2 NY Yankees To Be Charged With Assault And Battery

[matcom]

<snip>

BOSTON -- Police are planning to seek charges Tuesday in the bullpen brawl that broke out during the American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at Fenway Park.

The police will seek charges of assault and battery against Yankees reliever Jeff Nelson and right fielder Karim Garcia, police spokesman John Boyle said Monday. He declined further comment.

Police will ask a clerk-magistrate in the city's Roxbury District Court to schedule a show-cause hearing to determine whether there is probable cause to charge the players, Suffolk district attorney's spokesman David Procopio said.

"Boston police have conducted a very comprehensive investigation and moved slowly with good reason. We wanted to make sure we had the clearest picture of what occurred. At this point, the police and this office are confident that the next step should be the scheduling of a clerk's hearing," Procopio said.

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/20/bullpen_charges.htm

[meegbear]

1. Good!

Serves 'em right.

[Don_G]

2. I Didn't Know

After the strike, I lost interest in Baseball until the Cubs/Red Sox games.

After the series, I really don't give a shit on who does what in Baseball. It's just a footnote in the Guiness book until one team or the other plays well enough to win without a "fan" like Steve Bartman helping out.

[underpants]

3. Let's see two charged with assault and Giambi testifying to a grand jury

Yep that sounds about right.

FYI-Sports Illustrated reported at the beginning of the season that Giambi so overdid steroids while in the majors that he now was to go weekly to get testosterone shots to...uh..........well "perform".

Oh where are the good old days of David Cone getting caught with two women in the Shea stadium bullpen not ya know just uh killing kittens in front of them. Or did that little nugget about the New York sports world not get a lot of coverage?

[Braden]

4. Cone was just uh

warming up.

[underpants]

5. AFTER the game?

That is one of those stories that MLB put the keebosh on. They maintain a firm control on what is made news.

[Braden]

6. I know

Cone is a chronic masturbater. Just kidding.

[Don_G]

7. I Suppose You Guys On The East Coast Are Really Interested

Everywhere else, our attention has turned to the Football season.

Feed Faux all you want; Baseball is interesting only on the East Coast and the revenue lost in a Cubs/Red Sox game couldn't happen to a nicer Murdoch.

[Braden]

22. uh, isn't football HUGE on faux?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

8. MLB Hushed this incident quickly

Let's see if Fox Sports mentions it during the World Series that I'm not watching.

[GabysPoppy]

9. Red Sox fans would also add

Aaron (Bucky) Boone if they could

[MaineDem]

16. Nope, he did nothing illegal

Frustrating to Sox fans but not illegal. He didn't assault anyone.

Let's see this play out in the legal system.

[Uzybone]

10. Vindictive Chowd cops

of course nothing will come of this but high fives from the brothers of the Boston FOP congratulating themselves for "embarrassing" the Yanks. We all no the charges will go nowhere.

[joeybee12]

12. Don't be so sure

Apparently there are witnesses who back up the claim that the low-life Yankees approached him when he was on the other side of the dugout. Sounds like the sainted Yankees were looking to pick a fight!

Oh my, won't somebody please think of the children????!!!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

14. Uzybone, You Deny That Maybe Jeff Nelson Instigated the Mess?

I guess the police report and eyewitness accounts mean nothing except that there is a conspiracy to torment the Yankees and see them charged with assault.

Why did Garcia rush out to the bullpen and join the fracas? Couldn't the 6'8" Nelson and other pitchers take care of the groundskeeper themselves? The guy had cleat marks on his back, neck, and arms, but I'm sure he had the upper hand and deserved it. :eyes:

Garcia's intent was obviously to join the melee. Nelson is a bully and should be punished.

Nelson and Garcia will probably be fined.

Thanks for perpetuating Boston stereotypes like a good liberal!

[Braden]

15. as one who witnessed this assault it was not vindictive

cops. It was asshole steroid freaks beating up a guy who pumped his fist and waved a towel. (something he shouldnt have done)

The charges will result in something. The Cops are bearing witness along with hundreds of fans. Nelson in particular has a history and has been successfully sued by a fan in Baltimore who got under Jeff's notoriously thin skin.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

20. Nelson has a history of temper

HEre is a link that points to this fact:

http://www.sunspot.net/sports/baseball/bal-sp.nelson14oct14,0,6280166.story?coll=bal-sports-baseball

"New York Yankees pitcher Jeff Nelson has earned a reputation as a loose cannon with Orioles fans because of his role in incidents in 1998 and 1999.
Nelson, who was involved in an altercation with a Fenway Park groundskeeper during Saturday's American League Championship Series game against the Boston Red Sox, continues a very public history of outbursts, several involving the Orioles and their fans.

In 1998, he was fined $500 and suspended two games for his role in an ugly free-for-all between the Yankees and Orioles, a flap that New York owner George Steinbrenner called "the worst brawl I've seen in 25 years."

[Braden]

21. I've heckled him from my usual seats in box 86

adjacent to the visitors bullpen.

Usually when a hothead like him gets up we all call his warm up pitches, Balls and strikes. It makes him irate like you wouldn't believe.

We only harass the ones we can get to. Real pro's like Rivera tune out the distraction and go about their business. nelson is a total hothead.

[papau]

11. Postponed to Nov 7th - today just fixed the Nov 7th date for hearing

We try to not disburb the World Series - even if boston is not in it!

:-)

[WindRavenX]

13. This has been posted in LBN too...

And I still say that despite Nelson being a pathological shithead, I still can't believe that the Sox employee isn't getting some blame either.
Security was lax during that game- I'm still amazed that this even happened, because it shouldn't have.

[Braden]

17. the only thing more security would have done

is protected Williams from Nelson.

This has nothing to do with baseball. Its a misdemeanor assault case.

[DrGonzoLives]

19. What blame?

The guy probably grew up in Boston, and was a Sox fan his entire life. Of course he might cheer and celebrate a little bit. There is no excuse for what Nelson and the others did. None.

[donotpassgo]

29. Security was sitting in the Red Sox Bullpen.

not in the Yankees...peculiar

[Kathy in Cambridge]

31. Where do you get that nugget of information?

There was security everywhere that Saturday-I was there.

[Loonman]

18. Jeff Nelson is a known gay-baiter/basher

Plus, if the Yankees think they can beat up a Red Sox employee in Fenway Park, they got another think coming.


I HATE THOSE FUCKING YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joeybee12]

34. Details--please--I'd love more reason to loathe the twit!

Thanks!

[donotpassgo]

37. Jeff Nelson Nailed Jesus to the Cross

/sarcasm

[HuckleB]

39. In 1998, he was named in a harassment lawsuit...

by a former Yankees employee who claimed that Nelson and two other Yankee relievers had taunted him with anti-gay remarks.

Nelson is a brickhead. There's little doubt about that. As for this case, I'm still waiting for things to play themselves out.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

23. Just heard on the news

that the Groundskeeper hasn't gone back to work yet and is getting daily physical therapy. :-(

The Yankees don't have to show up-just their lawyers.

[donotpassgo]

24. 26. Just because the guy got his ass kicked doesn't mean its assault

Repeating my LBN post.

MLB has had many incedents where fans have attacked players. In a rowdy game with a lot of bad blood, a groundskeeper who refuses to leave the players alone, especially when asked, probably threatened or goaded Nelson. Maybe he got what he deserved.

As for Garcia: How many players tackled that idiot in Kansas City and got a shot in? 3? 4? How many charged with Assault? Zero.

[joeybee12]

25. Maybe he didn't get what he deserved...

...the reason why they're filing charges is that there are apparently witness who claim the groundskeeper was cheering the Red Sox, on the other side of the dugout, and the two players walked over to him. In other words, it was an unprovoked attack.

We'll see what comes out in the trial, but I know whose side I'd be more likely to believe.

[donotpassgo]

26. what business does a groundskeeper have being in the bullpen

in the first place epecially after being asked to leave? I'm sure there was a "come and make me leave" thrown in there.

[Braden]

28. he was stationed there

and asked to leave at the moment he was attacked.

[Braden]

27. that idiot in Kansas City (actually Chicago) attacked a coach

this is an incident of several players attacking a worker. For the hundreth time. I saw it happen in person.

I could not see their feet so I can't say that either one threw them down to the ground or if they stepped on a piece of equipment I don't know about that. Nelson came out and got in williams face, they squared up like wrestlers and went down. Then the pile up of Yankee players. it happened on the side near the two home plates. maybe they tripped on a mask or a ball, I dont know. I couldnt see below their waist's.


Would you considered getting hit by someone holding a baseball in his hand as a "maybe he got what he deserved?" Or being kicked by someone wearing cleats as a "maybe he got what he deserved?" type situation?

this has nothing to do with red sox Yankee passions. this is a criminal assault. The cops made the correct decision at the game not to arrest the two players as it could have created a damn circus.

[donotpassgo]

30. Garcia was protecting his guy...just like in KC

He didn't know what precipitated the scuffle.

The groundskeeper HAD NO BUSINESS being in the opposing teams bullpen after being asked to leave. He was asked to leave, he refused and probably challenged Nelson back.

This peaceful groundskeeper just minding his own business sure seemed ready to fight. Seems such a pacifist would just walk away and go where he's supposed to be. Looks like to me, when you "square up" with someone, you accept a challenge. Nelson should have avoided the confrontation and reported the guy to security...oh but weren't they all in the Sox bullpen? Wonder what they were doing there?

[joeybee12]

32. Why should he have been asked to leave???????????

Fucking Yankees think they own the Goddamn world!!!!!!!!!

This is not their stadium.

He was not their employee.

We're dealing with two arrogant SOB's who think they can do any damn thing they please!

Spoiled little pr**ks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[donotpassgo]

35. because as a groundskeeper and and employee

his job was to tend to the field, not interact, distract or challenge players of the opposing teams.

What would you say if the guy was a Yankee fan and Tim Wakefield asked him to leave the dugout?

"Fucking Yankees think they own the Goddamn world!!!!!!!!!"
Sentiments like this only lead me to believe the true motivation for the soon to be dismissed or settled case.

[Shakespeare]

38. You don't "settle" criminal cases.

You can get a plea deal, you can be convicted, or you can be acquitted.

I find your "he got what he deserved" bullshit to be downright nauseating. I don't care how big of an asshole the guy was being--and, incidentally, there's no evidence that indicates he was being an asshole, aside from your conjecture--he didn't deserve to be beaten up. Period.

And your comparison with the KC incident is lame in the extreme. The guy didn't attack anyone, didn't touch anyone. Garcia and Nelson were wrong to beat up the guy, and they were also stupid to do so. They have only themselves to blame for the mess they find themselves in--they both need to grow up and show a little fucking restraint.

[donotpassgo]

40. I use "deserve" only in the sense that the guy CHOSE to fight...

He didn't blow Nelson off or just move to avoid conflict. It wasn't assault. It was a fight.

As far as Garcia...He just saw someone fighting with his guy and moved to defend him...just like the KC incident.

[Shakespeare]

41. Nelson attacked him, period.

They've got it on tape, man. They're not prosecuting just for the hell of it, no matter HOW much you want to write it off as biased Boston police.

Like I said, Nelson and Garcia (who already showed he's capable of nasty physical aggression when he tried to take out Todd Walker sliding into second) are just two more over-indulged athletes. Maybe this will teach them the restraint they couldn't manage to muster that day.

[donotpassgo]

42. The hard slide is and always will be part of the game...

Just like Ty Cobb or Pete Rose or Clemens or Pedro Martinez's plunkings.

I hope when you talk about nasty physical aggression, you add Pedro to that list and Manny "Rush the mound with a bat after bailing out on a ball over the plate" Ramirez.

[Shakespeare]

45. Doesn't make it right.

RE Manny and Pedro--yup, and they were both heavily fined. Also, neither of them hurt anybody (quite a significant difference from the bullpen assault), and in Pedro's case, Zimmer was rushing him, and he deflected the old guy's charge. It was ugly, and it certainly didn't make me think nice things about Martinez, but it wasn't assault. Manny was absolutely being a punk (and can we talk about melodrama RE that pitch?), and Martinez probably could've handled himself better, though given that he had no time to stop and think about what to do, I'm not going to condemn him for it.

RE the hard slide--just because previous assholes like Rose and Cobb did it doesn't make it right.

[donotpassgo]

46. Pedro had a lot of time to think about threatening to throw at the Yanks

heads. He had a lot of time to consider how close to Garcias head he wanted to throw.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

33. Again, circumspection

"The groundskeeper HAD NO BUSINESS being in the opposing teams bullpen after being asked to leave. He was asked to leave, he refused and probably challenged Nelson back."

Contradicts police and witness reports. Nelson, who has a history of temper (see the link in my post #20) and has even been sued by a fan, was clearly the aggressor according to the police report.

[donotpassgo]

36. police reports...of fan testimony? fans that were watching the game?

of "security" that was perched in the other dugout?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

43. You deny that Nelson has PREVIOUS incidents

where he acted inappropriately?

He is a professional. He represents his team. What he did is reprehensible.

But obviously, your humanity and morality doesn't extend beyond baseball.

[donotpassgo]

44. well thank you for that rational value judgement rose...

I don't deny that he had acted innapropriately in the past and probably did so here. The groundskeeper acted equally innappropriately. He is a proffesional and represents his team as well.

I just differ in opinion whether getting involved in a fight and being assaulted are the same thing.

[BringEmOn]

47. Yanks Exchange Pinstripes For Orange Jumpsuits

[donotpassgo]

48. I wish teams would worry about themselves and not the Yankees

maybe they'd win more often. I'm sure if the super rich billionaires and multi multi millionaire owners that own many teams actually spent money on their squads instead of taking profits and investing it in new TV shows or Wall Street Investments, the league would be a lot more even.

The day after the Yankees lose, their attention (as well as their fans attention) goes STRAIGHT to what and who they need to win next year. It seems to me other teams are more content to mope about how "we was robbed" and how "well never be good because the Yankees are too rich" or 'The Yankees millionaire steroid using thugs are much worse than our millionaire steroid using thugs'.

The wheels of Justice will turn. The truth will be revealed in the courts. Hell...they haven't even been officially charged yet. In the meantime, put the sour grapes away.