So this past weekend has not cast a good light on Manny Machado.
Now, I disagree that he was trying to hit Abad with the bat. If he was aiming at anyone it makes more sense that he would have been aiming at Donaldson. Regardless, this is bizarre and has to lead to some kind of disciplinary action, doesn't it?
But age is no excuse for his bush league move in Sunday's 11-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics in which he clearly, with intention and deliberate action, attempted to throw his bat at Oakland pitcher Fernando Abad. The bat ended up flying down the third-base line instead of toward the pitcher's mound, though Machado claimed the bat slipped out of his hands. No one is buying that piece of fiction: Machado should be suspended for at least five games.
Machado's bat throwing was the culmination of a series of events that began Friday night, when Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson tagged out Machado on a ground ball with two outs in the third inning, leading to a benches-clearing incident when Machado took exception to the play. Normally, the third baseman throws to first on that play, and the tag appeared to catch Machado off-balance and he flung his helmet to the ground as he fell and had words with Donaldson. But Donaldson didn't do anything improper; he obviously has the right to tag Machado.
Earlier in the game, Machado hit A's catcher Derek Norris with a backswing. Then in the sixth inning, Machado whiffed on a pitch with another exaggerated follow-through that hit Norris on the top of his helmet and knocked him from the game.
Now, I disagree that he was trying to hit Abad with the bat. If he was aiming at anyone it makes more sense that he would have been aiming at Donaldson. Regardless, this is bizarre and has to lead to some kind of disciplinary action, doesn't it?