with you and the Red Sox nation get lost. GO RAYS!!!!

[Red Sox fan]

To bad he didnt connect because he is a loser and if coco had spiked him he wouldve been thrown out when he did the slide. once again it was not a dirty slide it was a hard slide it was allowed and akinroa iwamura and the rays are acting like babys for reacting like this.

[Frank]

Boy! How I wish that Shields would have connected with that first swing. Crisp would have been laid out and would think twice before spiking someone so deliberately.

[The Sox Rule]

Bill should shut up because he said we have two world series when we have seven. It would be great if you could quote coco as saying that and post a link, that would be great so that we all could believe you. Bill after that comment saying we have two world series you should really be quiet. IT WAS NOT A DIRTY SLIDE IF IT WAS DIRTY HE WOULDVE BEEN THROWN AT THEN. SORRY YOUR SECOND BASEMAN IS A BABY WHO CANT TAKE A LITTLE HIT.

[The Sox Rule]

The idiot who said we have two more series than the rays should shut up and not talk unless he knows what he's talking about. We have seven more than you do and we won our first two years after our inaugural year. Any ways many teams have won in there first ten years, The Marlins won two the Diamond Backs are another team. To Bill who posted that you should do some research before you post a message.

[Bill]

Sox fans obviously can't read.........Crisp said he tried to take Iwamura out and that if it were Bartlett he would have hurt him.

I honestly used to have a lot of respect for the Sox, pre-Manny, but now you've become Yankee fan and that is the worst insult you can have. I used to have St. Louis and Boston up on a very high pedestal of having the best fans, organization, etc........now, I'm left only feeling that way about the Cardinals.

[Go Sox]

Coco Crisp you are the man.

GO COCO

http://www.nesn.com/content/videocenter/default.aspx?videoid=1068@nesn.dayport.com&navCatId=49

[RED SOX FAN]

SINCE WHEN IS A HARD SLIDE CALLED TAKING OUT A PLAYER. WE PLAY ROUGH AND TOUGH BASEBALL, NOT WIMPY BASEBALL WHERE YOU CANT TOUCH SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER TEAM

AKINORA IWAMURA IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST BABY IN Major League baseball. The punches he threw weren't even punches they were the punches you see in a cat fight you see between two little girls. Sorry your second baseman cant take a hit without being a cry baby. By the way its sad that your comment wall is being attacked by Red Sox Fans

[evan]

What's with all these Sox fans being so proud of themselves. If the Rays are as bad as Sox fans keep telling themselves they are, then why have the Rays been in firstmore often at this point than the Sox have? It's simply illogical to think that this series the Sox swept were the three biggest games of the season. Right after the Sox swept the last series from the Rays, the rays went on a nice little streak to bounce back. To me, that shows confidence and something that they also showed me again this week: no fear. I expect them to bounce back again against the Rangers and salvage this long road trip.

[Jeff]

ROCKIN' WITH THE RAYS

[evan]

Did Jerry just say "speaking Cuban"? I guess Cuban is a language now. Who knew? I wonder if "Cuban" is what they speak in Mexico and Puerto Rico, too.

[danpfunk]

It never ceases to amaze me how irrational Sawks fan is. Lets see, their guy takes out our 2B, gets plunked for it, charges the mound, but Shields was the instigator.

I suppose if someone charged Dice-K, the rest of the team would have let them duke it out a while before jumping in, hockey style, right?

Oh wait, again I remember when A Rod charged the mound and Varitek took him down from behind. Was that poor sportsmanship?

[Bill]

The national media is just hammering Coco Krispy. Jim Rome, Skip Bayless, the impartial people are calling Coco out for being an idiot......Shields hit him in the leg and he acts like a litte b@tch.........and he got his butt whipped......guess he should think twice.......and he's lucky Navarro was on him or he'd be in the hospital right now. He's so soft.

[Jerry]

Edgar said: "I can't stand every Red Sox player on that team."

You must be alone, because right now the Sox are leading the All Star votes in 6 positions. How many starters will the Devil Rays, Rays or whatever your name is today "Portland something" NONE

Go Red Sox - I agree with what you are saying!

Get use to it FloriDUH, Boston OWNS the sporting world! Celtics in 6

[SoxFanKK]

Aside from the obvious penalties that need to applied and enforced, someone needs to clue in the managers that fighting is wrong. Tito is someone that I respect and admire, but his comments last night after the game about "there being a lot of testosterone on the field" practically gives permission for these players to settle their differences via fists. Boys will be boys, but these are men, paid professionals. This tit for tat attitude - throwing at batters, unnecessary roughness, etc. makes me think I am watchng hockey or football!!

What example is this giving to children who love the sport? A little leaguer gets hit by a pitch or they don't like the call, and so the solution is to come out swinging? This is what they are learning. The managers need to take a stand and demand that involved players (no matter how loved or talented) be penalized, fined, suspended, etc.

One more thing - yes, Coco charged the mound, obviously to take Sheilds down a notch or two - BUT Sheilds swung at Coco first, Coco retaliated, and the FIVE GUYS from Tampa jump on him? FIVE??? What does he weigh, 170? This is the worst example of poor sportsmanship.

The Sox players did not get into the fight, only tried to get these animals off their players. The whole thing made me sick and it needs to be dealt with seriously by the managers and MLB.

Thanks for the vent and go Sox.

[GO RED SOX !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

IM SORRY YOUR COACH CANT HANDLE A HARD SLIDE WITH OUT THROWING A HISSY FIT. THE SLIDE THE NIGHT BEFORE WAS A MANS SLIDE AND IF YOU LITTLE SECOND BASEMAN WAS RATTLED THAN THAT IS HIS FAULT. COCO SAID YOU GUYS FIGHT LIKE GIRLS. FIGHT LIKE MEN. DONT PULL HAIR AND SCRATCH. BASEBALL IS A MANS GAME AND ITS NOT OUR FAULT IF A LITTLE HARD SLIDE HURT YOU!

[Jerry]

"Bostonians are white trash."

Actually, if it wasn't for Boston and our history you would be speaking Cuban right now. If I had the time I could break down Boston, Ma vs. FloriDUH but you wouldn't understand it considering you guys don't even know how to VOTE (another subject)! So let's go back to talking baseball (another subject you guys know nothing about)!

[jack]

Yeah, Frank, those posts made me laugh, too. And I have a fourth one to add to your list: Bostonians are white trash. Which is funny, 'cause, you know, rays fans are inbred southern crackers.

[skp]

maybe we should've waited a few months before trading elijah dukes...that had the potential to be legendary.

[Jerry]

3) "I'm gonna beat the s**t out of some sox fans when they come here." Well, there will be plenty of them for sure since no one in tampa cares about the rays.

AMEN Brother Frank!

I watch the games on NESN and all I hear is "lets go Red Sox" when they are in Tampa, Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg FloriDUH.

[britz]

The Rays are a classless team. First the manager jawing at Crisp then Gomes and Crawford fighting like girls. Hope you "fans" enjoyed rooting for a first place team while it lasted.

[mc]

Oh it's the Sox fans denying reality --that's a good one.

[frank]

I love these posts attacking sox fans. It really sucks when your team fails on the field and you have to resort to attacking the other team's fans, doesn't it? Some of my favorite posts here: 1) I'd rather be behind in the first half of the game . . . Excuse me, son, but what position do you play for your little league team? Some adult should smack you upside the head for being so stupid. 2) the bitches talk: rays are the bitches of all of MLB. 3) "I'm gonna beat the s**t out of some sox fans when they come here." Well, there will be plenty of them for sure since no one in tampa cares about the rays. And the only thing you'll be doing is grabbing your ankles as you "present" to the alpha team.

[Josh]

Red Sox fans: I would think you would be embarrased. What an idiot! The game before, Crisp makes a big deal of saying, "Don't go after my temmates." So instead of letting a harmless pitch go (It was only on his thigh, it was just a message) he willingly starts abrawl?Real smooth. Crisp=nutcase. Get lost Red Sox fans. Go to your own message boards and deny reality with other people that are just as stupid as you.

[Jonny's my hero!]

Jonny Gomes...what a star athlete!! Did you see him pounce on Crisp only once Crisp was pinned to the ground?! What a man! What character! School yard bully skills!

[candescent]

jive -- what are you, Washington from Welcome Back Kotter?

[mc]

Coco Cripy?

[Danny Boy]

Uh, he said its "Tit for Tat"... that's how the saying goes. Tick for Tack? Really? C'mon dude...

[Bill]

Coco Cripy ought to be glad he's got baseball. Looking at him, he looks like he'd be more at home riding the step at the back of a garbage truck. He's a classless jive act. Lose the doo-rag you and Manny share too.

[Bill]

Coco Cripy ought to be glad he's got baseball. Looking at him, he looks like he'd be more at home riding the step at the back of a garbage truck. He's a classless jive act. Lose the doo-rag you and Manny share too.

[Jerry]

at least we have an excuse, we are only 10 years old....you are 120 years old and only have 2 more series than us! Loser.

Go Bill Buckner

Posted by: Bill | June 05, 2008 at 07:44 PM

LEARN YOUR BASEBALL - The Sox have won 7 World Series and 12 pennants!

[Michael]

The Rays have looked flat all week, this makes them look bad and now have to suffer the loss of Shields for another key game. Not a very smart move.

[Matt]

Shields and Madden blew it by throwing at Crisp early and throwing away the game.
The Rays let their emotions get the better of them and they'll probably pay with the bulk of the suspensions.

[Ian]

If the Redsux fans are correct about what a bunch of losers we are and how we will be staring upwards at them come the allstar break, then why are they getting so upset? Surely we are just the dumb country cousins, people to be patronized and tolerated, but surely not people to be taken seriously?

[jimmy]

Actually we swept you TWICE (the season series is at 6-3), and knocked you out of first place.

Looking forward to more of the same, my friend!

[jimmy]

Actually we swept you TWICE (the season series is at 6-3), and knocked you out of first place.

Looking forward to more of the same, my friend!

[angrybuddha]

Yeah, yeah, we swept you, you swept us. So what. We owe you one. Whatever... it's a game and a half and you had no idea that we'd be right where we are.

[jimmy]

Renee sez:
"Boston can't handle the Rays breathing down their necks for a title. Too much pressure?"

Ummm, you just got swept (again) and outscored 19-6.

[Edgar]

I can't stand every Red Sox player on that team. Especially, Coco Crisp. They should show that kind of emotion every night, now do it with the bats and pitching. I am sick of tired of the boo-ya network (aka ESPN) stroking Davis Ortiz injured wrist for 10 minutes. I do not care. Now they better tough it up against Texas and the Angels. The next who should go down is Manny Ramirez. Premadonna showoff. I can't stand looking at Jacoby Ellsbury,Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis. Notice after the fight, Youkilis and Ramirez were fighting in the dugout. I hope they beat each other up. Screw them.

[mike]

COCO is a hoe and got what he deserved tonight

[angrybuddha]

Seriously, all the Sox fans on here criticizing Navarro & Shields then defending Ccoco should watch the replay with the Boston commentators (http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_05_tbamlb_bosmlb_1&mode=wrap). It's clear to anyone with any knowledge of baseball *at all* that a guy who says he wants to be hit (see Crisp's comments last night), then gets hit (in the hip not the head), then charges the mound is a bum. It's clear that a perceived dirty slide has to be answered by the pitcher the next day. It's clear that a pitcher has a right to protect himself when a bum is rushing him. It's clear that the catcher's job is to tackle said bum. And when a guy admits to a dirty slide (again, see Crisp's comments last night), you're damn right as many people as possible are going to take their shots when they get a chance (Carford, Aki, Gomes).

The stunning thing about the idiot Sox fans posting tonight is that they seem to think that a century of losing makes them knowledgable fans. In the final analysis, Crisp is a freaking bum who started all of this... last night and again tonight.

To quote the Boston commentator, "This is all over if he just goes to first base."

[ryan]

oh, that's right. ponce de leon went there to find the fountain of youth. that explains everything. floridians are from his bloodline. yep, that's why you are all idiots...fountain of youth, ballot boxes...it's becoming clearer now

don't be upset with boston's 3rd base coach because he has more guts than crawford and gomes combined

[josh]

Ryan, you dumbass. There was a Spanish settlement in Florida before the Pilgrims ever left England. TOOL.

Why is no one else pissed at Boston's 3RD base coach? What he did was seriously F*cked up. Fighting between players is one thing, but coaches and team employees have no right to get involved.

[ryan]

well, i guess you all went to bed. except for mclovin and amanda who are out lookin' for their mother. sleep well tampa fans. soon you will be back in your comfort zone. last place in the east.

[Re: Ryan]

You b$tch. You're not even from New England. HAHAHA.

You jumped on the bandwagon when they finally won the world series. What a f$cking little p@ssy-@ss b&tch.

USA USA USA

Go Rays!!!!!!

[seriously??]

Wait.... seriously.... his name is Coco Crisp? This is a joke right? No really, Coco Crisp? Impossible. Even a girl named Lexus married to a guy named Courvoisier could not have really named someone this. This is the funniest part of the article!

[ryan]

hey ben, i'm not a new englander but don't forget that it was new england that started this country, you dumb @$$. if it wasn't for new england, you'd be paying taxes to britain. the only thing florida will ever be known for in history is screwing up the 2000 election because the residents are too stupid to know how to use electronic voting machines and still have to do it by hand. result...george bush. thanks florida.

[Ben Grieve]

Ryan.

There is nothing to talk about. The entire country hates New England and the people it has produced. Even more so American baseball fans hate bandwagon trash across this country that call themselves Red Sox "fans" even though they don't live in New England.

We don't want to talk to you. We hate you. Period. Get used to it.