Will Halladay leave with a plunk?

This may or may not be Roy Halladay's final appearance as a Blue Jay, Wednesday night in Fenway Park. That's a decision that will be up to the next general manager and his boss, the next president, to say nothing of the Rogers money men and Halladay himself. That’s all for sorting out down the road. In the meantime, I will be greatly surprised if Halladay, always a good and loyal soldier, does not let a pitch get away and plunk one of Boston's big hitters tonight.

That’s the old-fashioned way the game is played by Cito Gaston and after Jonathan Papelbon drilled Adam Lind in the ninth inning Tuesday night, running a 94-mile-an-hour fastball in on his elbow after Lind had clubbed three home runs, it seemed inevitable that someone was going down on the other side.

The umpires did nothing, not even issue a warning, but that’s typical; umpires often are intimidated in Fenway Park. (Remember the time Pedro Martinez, during a Yankee-Red Sox brawl, pointed to his head and told Jorge Posada, “You’re next,’’ and not only didn’t get suspended, he didn’t even get ejected.)

Papelbon made the usual excuses about the pitch getting away and how there was no intent and so on. For the record, Lind said he bought the explanation. Off the record, I doubt many Jays did. Because the the score was 8-7 for the Jays, they couldn’t return fire immediately. But someone – and it should be Halladay – will act tonight and surely the Red Sox know this.

That’s the question: Why would the Red Sox go out of their way to drill Lind, figuring one of their guys will get it tonight? What if a brushback pitch gets away and breaks somebody’s hand? The Red Sox, a post-season team, have plenty to lose if somebody gets hurt at this point in a meaningless game. They likely will sit out a couple of stars anyway, having clinched the wild-card spot by virtue of Texas losing Tuesday night to Anaheim. But one or two of the regulars might be up there wondering who is wearing the target.

You recall how it went recently against the Yankees. New York pitchers hit one Blue Jay through the two teams’ first 12 meetings, but in that 12th game, the Jays hit both Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. That seemed to flip a switch; in the next five games, eight Jays were hit by Yankee pitchers and finally, Jesse Carlson said enough is enough and threw behind Posada, eventually setting off that a fight. Carlson handled that correctly, sending a cease-and-desist message without hurting anyone with a pitch. Let’s see how the Jays, starting with Halladay, deal with this situation tonight.

Comments

[WBB]

Halladay won't do anything. He should, but he won't.

[klndry]

Hit one right between the eyes. Don't care for Boston Braggers or the New York Yappies. They do it to our guys and say it is baseball, but will be whining all the way to the world series if we hit one of their guys. If anything it will light a bigger fire under the jays butts.

[Ooi]

I can't believe Papelbon got away with it! If the umps are allowing this, then Cito's gotta step up to protect his players!

[Andy]

What good does it do for Halladay to plunk one of the Bosox anyways? Not that I'm a big Boston fan but wouldn't his actions speak louder than words if he went out and pitched a great game instead of embarking on some unwritten-rules based vendetta?

I watched the end of the game last night and was fuming mad when Papelbon hit Lind. Frasor went out after and didn't hit anyone, but did a decent job to clinch the save. That to me is what matters. It would have hurt me more to have Frasor bean a guy and then see us lose.

[HamiltonRb]

I think the fact no picher from Toronto would stick up for his teamate after getting thrown at tells you a lot about the lack of mental toughness on this team. Hire Burke to manage the team, we need some truculance!

[feeneyt]

The Jays were thrown at by the Yankees and Bosox all season long and finally near the end of the season, when it meant almost nothing, Carlsson did something. At this point in the season, it doesn't matter if they throw at anyone, and I don't think Halladay will be the one to do it if it does happen. Hopefully next year, they will throw at someone when and if it matters.

At any rate, I do hope the jays throw at someone. At least we have some excitement and something to look for tonight!

[Jack]

Too bad AL pitchers don't get to hit. But if I was Doc, I'd start with Pedroia, then Youkilis. Then get thrown out.

[TinCupCanuck]

Both these playoff teams are crazy for going after a team with nothing to lose. I would fire at 2 or 3 of their big stars. What are they going to do charge the mound and get ejected for a couple games...mabybe hurt or suspended for the post season?

But at the same time those two teams play with fire, stand at the top of the dugout and show interest in the game...the jays...while they seem week and disinterested.

It seems pretty obvious when they hit Lind after three homers that it was intentional. Plunk away i say.

[Matt Dawson]

I would love to see Halladay send Pedroia into next week.

[Tim]

Mr. Perkins you have no idea what you are talking about. The score was 8-7....Boston was trying to clinch a playoff birth and the pitch was simply more inside than Papelbon wanted. Give your head a shake...yeah "let's put another guy on base in this close game but hitting him". Give your head a shake. Lind was right, so were the umpires. Tonight will be much to do about nothing.

[UltimateToronto]

It won't be Halladay who hits a Sox batter, but one of the pitchers will. Papelbon's a marksman, one of the best closers in the game. It wasn't accidental that he hit the guy who humiliated them with 3 homers in one night. The Jays have nothing to lose, as opposed to Boston, by hitting SOMEONE. That's the big question tonight, who will it be?

[Rossvegas]

Gee, if you can PROMISE me that he'll hit someone, I might tune in. I find baseball to be pretty much unwatchable as it is; a good dust up or bean ball might inject a little life in that yawnfest.

[Number 4]

If it should happen at all, it will be "the surfer" who will do the deed not Roy in that Roy's control is too good! Whereas 'the surfer' can whistle one up to the plate at close to 100 MPH and is often off the plate a tad.Could be interesting........

[theflyest]

...aaaaand the assault on the true spirit of sports continues. here's baseball everybody, the new hockey. how any of this is even worthy of discussion escapes me. and we wonder why the kids are going mad in the streets. sheesh.

[wayne skitt]

One thing Roy has never done, ever is doik someone to protect the hiyyers on the JAys. He excels in every facet of the reqirements of a pitcher except this one.
When we had Clemens, the very next inning after a suspicious hitting of a Jay, someone would get it. That's what made Clemens not only great but tough!
Roy should kneecap one of the Boston regulars then say "he didn't meab it"

[WSG]

Dave – the ump didn’t do anything, but that last strike 3 call could’ve probably gone the other way … on another night, perhaps and the ump seemed to call it with extra relish. Maybe seeing what I want to see, though.

As for whether the plunk was intentional or not … it was too coincidental for my liking. The pitch looked ‘aimed’ too inside, right from the release. I think Papelbon placed it right where he wanted it.

My prediction for tonight … Roy keeps them nervous for a few innings and then plunks. Could be fun.

[Kevin]

Frasor should have gone after everyone possible last night. Let's face it - the Sox were going to clinch the wild card anyway, if not last night then some time this week, and the Jays are locked in 4th. Why not throw at everybody - sure, they might lose the game and get a few players ejected, but it would send a stronger message than waiting for Doc to do it tonight.

[Jason]

Well, I've been reading all these posts, and almost everyone is wrong. He did it all right. AND handily won the game 12-0, on a 3 hitter.

Fantastic bit of work in what might be his last game as a Jay. Class act all the way.

[OSU Fan]

I guess Hockey is Canada's sport, because you certainly don't know anything about baseball. Papelbon has had control issues all year, walking more batters than any other year in his career. Why would he put a runner on in a one run game when trying to clinch a playoff spot. Lind in reaction to the pitch actually dropped his elbow into the pitch. Lind has hit three home runs, so bury him inside or go outside and left him hit one off or over the Green Monster. Pitchers don't usually apologize for purpose pitches.

[Jay]

congrats dave, you called it...too bad anyone with any baseball knowledge isn't going to be impressed for the fact that retaliation for papelbon's beanball is proper baseball protocol. save the bragging, you aren't impressing anyone that matters.