![]() O’s outfielder Adam Jones: “Manny ain’t at fault for nothing.”.On Baltimore’s side, Machado’s compatriots were all too eager to back him up. The latter point can be illustrated by the bevy of quotes to emerge from the postgame clubhouses. His was a response borne of frustration and a likely desire to force his own damn exit. The right-hander had given up six earned runs in four-and-a-third innings to that point (which didn’t even include a would-be home run by Pedro Alvarez). ![]() That said, it’s likely that Ventura knew precisely what he was doing. when it comes to things like understanding what it’ll take to set a guy off. Ventura, for his part, should have been more prescient. That’s the best explanation for his decision to charge the mound after the pitcher planted a 99-mph four-seamer into his backside. Machado was clearly aware of Ventura’s, and knew what kind of response an unnecessary shouting match might deliver-if only because his manager, Buck Showalter, warned him of it before his fifth-inning at-bat. Machado and his hackles ended up staring down the pitcher, then pimping what turned out to be a wind-killed medium-deep flyball, then screaming at Ventura (and vice versa) before returning to the dugout. Yesterday’s fracas started in the second inning, when Ventura buzzed Machado inside (raising his hackles, of course) before getting him to fly out to left field on a ball that the hitter at first thought would leave the yard. Yordano Ventura hits Manny Machado…and Machado charges the mound swinging. Which is also to say that whereas Nolan Ryan’s opponents knew enough to avoid angering him, when two hotheads stare each other down, it’s all too likely that neither of them have the best interests of their respective teams in mind. ![]() And that was all within a month of each other, last April. Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, meanwhile, has beefed with Adam Eaton. Hell, the guy went so far as to take a bat to the head of an opposing catcher. Manny Machado has gotten into it with Jonathan Papelbon (spurring the closer’s infamous choke hold on Bryce Harper last year). Which is to say, the two guys at the center of yesterday’s Throwdown in B-Town bear some reputations of their own, and consideration of this point could have served both of them well. Ryan’s red-ass reputation preceded him, and hitters were (usually) smart enough to avoid ticking the guy off. Those who chose to ignore him knew all too well what kind of response they’d receive. When Nolan Ryan was busy scaring the hell out of American League hitters, he made a habit of tamping down the grass in front of home plate before games with his cleat, taking care to stare down the opposing dugout all the while.
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