06-04-2019, 08:13 AM
SAN FRANCISCO — A beanball war between the Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants has the potential to spill over into Wednesday’s series finale http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore.c...rsey-cheap , with neither manager saying the book was closed after there were three hit batsmen and two ejections Tuesday night.
The ball will be in the hands of Marlins right-hander Jose Urena (2-8, 4.18 ERA) and Giants lefty Derek Holland (4-7, 4.48), with each team needing a victory to win the series after splitting a pair of emotional affairs the last two nights.
The Giants avenged Monday’s 5-4 loss with a 6-3 victory on Tuesday that featured Buster Posey hitting a home run and then getting hit by a pitch in his next at-bat.
It was exactly what Marlins manager Don Mattingly had promised when, in the top of the inning, he complained that both teams — not just the Giants — had received a warning when San Francisco starter Dereck Rodriguez hit Lewis Brinson with a pitch.
After a heated exchange with the umpires, Mattingly could be seen telling Posey, “You’re next.” Giants manager Bruce Bochy then jumped out of the dugout, having heard Mattingly tell the umpires, “If not tonight, then tomorrow.”
“I guess they thought they had to do something,” Bochy said of the Marlins, whose three-run, ninth-inning rally on Monday night included a key hit by Brinson, who celebrated by yelling at Giants closer Hunter Strickland on his way to first base.
On his way to the dugout after recording his fourth blown save later in the inning, Strickland walked near Brinson and the two exchanged words again.
Moments later, the emotional Strickland punched a door leading to the Giants’ clubhouse, breaking his right hand. He is expected to be out 6-8 weeks.
The Giants suffered a similar injury last week in Miami when third baseman Evan Longoria broke a finger when hit by a pitch.
Despite the warning and already down 3-0, Marlins starter Dan Straily hit Posey in the left shoulder in the bottom of the second inning Justin Layne Jersey , resulting in the ejection of both Straily and Mattingly.
The feisty Marlins manager was seen patting Straily on the back as both headed down the runway toward the clubhouse after the ejections.
“There’s some fuzzy math going on,” Bochy said when asked if he thought Straily’s retaliation evened the score for the Giants plunking Brinson. “I’ve got a third baseman out 6-8 weeks. And I got a guy (Kelby Tomlinson) hit in the back (Monday) night.”
The veteran Giants skipper went on to say anything’s possible in the series finale.
“We’re men,” he boasted. “This happens in baseball. It won’t be the last time.”
Intention or no intention, the Marlins’ Urena has been troubled by hit batsmen this season, having already plunked eight batters, tied for the fifth-most in the majors.
He has faced the Giants three times in his career, twice as a starter, and has gone 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA.
The Giants’ Holland, on the other hand, is about as unlikely to hit a batter as any pitcher in the game. He has plunked just one of the 306 guys he has faced this season.
Holland has pitched just once in his career against the Marlins, and it was a disaster. Facing a lineup that included Hanley Ramirez and Giancarlo Stanton, Holland gave up five runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning while pitching for Texas in 2011.
Free agency is set to begin on March 9th, which means that NFL rosters will undergo further transformations. Reshuffling is a certainty. Where these players sign, if anywhere, is an uncertainty. It's an annual mystery that fills the minds of fans with hypotheticals. It's a guessing game within the game, but some guesses are more educated than others. Here at TheSportster, we aim to be educated, but hey, when guessing enough times http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore.c...rsey-cheap , even the educated ones wind up like the others.With so many moving parts, falling dominoes, and a field of 32 teams, foreseeing free agency is a fine warmup for filling out brackets and crossing fingers for March Madness. Embrace the chaos. And don't forget to include prefaces: The Steelers would be crazy to let Le'Veon Bell test free agency, Julius Peppers and Robert Mathis will either retire or take the pass rush of the Montreal Alouettes to the next level, and Washington will retain Kirk Cousins. You like that?! OK, let's speculate.15. LeGarrette Blount: Detroit Lions Eric Seals-USA TODAY SportsIn what was likely his last game as a Patriot, LeGarrette Blount went out a champ--even though he lost a fumble and got outshone by James White, who should have the backfield locked down along with Dion Lewis moving forward. Blount Force Trauma was nonetheless great in the regular season, totaling 1,161 yards and 18 scores on the ground in a resurgent year. He's 30, so his age will deter some potential suitors, but Mr. Trauma probably plowed his way into a short-term deal with a team like the Lions.With their adequate cap space, Detroit could pay a reasonable sum to sure up a ground attack that ranked a woeful 30th in rushing yards last season. In their ongoing search to replace Barry Sanders, the Lions have whiffed on drafting running backs as of late. Their second-rounder in 2015, Ameer Abdullah, looks prone to injuries and fumbles, and before him, Jahvid Best was a bust. While Blount would be more of a temporary fix Zach Gentry Jersey , he'd still upgrade a backfield that needs a boost on a team that made the postseason in 2016.14. DeMarcus Ware: Dallas Cowboys Jim Brown-USA TODAY SportsIt's better to have experienced a Super Bowl hangover than to have never won one at all, as DeMarcus Ware and the Broncos can tell you. The edge rusher recorded 7.5 sacks opposite the younger and more explosive Von Miller to propel Denver to victory in Super Bowl 50. Last season, Ware struggled to stay healthy and the Broncos fell short of the postseason berth required to defend their title. With Miller and a lights-out secondary still intact, Ware could be expendable as Denver uses this offseason to pursue a quarterback. More on that later, fans of foreshadowing.Ware has dropped hints of a return to Dallas, where he spent the first nine seasons of his career and made a name for himself. Big D appeared to have serious constraints concerning the cap, but those crafty Cowboys have recently freed $17.3 million in space by restructuring the deals of marquee linemen Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick. They're also expected to unload Tony Romo in one way or another (foreshadowing), which means the Cowboys look poised to pull the trigger and add an impact defender. Provided the contract reflects Ware's role as a part-time impact defender, it makes sense.13. Martellus Bennett: San Francisco 49ers Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsIn a clear case of "So long, and thanks for the ring," Martellus Bennett will enjoy the spoils of free agency and find a new home in 2017. He'll sign elsewhere just as sure as he won't be with the team when they visit the White House. As a Patriot for one year, he amassed 799 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, and filled in capably after Gronk was placed on Injured Reserve. The market for tight ends is decent at best, and Bennett will likely go to a team that lacks offensive threats and has heaps of cash to spend, such as the 49ers.San Francisco is second only to Cleveland in total cap space, and they're in dire need of pass-catchers. Tight End Vance McDonald caught four scores, and get this: That actually led the team. The incumbent McDonald managed less than half of Bennett's receiving yards with 391. Whoever takes the field as their quarterback is going to need better weapons. With a Championship crossed off his list, Bennett could very well ink a huge deal with a team that has nowhere to go but up.12. T.J. Lang: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Benny Sieu-USA TODAY SportsA key part of Green Bay's sturdy offensive line since 2009 Chris Lindstrom Jersey , don't expect T.J. Lang to return to the Pack. Last season he made his first Pro Bowl, which should boost his market value, and under the guidance of G.M. Ted Thompson, the Packers are as stingy as they come in free agency. This approach applies to re-signing talent as well, especially where the interior line is concerned. In the Favre/ Rodgers years, the team has let go of several excellent guards: Marco Rivera, Mike Wahle, Daryn Colledge, and Josh Sitton. Lang figures to be next.As for where Lang will sign, money means a lot, but the man has also grown accustomed to postseason play, as well as blocking in front of an elite quarterback. Ideally, he could get all three, but in this scenario, he might have to be patient a year or two as Jameis Winston continues to develop. With a 9-7 mark last year, the Bucs seem as close to reaching the postseason as Winston is to rising another tier as an NFL quarterback. Adding a Pro Bowler to a group of guards with no standouts would solidify the trenches for Tampa. Lang is also a great run blocker who could help create better lanes for the team's ground attack.
The ball will be in the hands of Marlins right-hander Jose Urena (2-8, 4.18 ERA) and Giants lefty Derek Holland (4-7, 4.48), with each team needing a victory to win the series after splitting a pair of emotional affairs the last two nights.
The Giants avenged Monday’s 5-4 loss with a 6-3 victory on Tuesday that featured Buster Posey hitting a home run and then getting hit by a pitch in his next at-bat.
It was exactly what Marlins manager Don Mattingly had promised when, in the top of the inning, he complained that both teams — not just the Giants — had received a warning when San Francisco starter Dereck Rodriguez hit Lewis Brinson with a pitch.
After a heated exchange with the umpires, Mattingly could be seen telling Posey, “You’re next.” Giants manager Bruce Bochy then jumped out of the dugout, having heard Mattingly tell the umpires, “If not tonight, then tomorrow.”
“I guess they thought they had to do something,” Bochy said of the Marlins, whose three-run, ninth-inning rally on Monday night included a key hit by Brinson, who celebrated by yelling at Giants closer Hunter Strickland on his way to first base.
On his way to the dugout after recording his fourth blown save later in the inning, Strickland walked near Brinson and the two exchanged words again.
Moments later, the emotional Strickland punched a door leading to the Giants’ clubhouse, breaking his right hand. He is expected to be out 6-8 weeks.
The Giants suffered a similar injury last week in Miami when third baseman Evan Longoria broke a finger when hit by a pitch.
Despite the warning and already down 3-0, Marlins starter Dan Straily hit Posey in the left shoulder in the bottom of the second inning Justin Layne Jersey , resulting in the ejection of both Straily and Mattingly.
The feisty Marlins manager was seen patting Straily on the back as both headed down the runway toward the clubhouse after the ejections.
“There’s some fuzzy math going on,” Bochy said when asked if he thought Straily’s retaliation evened the score for the Giants plunking Brinson. “I’ve got a third baseman out 6-8 weeks. And I got a guy (Kelby Tomlinson) hit in the back (Monday) night.”
The veteran Giants skipper went on to say anything’s possible in the series finale.
“We’re men,” he boasted. “This happens in baseball. It won’t be the last time.”
Intention or no intention, the Marlins’ Urena has been troubled by hit batsmen this season, having already plunked eight batters, tied for the fifth-most in the majors.
He has faced the Giants three times in his career, twice as a starter, and has gone 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA.
The Giants’ Holland, on the other hand, is about as unlikely to hit a batter as any pitcher in the game. He has plunked just one of the 306 guys he has faced this season.
Holland has pitched just once in his career against the Marlins, and it was a disaster. Facing a lineup that included Hanley Ramirez and Giancarlo Stanton, Holland gave up five runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning while pitching for Texas in 2011.
Free agency is set to begin on March 9th, which means that NFL rosters will undergo further transformations. Reshuffling is a certainty. Where these players sign, if anywhere, is an uncertainty. It's an annual mystery that fills the minds of fans with hypotheticals. It's a guessing game within the game, but some guesses are more educated than others. Here at TheSportster, we aim to be educated, but hey, when guessing enough times http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore.c...rsey-cheap , even the educated ones wind up like the others.With so many moving parts, falling dominoes, and a field of 32 teams, foreseeing free agency is a fine warmup for filling out brackets and crossing fingers for March Madness. Embrace the chaos. And don't forget to include prefaces: The Steelers would be crazy to let Le'Veon Bell test free agency, Julius Peppers and Robert Mathis will either retire or take the pass rush of the Montreal Alouettes to the next level, and Washington will retain Kirk Cousins. You like that?! OK, let's speculate.15. LeGarrette Blount: Detroit Lions Eric Seals-USA TODAY SportsIn what was likely his last game as a Patriot, LeGarrette Blount went out a champ--even though he lost a fumble and got outshone by James White, who should have the backfield locked down along with Dion Lewis moving forward. Blount Force Trauma was nonetheless great in the regular season, totaling 1,161 yards and 18 scores on the ground in a resurgent year. He's 30, so his age will deter some potential suitors, but Mr. Trauma probably plowed his way into a short-term deal with a team like the Lions.With their adequate cap space, Detroit could pay a reasonable sum to sure up a ground attack that ranked a woeful 30th in rushing yards last season. In their ongoing search to replace Barry Sanders, the Lions have whiffed on drafting running backs as of late. Their second-rounder in 2015, Ameer Abdullah, looks prone to injuries and fumbles, and before him, Jahvid Best was a bust. While Blount would be more of a temporary fix Zach Gentry Jersey , he'd still upgrade a backfield that needs a boost on a team that made the postseason in 2016.14. DeMarcus Ware: Dallas Cowboys Jim Brown-USA TODAY SportsIt's better to have experienced a Super Bowl hangover than to have never won one at all, as DeMarcus Ware and the Broncos can tell you. The edge rusher recorded 7.5 sacks opposite the younger and more explosive Von Miller to propel Denver to victory in Super Bowl 50. Last season, Ware struggled to stay healthy and the Broncos fell short of the postseason berth required to defend their title. With Miller and a lights-out secondary still intact, Ware could be expendable as Denver uses this offseason to pursue a quarterback. More on that later, fans of foreshadowing.Ware has dropped hints of a return to Dallas, where he spent the first nine seasons of his career and made a name for himself. Big D appeared to have serious constraints concerning the cap, but those crafty Cowboys have recently freed $17.3 million in space by restructuring the deals of marquee linemen Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick. They're also expected to unload Tony Romo in one way or another (foreshadowing), which means the Cowboys look poised to pull the trigger and add an impact defender. Provided the contract reflects Ware's role as a part-time impact defender, it makes sense.13. Martellus Bennett: San Francisco 49ers Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsIn a clear case of "So long, and thanks for the ring," Martellus Bennett will enjoy the spoils of free agency and find a new home in 2017. He'll sign elsewhere just as sure as he won't be with the team when they visit the White House. As a Patriot for one year, he amassed 799 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, and filled in capably after Gronk was placed on Injured Reserve. The market for tight ends is decent at best, and Bennett will likely go to a team that lacks offensive threats and has heaps of cash to spend, such as the 49ers.San Francisco is second only to Cleveland in total cap space, and they're in dire need of pass-catchers. Tight End Vance McDonald caught four scores, and get this: That actually led the team. The incumbent McDonald managed less than half of Bennett's receiving yards with 391. Whoever takes the field as their quarterback is going to need better weapons. With a Championship crossed off his list, Bennett could very well ink a huge deal with a team that has nowhere to go but up.12. T.J. Lang: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Benny Sieu-USA TODAY SportsA key part of Green Bay's sturdy offensive line since 2009 Chris Lindstrom Jersey , don't expect T.J. Lang to return to the Pack. Last season he made his first Pro Bowl, which should boost his market value, and under the guidance of G.M. Ted Thompson, the Packers are as stingy as they come in free agency. This approach applies to re-signing talent as well, especially where the interior line is concerned. In the Favre/ Rodgers years, the team has let go of several excellent guards: Marco Rivera, Mike Wahle, Daryn Colledge, and Josh Sitton. Lang figures to be next.As for where Lang will sign, money means a lot, but the man has also grown accustomed to postseason play, as well as blocking in front of an elite quarterback. Ideally, he could get all three, but in this scenario, he might have to be patient a year or two as Jameis Winston continues to develop. With a 9-7 mark last year, the Bucs seem as close to reaching the postseason as Winston is to rising another tier as an NFL quarterback. Adding a Pro Bowler to a group of guards with no standouts would solidify the trenches for Tampa. Lang is also a great run blocker who could help create better lanes for the team's ground attack.