Nick Castellanos Being Suspended Two Games For Flexing On The Opposing Pitcher Is Just The Latest Example of Rob Manfred Having No Clue What He's Doing As The Commissioner of Baseball
Nick Castellanos just wrapped up a weekend of terrorizing the St. Louis Cardinals organization. In 3 games that stud went 6 for 11 with two bombs, a triple, and 5 RBIs. Casual 1.947 OPS to get your season going. Not too bad huh? How was he rewarded on this fine Monday afternoon? Player of the week? A bonus? A new car? How about a two game suspension! Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
So let's review the latest edition of Rob Manfred being a complete waste of breath. Nick Castellanos hit a home run on Opening Day. He was fired up. It's the home opener and you're facing the anointed favorites to win the NL Central, the Cards. If you can't get fired up for that then why are you playing the game.
A few days later Castallones was drilled by a first pitch fastball up and in with the Reds up by 4. On purpose? Baseball is dumb like that so it's conceivable there was intent with the pitch. He later came around to score on a wild pitch. After he scored he was fired up and flexed on the pitcher who seemingly threw at him on purpose. That sparked a benches clearing altercation.
Now whether you believe the pitch was thrown at him on purpose or not is irrelevant here. All Castellanos did here was get fired up, flex his muscles, and proceed to walk away. He didn't go up to the pitcher, tell him to go fuck himself, and shove him to the ground. He made a harmless gesture in the heat of the moment that was fun and exciting and then went on his way. Yadi took offense to this and got in his face, sparking the benches clearing. Still, what did Castellanos do here that was deserving of a two game suspension? Dude screamed "lets go" and flexed his muscles after being thrown at a few plays earlier. He walked away!
So what Rob Manfred is telling us here is that flexing on an opposing pitcher who just threw a fastball at your ribs is worse than cheating the entire game of baseball for years. I mean what the fuck are we doing here folks? We're trying to brand the game of baseball to be fun with the calling card phrase "let the kids play." I tell ya what? If we're suspending guys for flexing on people, literally just flexing muscles, then we gotta pull that phrase from every piece of advertising. Nick Castellanos was in fact embodying the "let the kids play" movement. He got suspended for it. Make it make sense for me because I'm having a hard time doing so. Here's what Castellanos said to the media after the game. Nothing he said here was wrong. Nothing he did was wrong.
Watch one NBA basketball game. There's probably going to be a sick dunk where a dude flexes on an opponent. Maybe, just maybe that player will get t'd up. In no way are you being ejected for that. There's no reality where that happens. I didn't even think Castellanos deserved to be ejected from that game if we're being honest. A two game suspension??? Get the fuck outta here. That was one of the more exciting moments of the opening weekend and here comes Manfred, who seemingly cannot get out of his own way, spoiling the party. Oh and after all this, the pitcher who likely threw at Castellanos on purpose didn't even get fined. Aroldis Chapman was suspended two games last season for a wild pitch that didn't even hit anyone. None of it makes sense. What a joke. As always fuck you Rob.
Catch up on the rest of the opening weekend of baseball with some Morning Wood.