There was some old-fashioned baseball vengeance sought Tuesday night in Anaheim.
Houston Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick was plunked in the back by a 90 mph fastball from Los Angeles Angels pitcher Noe Ramirez in the sixth inning. It was Marisnick’s first game against the Angels since barreling into Los Angeles catcher Jonathan Lucroy at home plate in a game before the All-Star Game.
Major League Baseball suspended Marisnick for two games, but it certainly appears the Halos wanted their pound of flesh, too. Everyone in the ballpark knew it was coming, including Marisnick, who handled the situation well despite taking a pitch up near the head.
The plunking didn’t sit well with the Astros, though, and it eventually led to a mini-skirmish after Angels first baseman Albert Pujols started yapping with the Houston dugout.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the entire ordeal was Marisnick’s reaction and how he handled things, instructing his teammates to return to the dugout. He and Pujols also could be seen discussing things after order was restored.
After the game, Marisnick sounded like someone who understood what was happening.
“It was an unfortunate play back in Houston,” he told reporters, per the OC Register. “I feel terrible about it. And to come here and have some of this go down, it sucks. … I was just looking to go out and find a way to help the team win, get on base, and I mean, I can’t control where he throws the ball.”
Astros manager A.J. Hinch was far less diplomatic, expressing his confusion over how the situation was handled.
“It’s a confusing time,” Hinch said. “Either the players govern the players on the field, like it’s always been, or we legislate it to where none of this crap happens. But they got a free shot at him, no warning, with no ejection. We’ll see if there’s discipline, and without discipline, there’s not gonna be any issue doing it the next time. So if retaliations are in, cool. We’re well aware.”
Hinch does kind of have a point. MLB tried to take care of things by suspending Marisnick, but “this crap” has been part of baseball forever, and it’s probably a little naive to believe something wouldn’t happen at some point.
Now, we wait and see whether the Astros try any said retaliation of their own.
