May 12: Gausman has elected to drop his appeal and will begin serving his five-game suspension on Sunday. He will miss the Braves’ three-game set against the Cardinals, as well as Friday’s series-opener against Milwaukee.
May 6: Braves hurler Kevin Gausman has been slapped with a five-game suspension and undisclosed fine, per a league announcement. The punitive measure relates to a recent incident on the mound.
It was determined that Gausman intentionally threw a pitch at Marlins hurler Jose Urena on Friday night. That assessment was based upon this pitch, which was obviously interpreted as retribution for an incident last season for which Urena himself received a six-game ban.
Gausman is appealing the suspension. That will leave him eligible to make his scheduled start tonight. Whether he’ll ultimately drop the appeal isn’t known, but it shouldn’t be terribly difficult for him and the team to minimize the intrusion. The Braves do have an off day upcoming on Tuesday the 13th to work with as well.
well, at least someone took him down to size. that’s the good thing about pitchers hitting – they can get their just deserts for plunking batters.
what?
His post was in print form.
Urena is a bum. if anyone deserves to get hit by a pitch, its the guy who thinks throwing at someone for no good reason is smart.
They should be giving Gausman a award. Urena is a clown.
He didn’t hit Urena – and still got a suspension that was only 1 less game than what Urena got. Sorry, this wasn’t retribution – this was saving face. Urena still didn’t have to ice anything.
He should’ve been crowned with a 95mph fastball. Urena could’ve seriously screwed up the career of a superstar. Acuna could’ve settled it himself. I could see him pulling a Pascal Perez, and using the business end of one of his bats for retribution.
Yawn.
I do respect that he threw behind Urena as opposed to at his head.
You don’t respect something that should be normal,the Game should patrol itself like it used too but because guys can’t handle it or the Pitcher doesn’t hit,they make rules,kinda like the non accountable Life people live
This is the worst part about baseball – F all the “unwritten rules” – they add literally nothing to the game and only result in suspensions. Grow up, you are all millionaires playing a game, being over-emotional loser clowns in your occupation usually results in getting fired in the real world. Kenny Powers was a character but we all know its lowkey true with a lot of these “firey” types. Have fun and be someone to look up to, if someone breaks a fake rule, don’t care about it. Kids are watching you and mimicing you.
So Urena can throw at someone’s neck without repercussion? Did you see the original offense?
Just revisited the original HBP by Urena last August against Acuna. Was just above the belt and drilled him in the elbow as opposed to his side just above the belt. Still should have been suspended for that pitch anyway. Was a deliberate pitch to hit Acuna and mission was accomplished. I have no problem with what Gausman did to send a message with no physical damage being done.
Easy – the League needs to levy out suspensions that mean something, to guys like Urena. No retaliation needed.
The real question is did you see the original offense? Urena’s pitch was over a foot below Acuna’s neck and he was then suspended 6 games as a repercussion.
Six games, to a pitcher, is some of the current series with two off days in a week. He should have gotten a 30 day suspension.
I’d be fine with heftier suspensions for pitchers who endanger other players for childish reasons. And heftier suspensions for players who childishly seek revenge for such childish actions
Generally I’m in favor of getting all players to act like adults, if that wasn’t readily apparent
Your stupid
Ironic.
Ooof the biggest self-own
Those “unwritten rules” are very good for baseball. Adds a level of excitement that’s not a common everyday factor.
Come on we all love a good BB fight. They are hilarious. Guys who have no idea how to fight or guys walking around holding players back so they don’t throw fake punches. These pampered players need to have a reason to figure out where they are meeting after the game. Rarely does anything happen unless you get pure crazy like Puig. Let the boys play.
I agree with most of this take, aside from the part about kids mimicking. The fact is, most kids are not watching because they think these unwritten rules are petty and immature. I tried to explain to my son why bat flips are not acceptable to the opposing team. He didn’t get it. Didn’t understand how celebrating was “showing the other team up.” This is why baseball is losing fans. Think about how ridiculous it sounds to a young kid to be told all his life not to get in fights, not to intentionally hurt another person, etc. and then he watches grown men act like children on the baseball field, all in the name of “unwritten rules.” Unless this game changes—and the players start acting like grown men—the game as we know it will find its conclusion in my son’s lifetime.
You sound like a soccer mom. Tell your son that men don’t let other men hit them or their teammates with impunity. On or off the field.
I admire your desire to instill ethics in your children. However, men behaving violantly will not shut baseball down. All sports have this unless you really think football, basketball, hockey as well as other sports are going to shut down in your sons life time.
Unfortunately, the unwritten rules still exist because the MLB office won’t (or maybe can’t due to the CBA) suspend people properly. Urena should have gotten 20 games, and when that stuff starts happening then maybe pitchers will stop throwing at batter’s heads.
Downvoted
i downvote your downvote
You know what they call ‘unwritten rules’ everywhere else but baseball?
Nothing, because a rule that isn’t written down isn’t a rule.
Baseball has been played this way for over 100 years, and it hurts your feelings why?? What do you have to lose if someone throws at a player on the cusp of being paid millions?? Not a thing.
Giving a starting pitcher a 5 game suspension is like telling a teacher they can’t work in July.
Do teachers make tens of thousands (probably way more to be honest) in July?
That’s what Gausman loses out of this suspension.
you missed his point, completely
No. The point that is often made is that 5 game suspensions are worthless for pitchers. They aren’t.
Because pitchers get paid for even the games they don’t play, Gausman is set to lose about $250,000 for his suspension.
The result of the suspension is more or less the financial hit a player will take, and not so much the amount of games they’ll miss.
you missed again. strike two
I fell victim to a troll. Strike three, I guess.
Oooor it could be that you arw to slow to see the alternate point being made.
I mean I think that’s a consideration that we don’t talk about either. It’s a fair point. The pitcher only has to have his start pushed back a few days but in these instances his monetary hit is greater than that of the hitter. Is it enough on both sides? We all pretty much agree it isn’t. But the dollars lost is something i think most people don’t even realize in that scenario. They talk about how unfair it is to give a hitter 3 games and a pitcher 5 because the pitcher only really has his start pushed back. But that guy is out more cash.
It’s not like Gausman threw at him on his own. If the manager tells him he has to hit Urena what’s he going to do, say no? Snitker should be suspended instead. Anthopoulos should also be suspended considering he recalled Touki just before the game in anticipation of Gausman being ejected.
Yes, he should say no. Lets see how the team reacts to THAT and make a manager have to back up his terrible choices to the media for once!
“Yes I asked he throw at a players head. Yes I am aware that could kill a man. Ok I guess I’m fired now.”
Pretty sure Gausman threw at his legs, Urena on the other hand hit Acuña in the elbow with his hardest pitch thrown all season.
Maybe it was Acuna? If I was suspended for something I did not do I’d go right after the league with my massive salary paying for the best lawyers. Unless someone witnessed a conversation where a person said “send Urena a message”, the league has no evidence to suspend.
Ill take “teammate respect” for $500 trebek
Should be a 10 game suspension for missing Urena. If you’re going to pull that crap at least hit the batter so we don’t have to look at the stupid smirk on his face afterwards.
bwahaha my thoughts exactly
Should fine him for missing. Im pretty sure most baseball fans would loved the clown urena to be plunked at least in the middle of the back. Throwing at his calves and missing is weak sauce
Agreed
Also, in Guasmans defense, we have no idea if he was really trying to hit him do we? I mean, we all know he was… but based on the miss and how he was pitching before hand… idk. 2 outs men on 2nd and 3rd, pitcher up. he already walked a couple guys and plunked another. I’d argue he definitely could have missed an inside pitch that badly.
Yep. It’s the pitcher, and I have no problem with a message being sent. It’s hard to do that to a pitcher since they are the easy out. So either the team felt it was important to scare Urena or Gausman legitimately had issues. I can buy the latter.
If youre going to get 5 games then at least hit the guy
Throwing behind him
A) sent the message and
B) didn’t put him on base.
Seems well thought out to me. Maybe Gausman thought he wouldn’t be tossed because he didn’t hit him. That might have been the only miscalculation.
+1
I felt the same way about Archer’s suspension from a couple of weeks ago. He threw behind Dietrich but not near his head and he didn’t hit him. The umps didn’t toss Archer, which surprised me, but it was an obvious message pitch. Message received, situation over, let’s move on.
What message was sent, and why does that message matter?
The message is about personal conduct and respecting the game. It’s so baseball doesn’t need rules about the use of props in celebrations at home plate and dances every time somebody catches a ball or makes a good catch.
The “unwritten rules” are only unwritten because the players police themselves rather than having umpires and referees calling out a dozen penalties a game from unsportsmanlike conduct to taunting to technical rule violations.
They’re unwritten usually because they’re stupid and unfair.
If a pitcher celebrates, the batter doesn’t get to throw anything at him to salve his wounded pride. The pitcher only gets away with his glorified hissy fit because other pitchers have gotten away with it in the past.
This isn’t about celebrations. Urena threw at Acuna for hitting 3 homers in the series already. None of them were excessively celebrated. He hit him because he was playing well, which is unacceptable.
When the ‘message’ being sent is that even after MLB disciplined Urena, he was still going to take it upon himself to retaliate, that’s not a message MLB should tolerate.
But mlb can tolerate the Dodgers Belinger flipping the bird to Dozier of Washington, as he was running down to first base.
NO CLASS MLB
MLB should not tolerate that either, no. Or tolerate any player deciding to retaliate for that….
It wasn’t important enough for you to remember it was Joc Pederson and not Cody Bellinger who flipped off his old teammate in a non malicious way. Joc should probably be fined as you can’t have that but from your post if you didn’t know the situation you’d think it was some kind of big deal. Dozier robbed him of a hit and Joc flipped him off. Dozier then was seen smiling and laughing. I’d be willing to bet the two of them are pretty good friends.
Sense there was no previous warning from the umpire and his pitch went for his legs, does he have a case for his appeal? I personally hate retaliations because it only helps the opposing team. It makes no sense to help other team put runners on base. However, judging from the video and why it happened, I’d like to see him win his appeal.
Holding a grudge against an opponent that long is pretty childish. Especially when it’s some scrub on the Marlins.
Acuna’s elbow doesn’t care who hit it. The point is you must defend your players. Terrible scrubs shouldn’t be able to throw 97mph at your phenoms
Calling Urena a phenom is a big stretch.
They meant Acuna
Kevin gausmann gets sent to his room with a 60″ tv, Playstation, and Netflix for telling his mother that the chicken is pink..
Nobody got sick, mom learns how to properly use a meat thermometer, life goes on.
Urena intentionally hits hot hitters all the time. For those who are unaware, Acuna was in the midst of leading off with a HR for like 5 straight games before Urena took it upon himself to end the streak with the HBP.
And then this season it’s more of the same. Is there anyone out their naive enough to think he didn’t hit Rendon on purpose who was absolutely mashing?
Forget suspensions, Urena shouldn’t even be allowed in the league.
completely agree.
The umpire overstepped his bounds. Men on 2nd and third with 2 outs is not the time you purposely throw at anyone.
Then MLB compounded the umps mistake by being complete and utter idiots. Are they even watching the game situation? Apparently not.
The UMPIRE should get a 5 game suspension for bring terrible.
Yep. Although I think the commissioners office puts pressure on the umpires to play bad cop and overmanage the tempers on the field.
The worst take I’ve ever read. You’ve obviously never been an umpire, or any other sports official.
Elaborate Ref, because you made a call.
Were you watching the same game as me? The entire pregame was about how everyone knew Gausman was going to throw at him. They even brought up Touki just in case Gausman got ejected. All that and the fact Gausman threw behind him on the 1st pitch is just a coincidence? I think not. Gausman all but admitted it in the post game. I still don’t support the suspension though… Even if he had hit him.
Should have hit him in the head.
#LetTheKidsPlay
Starters getting a 5 game suspension equates to an extra day of rest. 5 game is no punishment. Are they paid during that time? If not that’s the real penalty.
MLB players are not paid during a suspension. The one pitch will cost Gausman about a quarter million dollars.
MLB is sending a message. The message is to make sure you hit the player. Don’t pitch behind them. It’s a bad message to send.
The backstops are too valuable. Can’t risk ending their careers.
Its amazing that a guy who didnt hit anyone is being suspended for 5 games. All in defense for throwing at a ballplayer of Acuna’s pedigree.And Gausman throws at Urena and doesnt hit him nor was it thrown elevated.If the Braves would have sent out Mauricio Cabrera the bullpen guy from a few years ago then i would have understood the guy getting thrown out. He threw at 100 and had no control. Thats the type of guy you bring up just for retribution on Urena. When u look up the defintion of class act in the dictionary you get a picture of Urena. LOL I dont care what defense that the Miami Marlins coaching staff said it was a accident. There is no accident for throwing a 97 mile a hour fastball at Acunas upper body and i feel that Mattingly and company knew dang well what he was going to do on the first pitch. Miami Marlins, Jose Urena, and Don Mattingly should be suspended for 10 games for being a bad example for baseball.
I’m glad the umps finally figured out that “warning both sides” instead of tossing the pitcher is idiotic.
Hopefully this is policy now, not just this one ump’s decision.
I never understood when starting pitchers get 5 games on days they don’t even pitch. Why not suspend them 5 of their scheduled starts?
They could still be used in relief. And that’s about 20 percent of his season, which is a little draconian, all things considered.
The penalties need to be stiffer if they want this nonsense to stick, but stiffer within reason.
The punishment is mainly aimed at the player, not the team. 5 games has the same impact on a pitcher’s bank account as it does on position player’s: it’s about 3% of their yearly salary.
Do you have an argument as to why pitchers should lose more than position players, if the offense is similar in nature (i.e. an act of aggression that does not result in serious injury)?
Seems ridiculous. If you want a greater deterrent, make ALL suspensions longer.
Urena throws at Acuna’s upper body, hits him, injures him badly necessitating time out of the game-suspension for Urena 6 games.
Gausman throws a pitch that goes behind Urena at lower body height, does not hit him, does not injure him, does not require Urena to miss games-Gausman gets 5 games.
This is totally unjust and disproportionate in comparison to the two cases. MLB you are a farce in relation to these two matters.
Baseball has been played this way for over 100 years, and it hurts your feelings why?? What do you have to lose if someone throws at a player on the cusp of being paid millions?? Not a thing.