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 I would like to make a brief remark on Brian Sabean's comments about the recent home-plate collision that left Buster Posey injured. The comments by Sabean were pitiful and uncalled for.
Let me say, I do believe the Marlins should be retaliated against. It's baseball. The Giants should not attempt to injure anyone, but a Tim Lincecum fastball between the numbers on Mike Stanton's back—or whomever the Giants choose—is well within their right, just like running over the catcher blocking the plate is well within the right of a baserunner. But Sabean's attitude, along with that of Posey's agent, Jeff Berry, is deplorable. First, Sabean is angry for one reason: He's built a team, it seems he feels, that can't stand without their starting catcher. I don't know if that feeling is necessarily true, but if it is, he only has himself to blame. Second, home-plate collisions are part of the game. As a kid, I remember hearing about Pete Rose and not because he was the all-time hits leader. As a child, my main association with Pete Rose was "Charlie Hustle." My main association with "Charlie Hustle" was the home-plate collision with Ray Fosse during an All-Star game. Yes, an All-Star game. I remember that collision being pointed out as good baseball; it was supposed to exemplify how the game was played. Major League Baseball called it the greatest All-Star game moment of all time. It's funny how these things work: That play took place in the bottom of the 12th; Posey's collision was in the top of the 12th. Third and most pitiful of Sabean is, if he feels that home-plate collisions are dirty plays, why has he not lobbied for for this change before? Same goes for Jeff Berry; why hasn't he said anything to MLB before this? I invite you to check out this video of Buster Posey playing for the San Jose Giants in the Class A Advanced California league in 2009; before Sabean knew that this kid was going to lead his team to a World Series; before Berry knew that Posey was going to develop into an elite MLB hitter. Mr. Sabean, did you care about your players before they held your poorly built offense together? Before you rested your career on him? Mr. Berry, did you care about Buster Posey before you realized that a $100 million contract could be somewhere in his future? The calls to end home-plate collisions are spurred by greed, not care. Let's remember that.
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