China's Baseball Squad Crosses a Line in Match against USA

LaPorta was taken to an area hospital where it was later reported that he had suffered a mild concussion. He will be listed as day-to-day for the rest of the Olympics.

After these events, the game calmed down until the bottom of the ninth inning when China's catcher Yang stroked a solo home run. It was China's only run of the game.

While trotting around the bases Yang held his fist up high celebrating, and when he crossed home plate he stomped his foot down.

The game ended with a 9-1 Team USA win.

Recap

The umpiring crew had multiple chances to regain control of this game, first after both teams had beaned one another twice, again after the first collision at home, and a third time after Donald was hit by the next pitch.

But since they kept quiet and did nothing, the game got further out of hand.

China crossed the line with the beaning of LaPorta in the head.  Whether or not you agree with the unwritten rules of baseball, you don't throw at a batter's head.

After the game Lefebvre told reporters that he was not throwing at LaPorta and that it's not taught in China or America.

Well, Jeff, then you're more naive than I thought. Yes, it does occur, and yes, managers tell pitchers to do this. It's a part of baseball whether you like it or not.

Anyone who has played in the higher levels of baseball will tell you that this occurs, but still you never throw at a batter's head.  Hit him in the back, let him take his base, and that's it. Done deal.

Finally, my biggest "beef" was with the back-up catcher, Yang, celebrating a solo home run in the ninth inning in an eventual 9-1 loss.

One day Yang might become a major league baseball prospect and if he does I wish him the best of luck.

But if you perform those same stunts in MLB, one of two things is going to happen. Either a catcher like A.J. Pierzynski is going to deck you as you cross home plate, or you're going to get a Randy Johnson 99 mph fastball behind your head.

This game did not go well for baseball's push to re-instate baseball into the Olympics of 2016.  But hopefully I have shown that this game, which got a little out-of-hand, could have gone a lot smoother with some better umpiring and that throwing at a batter's head is totally crossing the line.

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