You remember from our last trip to Atlanta, that Rafael Soriano almost beaned Danny. Well it turns out that MLB didn't buy the "it just slipped" story.
On Thursday, Major League Baseball officials made it clear which version they believed, suspending Soriano for four games and fining him $1,500 for plunking the Florida Marlins second baseman Monday night.
I have no idea whether it was intentional or not, but MLB suspected it was. Soriano is naturally appealing the decision and my guess is that once the Braves are mathematically eliminated he will drop the appeal serve the suspension.
Earlier in the game Kim plunked the Braves three times but Bobby Cox didn't think much about it.
Normally that would be the end of it, and the Braves would continue questioning MLB about what they feel is an unjust ruling. And maybe it is.
But Uggla had hit two home runs off Soriano in his previous two at bats, and that probably factored into the ruling.
However, Andruw Jones was having none of that.
Escobar had already homered off Willis when he was hit by a pitch in the third inning of that game, an eventual 7-4 Atlanta win. And as evidence, Jones cited the fact that Escobar got hit despite backing away from the plate on the pitch.
"In our eyes, it was on purpose," Jones said. "You can't say he didn't mean to." If that was the case, he added, "Well, Soriano didn't mean to, either."
C'mon hasn't Andruw seen Willis pitch this season? He has hit most everything with regularity but the catcher's mitt. (Naturally, I am exaggerating a bit)
Hopefully the Braves will cool off over the offseason and this will soon be forgotten since I would prefer that the Marlins didn't get into a plunking war with them next season. And they shouldn't want it either, because the Marlins will oblige if necessary.
I really don't think it will come to that. Jones is probably just frustrated with how the season is going and when it all starts anew next April, it will be a distant memory.
The Phillies are a different matter, however.