MLB suspends Winters

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by David B

I'm sure he did, from what I've read in the past Todd Helton is a good guy and probably stood up for what was right.

I don't feel sorry for Bradley, but I also think Winters made a very poor judgement. It was not his call and he stuck his nose in his partner's business ...

Correct me if I am wrong, but Winters said something to his partner and his partner said something to Bradley. Then when Bradley got on base, he was confronted by him. That does not sound like sticking his nose into anything. I will always have my partner's back. I have no problems on Winters telling his partner about a player's action.

Peace

[BayStateRef]

I don't share the knee-jerk defense of the umpire. The suspension seems to be more than justified.

Meacham (the first base coach) has not backed off anything. This is what he told MLB, according to the San Diego Union Tribune:


Winters instigated the incident by calling Bradley a “bleeping piece of (expletive).” It was Meacham who responded first, walking up to Winters.

“I'd never heard something like that on a baseball field,” Meacham said. “I was like, whoa, you can't say that. There was a reason why I walked on the field.”

“Winters should apologize to Milton,” Meacham said. “I know what I heard. Milton was wronged. His future is at stake here. I'm not in anybody's corner. I just want the truth to come out. Winters made a mistake. He lost his cool. He snapped. All of us make a mistake. It was stuff that just shouldn't be said. Milton did what anybody in baseball would have done.”

As for the "neutral witness," the Rockies first baseman: When asked Sunday about the incident, Helton chose his words carefully, saying it was "interesting and crazy."

[Pete in AZ]

The same thing here in the papers. Winters was dumped for using profanity directed at the player. This has nothing to do with backing your partner or race. Bradley confronted Winters on his way to first and Winters held his hand up and told him to back off. Bradley lost his cool and Winters said, "Shut up, you "f***ng piece of sh**", according to those nearby. Sounds like he earned the penalty to me.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Oh, Winters just gets to rest up for the playoffs, huh? Grow the F up.

You guys keep calling reddevil a rat, etc....he was the only one on this forum who was there, on the first base side, watching the whole thing, including the between innings antics of Runge and Winters.

It looks like Winters got what he deserved. You can't say that to someone without any consequence. He's lucky Meacham and Black were there to keep him from getting an a-whoopin'.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Oh, Winters just gets to rest up for the playoffs, huh? Grow the F up.

Most likley he will also be fined more than three days pay. His suspension is real, unlike the farce that goes on when a pitcher is suspended for three games.

You guys keep calling reddevil a rat, etc....he was the only one on this forum who was there, on the first base side, watching the whole thing, including the between innings antics of Runge and Winters.

And since the whole question centered on what was said at firstbase by Winters and Bradley, reddevil's testimony means squat.

It looks like Winters got what he deserved.

I agree. Will Bradley get what he deserves?

You can't say that to someone without any consequence. He's lucky Meacham and Black were there to keep him from getting an a-whoopin'.

No, Bradley's lucky. POS or not, if he had touched Winters he'd have had serious problems.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Most likley he will also be fined more than three days pay. His suspension is real, unlike the farce that goes on when a pitcher is suspended for three games.



And since the whole question centered on what was said at firstbase by Winters and Bradley, reddevil's testimony means squat.



I agree. Will Bradley get what he deserves?



No, Bradley's lucky. POS or not, if he had touched Winters he'd have had serious problems.

A rat calls an umpire a piece of ****, he merely gets ejected. Certainly not suspended, or Bobby Cox would've been out for the last 15 years.

Finally, MLB has publicly admitted that the umpires are no more important than the bases they work. I shouldn't be surprised.

[etn_ump]

Winters got what he deserved? Maybe, maybe not.

As far as Bradley goes, poetic justice may have to prevail here.

There is no where in civilized society that anyone can react the way that Bradley has, now and in the past, and not face serious consequences. That young man has some serious, serious anger and in my opinion maturity issues.

It's of little interest to me if he ever plays again. JMHO

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

A rat calls an umpire a piece of ****, he merely gets ejected. Certainly not suspended, or Bobby Cox would've been out for the last 15 years.

Finally, MLB has publicly admitted that the umpires are no more important than the bases they work. I shouldn't be surprised.

The problem with this is you put players and umpires on the same level. By the logic you are using, a parent should get a spanking or timeout or whatever discipline you use for raising his voice to a child just like the child who yells at the parent. The umpires are the arbiters of the game and should be held to a higher, much higher, standard than a player or a manager. MLB's decision is good for umpires because it acknowledges and demonstates the umpires' position on the field. He is in charge and should act like he is in charge. MLB's decision simply makes that point.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

I don't share the knee-jerk defense of the umpire. The suspension seems to be more than justified.

Meacham (the first base coach) has not backed off anything. This is what he told MLB, according to the San Diego Union Tribune:


Winters instigated the incident by calling Bradley a “bleeping piece of (expletive).”

Hasn't backed off? Hasn't backed off??????????

The first time he talked to the press, the lying F@#%ing piece of sh!t claimed that Winters made a "racial" comment. He toned it down later to a comment "that could be taken racially." And then, when confronted with the knowlege that the F3 would be testifying, changed his story again to the accurate statement.

Just what do you consider backing off?

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Correct me if I am wrong, but Winters said something to his partner and his partner said something to Bradley. Then when Bradley got on base, he was confronted by him. That does not sound like sticking his nose into anything. I will always have my partner's back. I have no problems on Winters telling his partner about a player's action.

Peace

I think the sequence of events was something like this...

The PU rings up Bradley, who throws has bat. The PU doesn't take much notice of the thrown bat.

Winters informs the PU that Bradley threw his bat at him.

When Bradley comes up again, the PU mentions the incident to Bradley and, apparently, adds that the 1st base umpire had told him about it.

Bradley gets a hit and reaches first.

When Bradley arrives at 1st, words are exchanged between Bradley and Winters. It is unclear who started it, but I suspect it probably started with Bradley saying something to Winters.

Even if Bradley "started it", Winters should not say anything that would put fuel on the fire ... which apparently he DID.

There is plenty of blame to go around - of that I'll agree.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

I think the sequence of events was something like this...

The PU rings up Bradley, who throws has bat. The PU doesn't take much notice of the thrown bat.

Winters informs the PU that Bradley threw his bat at him.

When Bradley comes up again, the PU mentions the incident to Bradley and, apparently, adds that the 1st base umpire had told him about it.

Bradley gets a hit and reaches first.

When Bradley arrives at 1st, words are exchanged between Bradley and Winters. It is unclear who started it, but I suspect it probably started with Bradley saying something to Winters.

Even if Bradley "started it", Winters should not say anything that would put fuel on the fire ... which apparently he DID.

There is plenty of blame to go around - of that I'll agree.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

With Winters taking the "hit" as he should.