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Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell and outfielder Yasiel Puig, along with Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers Keone Kela and Felipe Vazquez, were tossed from Sunday’s game between the teams after the benches cleared in the top of the fourth.
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After a little misunderstanding, we’re back.
(Archer Ks Dietrich in the return) https://t.co/OyAy7LQXHU
The incident was instigated by Pittsburgh pitcher Chris Archer, who didn’t appreciate Derek Dietrich enjoying a long stare at a homer he hit. Archer threw behind him during his next at-bat, setting off the scuffle.
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Puig was not backing down today in the Pirates-Reds altercation… https://t.co/WQDfVnd9qg
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Stand and stare.
Derek Dietrich was in no hurry to get out of the box on this splash shot.
(Via @Reds) https://t.co/QZ7xiCRPMw
Reds pitcher Amir Garrett was also ejected.
Puig in particular may be looking at a suspension after being initially held back by Joey Votto and Melky Cabrera before re-entering the fray after it had largely calmed down and charging toward several of the Pirates players before the sides were separated.
Puig spoke about the incident after the game, per FOX Sports Ohio:
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“I didn’t throw a punch.” – Yasiel Puig speaks out about the benches clearing against the Pirates and the potential of a suspension for himself. https://t.co/E4pPK98KsJ
The culture of retaliation in baseball remains a controversial topic, as many position players don’t like pitchers throwing at them simply because they flip their bats, pause in the batter’s box to admire a moonshot or simply show some emotion in the moment.
While many pitchers contend they don’t like being shown up, the counterargument remains that pitchers shouldn’t give up homers in the first place if they don’t want to see opposing players have a passionate response to the most exciting play in baseball—the home run.
Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper brought the growing divide on the topic to light in 2016, telling Tim Keown of ESPN The Magazine that he had no issue with emotion in the game and felt it was important to cultivate, rather than stifle, that passion, using the late Jose Fernandez as an example:
“Jose Fernandez will strike you out and stare you down into the dugout and pump his fist. And if you hit a homer and pimp it? He doesn’t care. Because you got him. That’s part of the game. It’s not the old feeling—hoorah … if you pimp a homer, I’m going to hit you right in the teeth. No. If a guy pimps a homer for a game-winning shot … I mean—sorry.”
“If a guy pumps his fist at me on the mound, I’m going to go, ‘Yeah, you got me. Good for you. Hopefully I get you next time,'” Harper added. “That’s what makes the game fun.”
Major League Baseball even promoted the sport with a “Let the Kids Play” campaign, which highlighted moments of passion and took aim at the game’s antiquated unwritten rules.
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UPDATE: Tempers flare following this HR.
Chris Archer throws it behind Dietrich in his next AB, benches clear.
(via @FOXSportsOH) https://t.co/YP9YmfRZXp
But some players aren’t keen to see the unwritten rules go by the wayside. Archer is apparently among them.
from Update News Topic http://bit.ly/2Upg1o4
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