Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez initiated the fight he and teammate Kyle Crick engaged in Monday, Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The altercation began when Crick declined to turn off music that was playing at his locker when Vazquez asked him to, according to Wilborn. Vazquez then threw the initial punch at Crick after challenging Crick to hit him first. Both players wound up suffering injuries – Crick had to undergo season-ending finger surgery, while Vazquez needed stitches on his nose – and incurring team-imposed fines. The Pirates docked Vazquez $10K and Crick $2,500, but Crick told Wilborn he’s filing a grievance because he was acting in self-defense. “If we were on the street, this would’ve been assault,” Crick said. “I got swung at twice before I swung back.”
As Pittsburgh nears the end of an increasingly disastrous season, let’s check in on a few other NL clubs…
- Diamondbacks outfielder Yasmany Tomas has owned one of the richest contracts in the organization since he signed a six-year, $68.5MM pact out of Cuba in December 2014. Tomas hasn’t lived up to the considerable hype that accompanied the deal, though, and has spent almost the entire past two seasons at the Triple-A level as a result. As Zach Buchanan of The Athletic explains (subscription required), it doesn’t seem Tomas’ situation will change as he closes out his contract in 2020. Tomas will collect a $17MM salary no matter where he plays next year, but agent Jay Alou told Buchanan that his client is “frustrated” with his status and wants to return to the game’s highest level. That’s probably not going to happen in Arizona, however, in part because the team has concerns over Tomas’ outfield defense. Furthermore, Buchanan writes that the 28-year-old is way down the organizational pecking order at first base, leaving him without an obvious position in a league devoid of a DH. Worsening matters for Tomas, finding a trade partner for an expensive, defensively weak slugger who hasn’t produced much at the plate would be a difficult task for the Diamondbacks. Nevertheless, Alou’s surprised the D-backs haven’t gotten someone to take Tomas. “I just find it difficult there isn’t a team out there willing to pay a little bit of it,” Alou said of his contract.
- Nationals first baseman Matt Adams left the team’s game Thursday with a tweaked triceps, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post tweets. The Nationals should know more on Adams’ status Friday. Should Adams miss time, Washington would be without half of its typical first base platoon (Ryan Zimmerman’s the other member). While Adams has provided the Nats’ offense with 20 home runs, he has nonetheless hit just .226/.278/.475 through 320 plate appearances.
- Standout Cardinals prospect Dylan Carlson had been set to play in the Arizona Fall League this year, but that plan has changed, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told Mark Saxon of The Athletic. The soon-to-be 21-year-old outfielder will instead stay in his native California to “work on adding strength,” Saxon writes, as Mozeliak doesn’t think there’s anything more for Carlson to accomplish on the field this season. Carlson, who tore up Double-A and Triple-A this year, could be on the fast track to a major league promotion in early 2020.
Sounds like either Crick or Vazquez wont be wearing Black and Yellow next season.
BLACK AND GOLD IT’S BLACK AND GOLD!
Hard to believe that Crick was cracked with a couple of cold cocks from his co-worker before coming back with a crushing Crick-crack back at him.
Vazquez will be wearing black and white…
See you in Dodger’s blue next year Vazquez…
They should trade for him, especially if Jansen opts out….although based on his 2019 season I can’t see Jansen besting his 2 yrs $38M remaining contract on the open market.
How about Correctional Facility orange?
Maybe the Pirates shouldn’t have asked for a kings ransom for Felipe after all. Got greedy, held onto him, and watched him drag his value down. No respectable clubhouse is going to want a guy who goes around swinging at his teammates.
Vazquez has a 2.8 WAR and he swung on a mediocre pitcher with a -0.2 war.
I think the pirates will be keeping Vazquez and dumping the other pitcher.
Allegedly, it happened because Crick was playing music well after the “rule” of playing music is before a game. I don’t condone Vasquez sucker punching him, but he and Crick have been at it all year. Plus Crick has been known as a punk.
Crick has been initiating violence literally all year but suuuuure its “self-defense”.
He’s a total turd for sure. He has no problem throwing at guys and admitting it. He deserves one to the face
Once again Strike Four proven to be wrong, as always. Vazquez clearly a problem with recent news. Crick would make a perfect Oakland Athletic.
Guests- So now Crick is a perfect angel?
Many see what you are doing in trying to shame people for their views while you think that you are judge and jury AFTER the fact.
You took the side of the superior player. Stop it. We see what you and others did. Own it. YOU were judge and jury with no evidence. I simply came back to shame you for it. You deserved it. You still haven’t owned up to your obvious mistake and probably never will.
Cool. They should keep him then.
No sense trading him if he doesn’t net a king’s ransom.
They should DFA the pudgy punk, however, and let him get on with his life’s work in the KBO.
Crick is a punk I believe,but he has ability as shown in a fine year last year.
I would just send him to AAA for depth nect year and see how he does.
It keeps him away from Vasquez and hopefully gives him some humility.
He should have gone down this year but they had no one to replace him and they would be wasting an option Year.
Trading him now would be selling low.
Maybe he can turn it around and learn to keep quiet with a year at AAA.
“Goes around swinging at teammates.”
Please.
Controllable top level closer? Yes, they were right to ask for top prospects
If he can pass, catch or punt Belichek will take him.
BTW Michael Jordan punched out Steve Kerr so if you can play then you will still have a spot.
I don’t remember that.
no one cares that you have a bad memory lol
Crick supports noise pollution.
If the Cardinals have an OF of Ozuna, Bader and Fowler starting on Opening Day 2020, then they lost this fan.
Fair-weather
Sunny weather. Why do I HAVE to agree with the decisions the team makes? They didn’t need to give Mikolas a contract like he got. They didn’t need to extend Carpenter. And they don’t need to pay Ozuna. I’m sorry for thinking for myself.
ozuna would be nice to keep only if it’s a club friendly deal. I would not offer an above average deal. End it with not in shape for ST and we remember the wall incident…then trade him for a SP. IDK with the prospect being told to add strength maybe that is a sign of get ready because you are coming to ST to fight for a position because they have moved on from Ozuna. .
He’s a very inconsistent player. He’s proven that now for 6 years. 1 year QO is “team friendly”. Buying out ARB years and 2 years of FA like they did for Dejong and Wong is “team friendly”. They don’t need another Carpenter, Fowler, Mikolas deal on the books for a player like Ozuna. It looks like they already will be burdened with the Goldschmidt deal for years to come.
Why do I HAVE to agree with the decisions the team makes?
———————————————————-
It is your right to disagree with your team’s decisions.
But it is silly to give up rooting for them if you disagree. This is not like Miami, where trading Stanton might be the last draw. This is one of the top franchises in baseball history.
I doubt you’ll be missed.
Guess what? I won’t miss them either. There are plenty of other things in life than watching today’s boring baseball. Have you seen the ratings? Have you seen attendance around the league? The Cards may sell 3M tickets a year, but 3M AREN’T showing up to the stadium. So if you think I’m the only guy navigating away from “their” team, think again.
Not one person on this board cares if you are a fan or not, let alone Cards FO. Take your empty comment elsewhere to a land of Kleenex and Puffs.
Take your insecurity elsewhere, clepto. You don’t care, yet you respond. Makes so much sense.
The Puffs not soft enough for you? Need some ointment?
Are you talking to yourself?
Wow! Clepto I never thought I would agree with you lol…but here we are…
We don’t gaf. Stop watching baseball you fake wannabe fan
You feel better now? Tough guy.
What if it’s ONeill, Fowler, Bader?
Khopper, ugh!
Certainly wish Ozuna well if he is with the Cardinals are not next year.
Trust me and your own eyes! Ozuna will not be resigned by the Cardinals. Remember, John Mozeliak is runninging the show!! Therefore, Mozeliak would rather sign 3-4 Low Hanging
Fruit players and lose money by signing them, rather than a proven hitter or a #1 or #2 starting pitcher
Sounds like Thomas & r. Castillo have the same agents.
Even if it’s about the music, if a guy didn’t want to turn his music down. You just don’t take a swing at him that’s bad blood and should be taken care of. But the other had a right to defend himself because if this was on a “street” the Vazquez could get law trouble.
It’s not about the music, Crick has been trying to initiate this all year. The guy does not belong in MLB, he’s a literal cancer in the clubhouse and the Pirates need chemo.
Strangely prophetic comment here…
Vazquez just got law trouble…
With the * that you shouldn’t punch people…
Crick refuses to understand and/or accept clubhouse culture.
Better players get treated better, Kyle. Even the Latin ones. Get over it.
Dude is pitching himself out of the league and he’s worried about playing his boombox and whether the bullpen coach is nicer to a perennial All Star than him.
What was he playing, “Gangster’s Paradise”?
Fire Mo
Mo has the Red Birds 4 games in front of a tough division
Tough? 🙂 that’s funny
As of a couple days ago, the NL Central has almost identical records as the East and West versus each other. The NL East has an edge in inter-league play. Plus there are no patsies in the NL Central like Miami, Detroit, Toronto, Baltimore, Kansas City and Seattle. So yeah, the NL Central is tough.
Lol cause the pirates and reds are power houses
I can’t even name a starting pitcher on the brewers
After watching that crap last night, if anyone thinks the Brewers are good, you’re high. With or without Yelich. Brewers have ZERO pitching.
Mo has the Red Birds 4 games in front of the worst division in baseball
Mo has the team 33-35 against winning teams in baseball.
Sorry, but the AL Central is hands down the worst division. The Twins and Indians are solid but the rest are bad, badder, and baddest.
Yes but the twins and Indians would both wipe the floor with any of the top three teams in the NL Central
The Native Americans and Twins are 14-20 in inter-league play. Small sample size of course, but still.
The fact is in the history of the game playing .500 against the good teams and beating up on the poorer ones is the recipe for success.
I think Twins should be a non pc term too. How about identical siblings?
That’s offensive to paternal twins
Damn you’re right.
Cubs are 37-40 vs teams above .500, Nats 38-45, Tribe 22-33, Rays 32-33, Twins 30-36, Crew 46-40.
So your attempted shade at Mo for team record vs above .500 teams is an utter failure. Do some research instead of cherry picking a stat and pretending it holds great significance.
Teufel-As someone else mentioned here a month or so ago,you should never let the facts get in the way of your opinion.
6 more teams who won’t win the WS. Thanks for making my point a stronger SHADE.
Crick has been acting like a classless scumbag all year. To his teammates and other teams. That redneck deserved a beating.
Bad part is, in the end here the narrative is that he was sucker punched over music. Sorry we’re not buying that, he deserved it.
Where in article does it say sucker punched?
How does one get sucker punched twice?
Why did you chose to add that adjective?
What is your agenda?
Take your extra adjectives and your agenda somewhere else. We dont need that here.
Clepto, do you have a patent on “take your…elsewhere?”
CPAP, your drivel is getting old.
Now there’s a pot calling a kettle black.
ok, CPAP
This would actually be funny if you weren’t so pathetic.
as stated by a loser named CPAP…ok
It’s CFAP, but I think you knew that because you are the poster child for what it is. Aren’t ya, little man? Meow.
Vazquez swung twice and then Crick split his nose. Vazquez did not give Crick a beating.. Crick stopped Vazquez dead in his tracks.
Not the 1st time Crick has been centered around an incident.. makes you think he is the problem.
Sounds like Vazquez is a punk just like puig
Sounds racist.
Everything is racist, powderpuff
Yes. We should all feel bad for Thomas. Sorry that you don’t get to play at the MLB level.
Me? I tend to feel sorry for the CLUB. The organization that gave Thomas $70M and has so far received a NEGATIVE return on that $70M (tack on another -$5M or so). Call me old fashion but when you take a club for $75M I do not care if you are happy with your playing time situation.
I remember 5 years ago when everyone in the Padres fan groups wanted them to sign Tomas so bad. Bullet: dodged
I would be perfectly happy if the Cardinals keep Ozuna ,He says this is where he wants to play, 3/60 wouldn’t hurt. Major league talent always plays,with prospects you just never know.
“I just find it difficult there isn’t a team out there willing to pay a little bit of it,” Alou said of his contract…
Seriously? This guy may be smashing in AAA but in the PCL, even I could hit 30 bombs.
Crick is a redneck scrub who needs to be in AAA and learn his place compared to an all star . He needs some humble juice
Speaking of humble juice, the all star needs to get his girlfriend some juice boxes to go with her lunches for junior high…
Anyone else want to rethink wanna rethink their comments regarding Crick and Vasquez today? On older boards I said that the Pirates were right for not taking whatever the Dodgers were offering and there was no rush to move him at the deadline unless the Dodgers were offer a ton back. Admitting right now…….I was wrong…. horribly……
Gozurman- No you weren’t!
It is easy to second guess something like this.Just as much as it is easy to second guess trade results after the fact.
You have a very good sense about baseball so just keep it and don’t second guess yourself,
It would have been nice in hindsight if LA would have included Lux in the deal.But they didn’t.
The Pirates were absolutely cursed this year.
Kela will have to be the closer now.NH was smart enough to get him and keep him even though he has a ten cent head.
The Steelers have continued the curse.
It is just one more big obstacle that the Pirates must try to overcome.
My goodness, some of these comments have aged poorly. You know who you are.
My goodness,some people have 20-20 vision after the fact!
You know who you are.
I do not see how child molestation and punching a teammate are in any way related.
Uh, they’re both against the law? Does that count as being related?
Mendoza – A man thinks he can do and get away with anything and everything will not care about the law. They will break it, use riches to get out of it and continue doing stupid and reckless things. They are related. Wake up.
Perhaps,but they are of such different magnitude that your comparison is weak.
Almost every poster on here thought that Crick was at fault because he seemed to be jealous of Vasquez.A petty squabble between two baseball players pales in comparison to a felony like this.
Teeball is using 20-20 vision after the fact to try to shame those who favored Vasquez in his dispute with Crick.
He supposedly was mad at Crick because he was breaking the “law” of playing music before the game.If Vasquez broke a law why wasn’t the police brought in about the fight?
It is too bad that you do not understand my arguement that this crime could not have been foreseen based on this squabble between two pitchers.It is of such grossly different magnitude and as such is a very very different matter.
Calling Crick a punk was weak. That was you. I understand your argument clearly; you do not have an argument, you have an opinion. Because you cannot make sense of the Vazquez situation there is no reason to explain something that will evidently go above your head.
Guests-I was respectful off your first post.
You clearly do not deserve it from your second.
I see you attack others on this thread.Not a good thing to do.As such you do not deserve respect.
Crick by his actions deserves the sobriquet.Getting into fights with the coach,seemingly egging someone on to a fight,not observing the rules of the clubhouse regarding music,not acceding to the best player on the team having perks that he earned,are all things that punks do.Maybe he will learn in AAA next year to respect other people.I doubt that he is a bad person.
You on the other hand I have no such hope for.