Video: Ubaldo Jimenez beans Troy Tulowitzki
April 2, 2012
While We’re Waiting… More Tannehill suggestions, tanking at another level and no off season for Pinkston
April 2, 2012The Colorado Rockies, led by manager Jim Tracy, are none too pleased by the plunking of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki by Indians starter (and former Colorado ace) Ubaldo Jiménez.
Alleged “lingering ill will” between the two players came to blows on Sunday after the Indians starter hit the All-Star infielder in the elbow with a fastball in the first inning of the picther’s final Cactus League start. After hitting Tulowitzki, Jimenez reportedly stepped toward the plate, motioning for Tulowitzki to come toward him. Players from both teams quickly joined the two players as benches emptied.
Issues allegedly stem from Jiménez saying that he felt “under-appreciated” by his former team, referencing the contract extension provided to Tulowitzki and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, later claiming that Cleveland was “heaven” compared to Colorado. Following the game, Rockies manager Jim Tracy went on a bit of a tirade.
“It’s the most gutless act I have seen in 35 years of professional baseball. I have lost all respect for him. To do something like that and walk down off the mound, and if there’s any suggestion whatsoever that the ball got away, I don’t want to hear any of that [expletive]. I am going to be very disappointed if he doesn’t get suspended.”
Jiménez claims that Tulowitzki was audibly calling out the pitcher from the batters box and that the pitch was merely an inside fastball, one with no malicious intent aside from brushing the batter away from the plate.
“I mean, I’m a man,” said Jiménez. “If somebody calls me out, I have to go. He was calling me chicken. He was calling me names.”
Tulowitzki immediately left the game following the incident. X-rays revealed no structural damage, but the Rockies do not know if he will miss playing time until he’s evaluated again Monday.
[Related: Is Ubaldo’s 2010 Fausto’s 2007?]
(Source: Denver Post)
32 Comments
This whole situation is ridiculous. I never wanted this guy and something like this makes me want him even less. You plunk a guy in a meaningless spring training game because he overshadowed you? What a big man you are Ubaldo, how about saving it for when retribution is warranted.
See I come down on the other side of it, I’m happy that Ubaldo finally showed some – well – I’m happy he showed something. He’s seemed kinda of meek and easy going. I’m happy to see some fire in him even if it is misdirected.
I have a hard time blaming him for hitting a guy, baseball’s entire machismo code is pathetic and embarrassing. Every baseball fight I’ve seen reminds me of the guy who gets in an argument in a bar and gets “held back” by his girlfriend, screaming threats while a 100 lb girl “pushes” him out the door.
Same here. I’ve always thought the whole pitchers intentionally throwing at hitters thing is lame, but it is what it is. It exists and it’s common practice. Jim Tracy’s comments are so far out of line. Much more inappropriate than what Ubaldo did.
I couldn’t disagree more. The fights aren’t always hockey style fights, nor are they supposed to be. The point of plunking a guy is to regulate on the field issues with the other team, not because a guy was more popular -er I mean ‘more appreciated’ than you. Besides, baseball is a sport where the quiet and driven guy can succeed (Mariano Rivera etc.), I don’t need to see any antics out of a guy to be pleased with him. Just shut up and do your job, a strikeout would have been better retribution than throwing at the guy. Embarrassing.
Jim Tracy needs to STFU. This is the same guy that ran Ubaldo out there to pitch on the day he knew he was going to get traded. Talk about classless…
Did Tracy watch any of Ubaldo last year? If so, he’d know that he doesn’t have the control to intentionally put the ball anywhere.
I kind of agree with porkchop- yes, it’s stupid, but it is what it is. What I really don’t like is doing it in a pointless ST game. Everybody just wants to get to April healthy. It’s not the place or time to be sending messages.
These two also have a past. Maybe it’s just sour grapes by Jimenez over playing second fiddle to Troy or maybe there’s something more. The way Jimenez has gushed about our clubhouse, you get the sense that his issues with Colorado were about more than just not getting a contract. Not that it excuses it.
Well, at least thats the first time he has hit his target since coming to the North Shore. Gotta start somwhere
I’d like to point to you the Nolan Ryan vs. Robin Ventura fight.
Yeah, sad that it’s been 30years since the last good beatdown considering how many “pretend fights” MLBers have. Still, better than Carmelo Anthony backpedalling like a 3rd grader in a 5th grade fight a couple of years ago 🙂
only issue considering the “code” is that Ubaldo should have aimed for the thigh/buttocks. it’s lame and silly to throw at him in the first place, but risking the injury is worse
I had forgot about that. Good call.
Does Jim Tracy ever elaborate on what happened 35 years ago in 1977 that was more gutless? That seems like a pretty arbitrary number.
Not sure if that is rhetorical but I think he’s implying his 35 years in baseball.
This is my interpretation as well. I think most people who played ball (and, in my case, pitched) simply cannot defend the placement of Jiminez’s pitch.
This is my interpretation as well. I think most people who played ball (and, in my case, pitched) simply cannot defend the placement of Jiminez’s pitch.
I’m sorry, I don’t buy this argument. Ubaldo could also show fire by striking the guy out, or shutting down the Rockies lineup, right? Beaning people and fighting isn’t going to do anything for us in October.
I’m sorry, I don’t buy this argument. Ubaldo could also show fire by striking the guy out, or shutting down the Rockies lineup, right? Beaning people and fighting isn’t going to do anything for us in October.
There’s also the fact that he might end up suspended for a start. So your silly little feud just cost our team.
There’s also the fact that he might end up suspended for a start. So your silly little feud just cost our team.
I’m actually going to that second game. I’d rather see Tomlin anyway.
agree. This is Mesa/Omar stuff. A lot of successful players are immature and stupid, but at least have some baseball intelligence. The league will note this and he’ll lose the benefit of the doubt next time he plunks a guy under suspicious circumstances.
Seems like every month Ubaldo pitches he raises another red flag.
Given Ubaldo’s struggles with command since coming to Cleveland I’m guessing he was aiming for his thigh.
Should have thrown it over near him (tracy) in the dugout haha
the thought had crossed my mind
I wish Tulowitzki would have clocked him back with the bat. Then maybe we wouldn’t have to watch Ubaldo pitch for awhile. He is awful. I mean awful. Antonetti and Shapiro should lose their jobs for that trade. And for what they did this offseason. That was pretty much the worst waste of money I’ve ever seen. Go Tribe.
Eh, I can’t have an opinion on this until I know all of the facts about what happened in Colorado. I mean for these guys to go from teammates to this, it’s crazy. There has to be more to the story than “He said I should get over it”.
Idk I get the feeling that the crowd who didn’t like the trade to begin with are gonna use this to dump on him more and the apologists are going to say that it’s good he is showing passion.
In the end we don’t know who is right and who is wrong because we don’t know what happened between the two to spark this. Although Jim Tracy can kiss my a** because like someone said earlier he started Ubaldo last year knowing he was going to be traded, so let’s talk about class Jimmy.
Almost every plunking I’ve ever seen came because a pitcher felt a batter was “showing him up” after admiring a home run too long. If that sort of thing falls under “regulating on field issues” than hitting a guy jawing at you from the on deck circle, and whom you have a pre-existing discord with, also has to be acceptable.
And just to be clear, I 1000% agree with you that I wish guys would just shut up and do their job. With Ubaldo I’m more worried about his tissue paper soft ego, and I was happy to see some emotion out of him. I feel like Joe Hallenbecks wife sleeping with his partner just to see if it will get a rise out of him.
Now I’m kind of changing my tune, and I’m seeing this more as I think you do, not as showing moxy but sort petulant.
I think you can file the posing under ‘on the field’ issues since it actually does happen on the field. Most of the time though, guys get hit or thrown at as retribution for the opposing pitcher throwing or hitting someone in an obvious manner. This was dumb on too many levels, it would be like him throwing at him at an all-star game to prove a point.
The ego thing is a GREAT point though. This all appears to have spawned from a contract issue in which he didn’t get paid because they wanted to see how his year went. So, in response, he allegedly went ahead and sandbagged that season (hence the beef with Tulo) like a pouty child. Given our problems keeping players monetarily happy, that seems like a big time problem. I just wonder if and when that side of him decides to surface again while here.
Again, with the ridiculous hyperbole. If you hate this team that much, you need to go find something else to help you relax.
xFip in 2010 = 3.71
xFip for the Indians in 2011 = 3.85
I know, I know… advanced stats are rubbish.
Ryan v Ventura was as good as it gets, but don’t tell me that Hernandez-Sheffield wasn’t a good beatdown.
Bob Gibson used to hit people for digging in at the plate. Jim Tracy needs to grow a pair, baseball used to be played by men, now it is full of cry babies who lean into inside pitches and complain if the ball is thrown on the inside half of the plate. If you don’t aim for the head, I see no harm in throwing the ball at someone. That’s how the sport used to be when the greats played, and , to me, makes it more interesting to see guys with that kind of passion. The fact that Ubaldo got suspended is ridiculous.
He did us a favor, I’d rather see us starting Laporta than Ubaldo. Release him and Dolan sell the team PLEASE!