Crisp's slide; the aftermath

Most of the post-game chatter following the Rays 5-1 loss to the Red Sox Wednesday revolved around Coco Crisp's controversial slide in the eighth inning.

Crisp, trying to steal second, appeared to slide late, with his spikes hitting Akinori Iwamura's feet and his elbow's reaching up around the second baseman's midsection. The play knocked Iwamura off the bag, and drew a fuming Joe Maddon out of the dugout to the defense of his middle infielder.

Maddon stared into the Red Sox dugout, searching for Crisp before a long-distance exchange.

"I was not pleased with the slide," Maddon said. "I totally felt there was intent to hurt our middle infielder, and that's what I was upset with....There's no place for that when you intentionally try to hurt somebody."

Crisp said he was upset over an earlier play in the sixth, when he said shortstop Jason Bartlett dropped his knee to block the bag while he slid headfirst, jamming Crisp's left thumb in the process.

Though he called Bartlett a "good dude," Crisp called the play a "little shady." "You cover the bag, swipe with teh glove, because you can get someone injured badly by doing that, "Crisp said.

Iwamura said he wasn't hurt by the play, and declined to comment further on it. Bartlett declined to comment about Crisp's comments.

"For me, everything's over," Iwamura said. "We've got tommorrow's game. I'm not hurt.....It's all up to you guys, it's all up to the fans. What do you think about that play?"

Comments

[snaz16]

Hey Bill,we are not new to top end baseball,as the Tampa area probably has sent more players the last 50 yrs to the majors as any metro area in the US.
In response to your blocking the plate,and not the bag, 1st and 3rd basemen typically block the bag on pickoff moves and throws from the outfield. (Watch A. Pujols on a pick off attempt). If you read the article,Bartlett went down to his knee to field a short hop throw to the ss side of the bag.(see for yourself on mlb website).
If a guy likes to slide headfirst into a bag,then thats his problem. Its not illegal,but not recomended because of the chance of injury. Just like its not illegal to block the bag....any of them.Don't want to get hurt?...then slide hard...feet first. That will discourage blocking the bag. There's nothing cheap about it,its good hard baseball.
Crisp should have kept his mouth shut,and got back at Bartlett with a hard slide,and not Aki. Thats bush.
What Crisp did tonite was smart baseball. Sacrificed his punch and Judy bat by charging the mound and getting the Rays No 2 pitcher ejected.
Memo to James Shields..if your intent was to hit Crisp, try using a 95 mph fastball in the leg,rather than a breaking ball. I'm not so sure he was trying to hit him.

[rocky]

Nice to see people actually talking about the Rays...keep in mind we have only been here since 1998 so let us enjoy the fact that we finally have a true major league team and not a glorified AAA team. Things get better from here...support the team, show up and the Rays will get their respect as they continue to win...Beat the Sox tonight, Go Rays..

[Brian]

Thanks for the insight Bill. It's amazing that someone outside of both Tampa Bay and Boston, who is as smart as you obviously are, has the time to read through long and obscure blogs about Boston and Tampa Bay.

[bill]

tampa bay fans obviously new to top end baseball - stop whining! you block the plate, not the bag. putting your shin and thigh between the baserunner and the base, before you have the baseball and when you know the guy likes to slide headfirst, is cheap and dangerous to the runner. the guy is committed to his slide and risks hand injury at best and head and neck injury at worst. but that's not why you don't do it. it's a stupid defensive move - it's dangerous for the fielder and limits his ability to respond to the throw. catch the ball, drop the glove and let the runner slide into the tag. ask anyone who REALLY knows the game (or one of us who've actually played it).

sliding inside the bag, late and cleats high to take out a fielder waiting for the throw is also cheap (though, imo, coco's cleats weren't far off the dirt) - if it's the first move in the chess game. coco was retaliating for something those less-aware fans of you obviously missed. learn the game, then comment. Those of us watching outside of tampa and boston saw the first move and expected the second.

FYI: don't get too cocky as some posters seem to be - early season success, even winning the division, does not guarantee a thing - just ask the yankees.

[rodney]

Come on guys. I go to lunch and come back and you're still beating me up. It was fun having a little "jawing" back and forth about our favorite teams. I respect your loyalty to your team and I'm envious that you actually have a team in your city. I grew up in no man's land with no home town team.

It broke down when certain people started criticizing the city of Boston and New Englander's in general. This blog is about baseball. I don't know anything about the city of Boston's schools or their poverty level any more than I know about Tampa's.

Believe me, if the Red Sox don't win the division, I hope the Rays do.

[Gene]

I spent my first 22 years in Boston and can remember many a summer night, at the spur of the moment, my friends and I would hop on the "T", get off at Kenmmore Square, walk to Fenway and get a seat for $1 in the bleachers! Saw Luis Tiant beat Nolan Ryan 1-0 on a Yaz HR that way! Anyway, I'm here and a Rays fan now. As Brian said, The Sox may have been there for 100 years, but they have only recently become the object of hysterical fanaticism. It is true that they have more history than we do, but just like I tell the Yankee fans I talk to, what have you done lately? Last year was last year Sox fans! I am enjoying having the Rays in the thick of the battle and hope they can keep it up. Coco Crisp better enjoy getting some playing time cause it won't last! BJ needs to learn he has not earned the respect to get a borderline call and we need to keep our cool with other teams obnoxious fans because 162 games is a long haul. Here's hoping that we are all still feeling the need to respond to this stuff at the end of September! Go Rays, win today and we are back in first place!

[Mike]

As for brawling, well I see it two ways: One, it'd be great to see the Rays get into it with the Sox. On the other hand, they have WAY too much class to go down the Sox level. My preference is to watch them remain as professional as they've been so far and prove themselves with their bats and gloves and walk away with a win and their heads held high.

[baseball fan]

Some of you are making way too much of the Coco thing last night (personally, I wish he hadn't slid hard as he did); that's why rod is making fun of you. And your comments about the Sox having no class and ruining fans is way off the mark. This is why rod is taking such pleasure in making fun of you. But rod does have a point about tampa fans being new to the game. Look at the posts from last night's game. Two losses and some of you guys (notice I did not stereotype all of you by what a few say or do) want to sell the franchise. Geez! BTW congratulations on spicing things up this year.

[Amanda]

"I'm just part of "The Nation" and knew you guys would be whining about Coco this morning so I thought I'd drop in for a laugh or two."
I literally cracked up when I read this. What a dork! Who actually takes time out of their day to search for a market's newspaper to talk internet trash to sports fans of another team? Oh man, classic!

[Brian]

Just a couple of points. I live in New England, and sadly, Rod is so stereotypically New England (I know you don't live here).
1. Red Sox Nation is large because it is easy to be a fan. Typical N.E. response is "I've been here through the hard times." Bologna! That's why there were 10k in the stands at Fenway not that many years ago.
2. The common tactic, a la Rod, is to throw something out a comment that is rude, arrogant, or nasty, and then play a victim and ask condescendingly why are you so upset. New England has a mindset that is regionalism at its worst.
3. Tampa Bay, we have to be proud (my heart is still there). Stay classy classy and don't fall into the New England trap.
4. By the way, I have seen more than one father teach their INFANTS how to say "Yankees S. Class.
5. I have met decent people from New England and there is a good tradition here, but sports do something awful to many of them.

[Ray F]

Bush league. I wouldn't be suprised to see a little Texas League tower buzzer tonight from Shields. No contact, just a little chin music. Lester will take the bait and throw at Bartlett and we'll have a brawl for the first time this year.

WooHoo... This is how a battle for first place should feel.

[Mike]

Rod,
Well, we'll see how the season goes. Maybe things can get shaken up a bit this year.

[rodney]

Mike, I really am glad for the Rays success this year. Although I am a Red Sox fan and always have been, I am a big proponent of a salary cap and salary minimum, even though my team has one of the highest payrolls in baseball. I actually live about an hour from Baltimore and I enjoyed the baseball season much better when more teams had a chance to win. Now, you can almost guarantee that 4 of the same 5 or 6 teams in the American League will be in the playoffs every year. That's not good. I want to see Baltimore and Tampa and Toronto be as much of a threat to the Sox as the Yankees, actually more than the Yankees. It makes the season so much more exciting. By the way, congratulations and thanks for your time in the military.

[rodney]

Bill, yell at Danny, not me. I didn't criticize your comment. I agree with you. Bartlett obviously knows that Crisp slides headfirst so that's why he did it. That's why the second time Crisp went feet first. Had Bartlett done it again, he would have come up bleeding.

[Mike]

I'm hardly new to baseball, played it my entire life (and still do) and if I wouldn't have spent 21 years in the military, I may have attempted to go pro (even if I only got to the minor leagues). I never said anything about "the slide." That's a part of baseball and it's been there forever. The only thing that bothers me is that in the past when the then Devil Rays played at home, it was like an away game for them. There were more Red Sox and Stankee fans in attendance than those for the "home" team. Now that the Rays are playing some pretty darned good baseball, the Rays fans are beginning to show up at the park (albeit slowly). Yep, this is a new experience for the Rays and their fans and I think the team is handling their sudden glory quite well with much humility. I don't think I've seen or heard any of the players badmouth anyone as indicated by Iwamura's lack of comment about "the slide" (for instance). The players are enjoying themselves and are exciting to watch. Every win looks like they just won game 7 of the World Series. Win or lose, they've shown themselves to be consummate professionals. And if they happen to lose to the Red Sox, I don't care just as long as they play them hard... which they've done.

[rodney]

Hey MC, does the M stand for Mikey, too. I've been a Red Sox fan since the days of Yaz, Burleson, Fisk, Rice and Lynn. I went through all those years of losing to the Yankees. Now I get chance to sing. One day, maybe in your lifetime, you'll get the same opportunity but it won't be this year or next year. I really am glad to see the Rays compete this year, though. Really I am.

[Bill]

Rod: You obviously don't know baseball.

Yes, of course you are supposed to block the bag.......at that point it's up to the runner to do what they have to do. Me, if someone has their leg blocking the bag they are going to have some major spike marks on their leg...........

[Mike Creyton]

And your ignorance for the state of FL really shows. Laid back Floridian? What are we all beach bums. Tell you what step in to Tampa or Miami with that attitude and see how laid back Floridians really are. Hang on in the end zone at Ray Jay and try to talk like that during football season. Roll up in the 3rd level of the Forum during hockey season. Oh and good luck.

[MC@yahoo.com]

"Another part of the nation" Figures. That translates into another bandwagon freak show who has no ties to the city of Boston yet claims to love their baseball team. This guy was probably a Chicago Bulls fan in the 90's and a 49ers fan in the 80's what a joke. This Red Sox bandwagon is getting out of control. Root for your home team loser. These people are just too much.

[Mike Creyton]

First of all Rodney, I am not even from Tampa. I am originally from the Washington DC area and have travelled all over this country and various parts of the world. Second, I have watched baseball for over 25 years now. Thirdly, did you not see the 30K there 2 weeks ago when we played Baltimore? Or the sellouts vs the Mariners and White Sox? I guess not. You are ignorant even for New England trash.

[Rod]

Ooops, another Mikey chimes in. Like I told your brother Mikey, I'm not from Boston. I don't even live in New England. One week's visit to Florida is all I can handle, too. By the way, "ain't" isn't a word.

[Rod]

Mikey, you're awfully fiesty for a laid back Floridian. I don't live in Massachusetts or Florida. I'm just part of "The Nation" and knew you guys would be whining about Coco this morning so I thought I'd drop in for a laugh or two. You haven't disappointed me.

[Mike]

Hey, lay off Rod. He ain't from 'round here. Comes down here 'cause he can't handle the crummy weather in Boston and the games are blacked out there. A couch potato munching on his peanuts and Fenway Franks and guzzling Sam Adams. Probably has a "Green Monster" in his living room. He's just a snowbird who thinks he owns the state (just like the rest of 'em).

[Rod]

Mikey, don't get your panties all bunched up. Again, you are obviously new to baseball. The Red Sox are tremendously respected and loved. You should know this by the fact that the only time the Rays have over 20,000 people in their seats are when the Sox and Yankees are in town and 75% of them are not Rays fans. One day maybe you'll get a TV or travel outside of Tampa to see the real world.

[Mike Creyton]

Hey Rod,

Don't they have newspaper sites in Boston you can read? Why are you on the St. Pete Times site anyway? If you live here and are taking this stance then I you need to get out of this community. We will take up a collection to move you to Boston. The 13th poorest school district in America where over 70% of the students qualify for free lunch. Slime balls from that dump are not welcome in this beautiful area.

[Mike Creyton]

Rod,

The Red Sox are one of the classiest organizations in sports? That has to be a joke. The Red Sox are a dirty team literally and figuratively. There is nothing classy about Boston or New England at all for that matter. The Pats cheat and the Red Sox are made up of scumbags. No one likes the Yankees, but they are respected. The Red Sox are hated and not respected. The entire country hates the Red Sox and the city of Boston for that matter.

[Caleb]

Rod, one word that describes you...

HOMER!

I bet you're sitting there in your chair crying over the fact that your Redsox have a good chance to lose the division this year. Oh, and lets not forget they might lose Big Poppi for the year. Your reign is over!

[Danny]

Bill, you are suppose to block the back. How else are you going to get the guy out? What an idiot you are.

[Rod]

By the way, Crisp isn't going to get a suspension for a hard slide. I know you Rays fans are new to the game of baseball this year, but that's how good baseball is played. Maybe if the Devil Rays had learned that a few years ago, they wouldn't have had to change their name in shame.

[Rod]

Roman,you're an idiot. First of all, the Red Sox organization is one of the classiest in sports. Secondly, what do you mean by "sissy games". He went in hard and took care of his own business. He didn't ask a pitcher to bean Bartlett in retaliation. He also told Maddon to take it out on him, not his teammates. Doesn't sound like a sissy to me.

[Bill]

I was thinking the same thing......he was an idiot for mentioning it.

I really had no problem with the play. Baseball, like hockey, can police itself. If you don't like a player blocking off the bag(Bartlett) then you take care of it yourself.......then, it's either over or if you feel it was over the line then you take care of it(hit Manny.)

[Caleb]

Had Crisp not said anything about it being a revenge play, the league wouldn't do anything to him. But nope, nobody in Boston can shut their yap so now he's almost 100% earned a 2 or 3 game suspension.

It's too bad he can't be suspended tonight as that would mean Manny would have to play outfield...that would be devestating for the Bosox.

[Bill]

I have to go with Crisp here........if people are going to 'block the bag' then they have to know the other side is going to 'play harder.'

[Roman]

I expect nothing less from that classless organization.

Crisp, rather doing something about it at the time. he waited to take out second basemen after the fact.

I don't want the Rays to retaliate, the time to retaliate is over. Let's win the game today and win the AL East. No time for sissy games that Coco wants to play.

Best of luck to Shields and Go Rays!

[Andy]

I didn't think the play was particularly dirty when I saw it, but it's pretty remarkable that Crisp all but admitted he did it in retaliation. That's enough to draw a suspension (albeit a short one), in and of itself.

Either way, Crisp is no Shelly Duncan.