Scott Proctor - headhunter? Options

[PedroKsBambino]

That was one of the most egregiously obvious headhunting pitches I've ever seen. Excluding Clemens throwing at Piazza, at least.

There's no doubt it was on purpose, there's no doubt it was aimed at his face. It's really bad stuff...even Pedro didn't do that on his most aggressive day.

I wonder if what Posada was saying was "he shouldn't have done that, it's wrong, and we'll tell him that" Because if he said just about anything else, wouldn't you expect Youk to have popped him in the face there, really? Posada's pitcher just tried to take out Youk's eyeball, what other possible statement could he make that wouldn't generate a punch? He couldn't possibly have said "that wasn't intentional" could he? I mean, that's not remotely credible.

[Sille Skrub]

I was pretty pissed when I saw it as well but....

I dunno, PKB. The count was 2-2 and Proctor has no real history of head hunting. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a hard time believing that Scott Proctor would purposely throw at someone's head.

breaking out, btw...

[PedroKsBambino]

I think the count being 2-2 tells us essentially nothing in a 9-3 game, in the 9th, with no one on though. In other words, if you want to send a message pitch that's the game situation you do it, regardless of count.

I'll be curious to see what the consensus here is. I thought it was a clear purpose pitch, but it'd be interesting if a lot of people thought otherwise.

A related, and potentially interesting, question is how you would compare it to Pedro's brushback of Matsui in 2004 game 5; the difference between 'headhunting' and 'brushback' is a fine one sometimes, if it exists at all.

I thought the pitch tonight was really bad stuff, too hard and too close. Certainly, there's a great number of Yankee fans who likely see it the other way and I'm kind of curious if people here think this pitch and that one are equivalent. I do see the case for that, for sure....going high and tight is a dangerous game that's best not played, imo.

This post has been edited by PedroKsBambino: Jun 1 2007, 11:34 PM

[CaptainLaddie]

Mostly when a guy does something like that unintentionally, the pitcher will immediately show remorse - basically be like "whoa, dude, sorry." We've seen it a bunch of times.

Proctor did nothing of the sort.

[lurker42]

He's just trying to get himself suspended so Torre has to stop sending him out there every day...

[Sille Skrub]

Posada's reaction (following Youks all the way to first) was interesting. It was either to reinforce that it wasn't intentional or maybe what PKB said, letting Youks know that Proctor handled the message pitch all wrong.

[nazz45]

Youkilis has the Jeter-like tendency to dive into pitches. The Yankees have tried to bury him with fastballs in all year. The pitch was intended to be an inner-half fastball based on where Posada setup. Perhaps the pitch even meant to brush him back or maybe even hit him (below the face area) given that Cano was plunked in the previous inning (even though it came on an 0-2 pitch and was obviously not intentional).

I think the fastball ran on him and got away because no on can be that stupid and irresponsible. But maybe I'm giving Proctor too much credit. This is a guy who drilled Guillen (I believe) after Phelps was hit in retaliation for barreling into Johjima when it wasn't necessary - the issue was over and Proctor took it upon himself to reignite the situation, so there's a history of him being not all that bright.

This post has been edited by nazz45: Jun 1 2007, 11:45 PM

[JakeRae]

Not to say it was intentional or not, but if I was up 9-3 and wanted to hit someone, I'd be damned sure to do it in a count where I could say afterward, "Look, it was a 2-2 count, of course it wasn't intentional." If I throw that pitch at the beginning of a count, I am assured a suspension. If I do it at 2-2, maybe I skate by with just an ejection.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that MLB players think things through in this manner or that this has any real bearing on whether Scott Proctor hit Youks. He certainly did not act like the pitch just got away from him after he threw it, which causes me to lean toward the intentional side. It is also possible he followed a logic like mine above, so I don't see the count as a reason to assume it wasn't intentional. Either way, I hope the Sox just let it go tomorrow. There is no reason to start a fight with the Yankees. Routing them the next two days would be payback enough.

Also, if we do hit someone, please let it be A-Rod. And, please let it be in the back, not the head.

[The Gray Eagle]

The New York Yankees are the Class of baseball. They Play The Game Right. No way would a New York Yankee ever do a bush league play.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is obviously just jealous of their success. I didn't see the play, but obviously Youkilis dove in front of the pitch to try to make the New York Yankees look bad. He's just jealous of them.

[paulftodd]

I have trouble believing any pitcher intentially goes for the head, everyone knows the consequences of hitting the target if it misses the helmet. There was intent to hit Youk, everyone could see someone getting drilled after Lopez retaliated by hitting Cano for Lowell. I think when a pitcher tries to throw hard to a location they do not practice, the command may not be there . Pitchers should probably practice hitting batters using dummies,maybe A-Rod can help. That said, the pitcher is responsible for where his pitches go when they throw at guys, so if he wants to hit someone next time he better be more careful or WMP will hammer him. FWIW, the guys on YES were pretty pissed at Proctor.

[Harry Hooper]

FWIW, the guys on YES were pretty pissed at Proctor.

Interesting, anyone remember their reactions when Rivera threw at Shea's head the day after he homered?

[MarkInLondon]

Interesting, anyone remember their reactions when Rivera threw at Shea's head the day after he homered?

Suzyn Waldman had an orgasm??

[Mike in CT]

It says alot that most Yankee fans (from where I sit) are very proud of Proctor tonight.

[PedroSpecialK]

It says alot that most Yankee fans (from where I sit) are very proud of Proctor tonight.

I would understand if J.C. Romero had beaned Cano in the hands or up in the head area - heck, I'd be pissed at him for doing so. But to get mad about Lopez hitting Cano is insane, especially when it evens up what happened (Wang's pitch could have broken Lowell's wrist easily). For Proctor to reignite the beanballing as he did with Guillen is assinine and I think it warrants a suspension.

This post has been edited by PedroSpecialK: Jun 2 2007, 02:02 AM

[The_Powa_of_Seij...]

I would understand if J.C. Romero had beaned Cano in the hands or up in the head area - heck, I'd be pissed at him for doing so. But to get mad about Lopez hitting Cano is insane, especially when it evens up what happened (Wang's pitch could have broken Lowell's wrist easily). For Proctor to reignite the beanballing as he did with Guillen is assinine and I think it warrants a suspension.

If Proctor gets suspended, that might be the only thing that will save him from needing Tommy John surgery. Perhaps this is his subconscious directing him to act out of self-preservation!

If there was any sense of complacency settling in with the Red Sox, let us hope that this incident snapped them right out of it.

[Mike in CT]

The theme in the Yankee clubhouse tonight seemed to be "we needed to be more fiery".... and everyone was happy as pigs in ****... talking about this as the turning point.

First mission is to win the next 2 games.... and when things are secure... there will be payback.

Karma will come back to bite Proctor hard.

[tailwind]

It says alot that most Yankee fans (from where I sit) are very proud of Proctor tonight.

After his performance in the last game of the Angels series, I'd probably be cheering for a potential suspension if I were a MFY fan.

[Rooster Crows]

I would understand if J.C. Romero had beaned Cano in the hands or up in the head area - heck, I'd be pissed at him for doing so. But to get mad about Lopez hitting Cano is insane, especially when it evens up what happened (Wang's pitch could have broken Lowell's wrist easily). For Proctor to reignite the beanballing as he did with Guillen is assinine and I think it warrants a suspension.

Proctor's had a bad couple of games recently, and was seen in one of them as throwing his glove at the bench and punching the wall. Based on all that was said above, and what could be his desire to "make it right" and be a true Yankee - I can definitely see him doing this on purpose. Furthermore, the Yanks and their fans have a very short memory when it comes to beanings. After the series where Dice-K came in on Arod, which was clearly not an intentional hit, all we heard here for weeks was how there should have been payback. Without even going in to the intention, they all conveniently overlooked the fact that Youks was hit first in that series. Like Jeter - his stance is going to get hm in trouble - but also both guys have been sparks igniting their teams, and obvious targets.

This post has been edited by Rooster Crows: Jun 2 2007, 04:04 AM

[AlNipper49]

Proctor sucks donkey balls, he was probably aiming for the middle of the plate

[Jim Gosger]

So which MFY goes down today? Jeter? Lightning Rod? I vote for Posada. You throw at our hot hitter we throw at yours.