This is very likely the last Olympics to include baseball and softball, unless representatives of both sports can mount a sufficient argument to return in the 2016 Games. They need to be putting their best foot forward and show the world why they should be reinstated.
Monday night that step forward, went backward.
Team USA (3-2), looking to move to within a win of making the medal round, faced off against China (1-4). Through four innings, the game went on without any major problems. Team USA led 1-0 and both teams had two batters hit by pitches, but not with any intent.
Things changed in the fifth, however. Team USA notched three more runs, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Texas Rangers prospect Taylor Teagarden. Baltimore Orioles prospect Matt LaPorta was attempting to score from first on the double and collided with Chinese catcher Wei Wang, prospect for the Seattle Mariners.
Waiting for the ball to come in from right field, Wang was blocking the front left side of the plate when LaPorta slid hard into Wang, scoring the fourth run of the game. Wang had to leave the game with an injured left leg and back-up catcher Yang Yang replaced him.
On the very next pitch Jason Donald was beaned for the second time in that game. He was the third American batter hit by a pitch.
This was the point at which home plate umpire Edwin van der Berk (Netherlands) could have warned both teams. With five batters hit by pitches and a collision at the plate, van der Berk could have regained control of the game right then and there, but he said nothing.
In the next half inning on the first pitch from China's newest pitcher Kun Chen, Team USA's right fielder Nate Schierholtz was drilled in the back.
Schierholtz fired his bat toward the dugout in frustration, but took his base without a word. Then again the umpiring crew could have warned both teams and regained control, but they stood by quietly.
After a Matt Brown double, Terry Tiffee hit a fly ball to centerfield, and Schierholtz headed for home after the catch.
Again the Chinese catcher blocked the front side of the plate and, with the ball coming in for a bang-bang play, Schierholtz lowered his shoulder and nailed the catcher. Yang went flying, the ball rolled by, and Schierholtz scored to give the US a 5-0 lead.
Yang popped up and had a few words for Schierholtz as he walked by. Schierholtz responded and pointed at the plate, and then Yang had to be restrained by his teammates.
China's manager Jeff Lefebvre stormed out of the dugout yelling and arguing that Schierholtz should be thrown out of the game for the hit. Lefebvre even voiced his opinion to Team USA manager Davey Johnson.
After a few moments, home plate umpire van der Berk finally acted and ejected Lefebvre from the game.
It finally seemed as though the drama had reached its climax, but then came the seventh inning.
On the first pitch of the inning, Chen drilled LaPorta with a fastball to the head and he went down hard. This brought Johnson out of his dugout yelling and arguing, both to protect his players and to make clear that the umpiring crew had allowed this game to get out of hand.
While the medical staff checked on LaPorta, who would leave under his own power, the umpiring crew huddled together to discuss and eventually eject Chen from the game along with assistant coach Steven Ontiveros.
12 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Emily Thompson 10 months ago
Yea I watched this game and it was absolutely ridiculous. I couldn't believe they were doing this. I play softball and I know catchers aren't allowed to block the plate without the ball (I'm not to sure if its the same in baseball or not) but if thats the case the Americans had every right running into the catchers. But hitting someone in the head is horrible.
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Matthew Irby 10 months ago
Thanks for the comments Emily, and to answer you question it is the same in baseball. I have been a catcher my entire life and its widely know that if you decide to block to plate than you are fair game even if the runner decides to barrel into to you.
Know had the umpire issued warnings earlier to both teams then the second time a runner collided with the catcher the umpire would have been within his rights to eject the runner, but as stated before they did nothing.
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dakota savola 10 months ago
i couldent catch the game, just wondering if there will be a rebrodcast, or if anyone knows where i can find highlights , ps you got it NEVER in the head
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Matthew Irby 10 months ago
As for a re-run of the broadcast I don't know of one. You can go the NBC Olympics official website, look up the game in the news and features and there is some video highlights of the game.
But if you watch any more of Team USA baseball they will likely continue to show the events from that game
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L.J. Burgess 10 months ago
Great re-cap and analysis. 6 Starz.
Jim Lefevbre? Played for the Dodgers in the mid '60's?
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Matthew Irby 10 months ago
One of the same.
And can I get those "starz" put into either six free channels of Starz Movie Channel or is that just 6 free months of the Starz Movie Channels???
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L.J. Burgess 10 months ago
Those starz can be exchanged for anything you can make a deal for Matthew...I gave them to you, no strings attached.
Personally, I use them at Procolino's Pizza for breadsticks.
As an eleven year old I damaged myself for the first time racing home with a '65 Lefevbre Topps Baseball card that completed a set for my grandmother.
I traded 3 Brooks Robinsons for it...go figure.
12 stitches...the only scar I own...I will never, ever forget that.
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Matthew Irby 10 months ago
WOW! Not to ho all Richard Dreyfuss on you from Jaws but, " I got that beat, I got that beat."
2nd grade, during a week of rains and no outdoors recess our teacher lets the boys bring baseball trading cards and trade them during indoor recess.
During this I acquired a Nolan Ryan rookie card from someone for my entire six card set of hologram cards, I don't even have a clue who was on the holograms, but don't care.
Next day at school after the kid, who just happen to be the grade bully, went home and showed his dad what he had done, he beat me up just like his dad whooped him the night before.
Still got the card though.
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xxxxx xxxx 10 months ago
Irby is full of it. Wang Wei suffered a torned ligament. This was serious stuff. Chen was being too nice in just plunking Laporta. He should have plunked that jerk Schlong in the head.
So you are threathen Yang with bean ball. That's disgusting. Yang is one tough dude, take on him 1-1 if you have any gut.
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Matthew Irby 10 months ago
YAWN!
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PKnHK 10 months ago
Thanks for the recap. I had to do a lot of searching for this. I live in Hong Kong. TVB Pearl did a fair job of covering the Olympics, but by my count, there were exactly two sports that received no attention at all: baseball and softball. Oh, I did not really expect them to show the games, but inexplicably, they also declined to report the scores or even the medal winners.
One note: It's Jim Lefebvre, not Jeff. Am I right?
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Matthew Irby 10 months ago
His given name is Jeffery, but he is called Jim by most.
Thanks for the read, all the way from Hong Kong, I'm impressed.
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