Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta thought it was “awesome” and “refreshing” when the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants fought on national TV.
Jake Arrieta has never been shy about expressing his opinions, whether he’s taking on Twitter trolls, scolding bat flippers or bashing anti-Trump celebrities.
So it is not surprising the Chicago Cubs right-hander had thoughts on Monday’s Washington Nationals-San Francisco Giants brawl. Specifically, Arrieta thinks the donnybrook was “awesome” and “refreshing.”
Arrieta told Chicago’s 670 The Score he didn’t think either team was right or wrong in the incident in which Bryce Harper and Hunter Strickland came to blows on national television.
“I thought it was awesome,” Arrieta said. “Every once in a while, it’s refreshing to see two teams emotionally charged getting after it. And when something like that happens versus continuing to chirp and talk about it, why don’t you go out there and see somebody? That’s exactly what happened in the game.”
The brawl started after Strickland hit Harper with a 98 mph fastball, apparently in retaliation for Harper homering off him twice during a 2014 NLDS game.
“Bryce and Hunter went out there, they were a few punches, they landed one apiece, I believe,” Arrieta said. “And then (Jeff) Samardzija comes out of left field and smashes into Morse. I’m pretty sure Harper was lucky that they collided because Samardzija was coming in to do some damage.”
Well, he did do damage — to teammate Michael Morse, who landed on the seven-day disabled lists after bumping heads with Samardzija.
Anyway, more from Arrieta:
"“If two guys want to go see each other, let them be in the middle, let them throw some punches, then break it up. I don’t like to see any sucker punches. I do think in the heat of battle if you’re getting hit on the hip with 98, then you should be able to go out and see somebody. I think the umpires handled it well. They let them exchange for a moment, then they tried to break it up.“What I don’t like to see is a lot of chirping and guys just talking crap to each other. If you got something wrong with a guy, go see him. And then they’ll break it up and continue to play the game.”"
Arrieta makes some good points, and it is hard to deny that a nationally televised fight featuring one of baseball’s biggest stars is entertaining on some levels.
But it’s also true baseball needs fewer unwritten rules and less macho posturing.
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Strickland’s behavior was inexcusable. Not only did he risk causing serious injury to Harper, he put players on both teams in danger. Just ask the freshly concussed Morse. And he took himself out of the Giants’ bullpen for six games.
Harper’s actions defending himself are easier to understand. Nonetheless, the 2015 NL MVP likewise put other players at risk through his actions. And he will miss four games as a result.
None of that is “awesome” if we are being honest.