(Original Caption) Los Angeles Dodgers' catcher John Roseboro suffered a cut on top of his head in 3rd inning during a bat swinging fight with San Francisco Giant pitcher Juan Marichal. It was believed that Marichal got angry when Roseboro fired the ball to close to his head while returning it to pitcher Sandy Koufax. On deck batter Giant Tito Fuentes (partially out of picture- right) pulls Roseboro away while Marichal wields bat at Koufax while umpire Shag Crawford and Giant coach Charlie Fox try to break it up.
(Richard W. Rodriguez/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS via Getty Images) /
There’s something about big league brawls that brings out the absolute worst in all of us. From those exchanging punches, to the spectators egging them on, nothing good ever comes out of a brawl.
On Wednesday, a tweet surfaced showing video of a vicious brawl against two teams in a Venezuelan winter league. It got me thinking about a conversation some of us here at Call to the Pen had recently in which we exchanged what we thought were the “best” big league brawls.
La cosa se descontroló en el universitario entre los Leones y La Guaira, qué locurapic.twitter.com/A6DMLexEWR
In honor of that conversation, and because, let’s face it, all the rumors are getting a little tired right now, i’ve decided to put together the definitive list of big league brawls. What better way to spend the holidays than watching a bunch of grown men fighting over a game, right?
Before we begin, however, as with all things, there are some rules I will abide by:
Absolutely no bench clearing get-togethers are allowed. That’s not a brawl, its a social gathering.
If I don’t have video of it, then as far as i’m concerned it didn’t happen.
Only MLB brawls allowed. This is after all an MLB related site, no?
So, Without further ado, here it is!
#10 – Chris Volstad v. Nyjar Morgan
On August 31, 2010, Washington Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan collided into Florida Marlins catcher, Brett Hayes, in the tenth inning. While Hayes hung onto the ball, the collision resulted in season ending shoulder surgery for the then 27-year old catcher.
The next night, with the Marlins leading the Nationals 15-5 at home, Chris Volstad decided to take things into his own hands. He throws a 91 MPH fastball behind Morgan, which in turn results in one of the most epic big league brawls in MLB history. One that features a WWE style clothesline from non other than Gaby Sanchez.
As a result, Nyjer Morgan ate some dirt and received an 8-game suspension for charging the mound, the longest of nine suspensions served because of the brawl.
#9 – Alex Rodriguez v. Jason Varitek
The magnitude of this scuffle is so big because of the parties involved. We’re talking Baseball’s biggest star against the blue collar captain of the Boston Red Sox. More importantly, we’re talking about the greatest rivalry in sports.
As a result, this is one of the most talked about big league brawls in the history of the game.
What’s most ironic about this story is how that offseason, Alex Rodriguez had a deal in place to join the Red Sox. The MLBPA, however, quickly put the kibosh on that.
Then, In almost storybook fashion, that same offseason, 2003 Postseason hero Aaron Boone injures himself in a pick up game of basketball. This ultimately leads the Yankees to swoop in and take A-Rod for themselves.
Months later, the guy brought to New York to replace Aaron Boone – who walked off against Boston the previous October – gets into a big league brawl against someone who just missed out on being his teammate.
You can’t make this stuff up.
#8 – Rougned Odor v. Jose Bautista
It all started with the greatest bat flip of all time. In game 5 of the ALDS between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays, Jose Bautista brought mayhem into Rogers Center when he smacked a three-run shot in the 7th inning of a do or die game.
A set of events unfolded after that bat flip, but what led to this exchange happened like this. Former #1 overall pick, Matt Bush, who had just been called up after spending roughly three years in prison, drills Bautista. Peeved, Bautista sought the first opportunity to retaliate.
After Smoak grounded to 3B, Bautista slid hard into Rougned Odor. What resulted? An epic right hook that left Bautista seeing birds flying around his head.
Maybe this shouldn’t count in the definitive list of big league brawls, especially considering that after the punch heard ’round the world, nothing really happened. That right hook sure was nasty though, so i’ll break the rules on this one.
#7 – Bryce Harper v. Hunter Strickland
To say that Bryce Harper owns Hunter Strickland as an absolute understatement. First, In game 1 of the 2014 NLDS, Harper hit this bomb off of Strickland. Then, in game 4, Harper does it again.
Harper and Strickland wouldn’t face off again until 2017. In the meantime, as CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder recalls, Strickland responding to Harper’s comments in 2016 about baseball’s unwritten rules being “tired” by saying,
“I don’t think it’s my place to go against the rules,” Strickland said. “It’s America’s pastime for a reason. There’s a history to the game. I don’t think it’s my place to judge the rules.”
To my knowledge or recollection, Harper’s comments have nothing to do with Strickland, but it seems that Strickland took the 2014 NLDS game 4 blast to heart. Initially, Strickland thought was showboating by watching the ball stay fair before staring Strickland down while running the bases.
Harper claims that he was watching whether the ball went fair or foul, à la Carlton Fisk.
#6 – Yordano Ventura v. Manny Machado
In life, Yordano Ventura was one of those guys that always seemed to be involved in one controversy or another. The young flame thrower wasn’t afraid to claim the inside of the plate by throwing inside at players on a regular basis.
That is exactly what happened between Ventura and Machado in 2016 between the two young athletes. Earlier in the game, in the 2nd inning Yordano threw inside a couple of times before Machado flied out to LF. On his way to first, Machado had a few choice words for the pitcher.
Cut to the bottom of the 5th inning. Yordano wastes no time in drilling Machado in the back on the first pitch. The rest is history.
Later that winter, Yordano Ventura would pass away in a crash in the Dominican Republic. He was 25 years old. May he rest in peace.
#5 – Danny Darwin v. Henry Rodriguez
This was the type of big league brawl that featured multiple brawls. It all started when Henry Rodriguez smacked his 30th homer of the season off of Danny Darwin and admired it for a little too long.
“I have respect for hitters and I think hitters should have respect for pitchers,” Darwin would go on to say about Rodriguez’s actions.
Later referring to himself as a “nobody,” Rodriguez admits that he probably watched the ball for too long. Rodriguez also added, “I don’t think (Darwin) should hit someone because they watch it.”
The brawl resulted in five suspensions, Darwin, a 21-year veteran at that point and apparently still living in the past, got six games while the rest got four.
#4 – Nolan Ryan v. Robin Ventura
A series of events led to one of the most epic big league brawls in the history of the game. Just the inning prior, White Sox starter Alex Fernandez drilled Texas slugger Juan Gonzalez, who according to the Chicago Tribunewas “the fourth Ranger to be hit by a pitch in three games.”
Here’s a fun fact, in his entire 27 year career, Nolan Ryan has never went a season without plunking somebody. More incredibly, in 13 starts in 1993, Robin Ventura was the only batter he hit.
What’s so great about this big league brawl, you might ask? Well, aside from the fact that it featured the “Ryan Express,” the all-time strikeout king in his final season, it also featured one of the greatest headlocks of all time.
#3 – Armando Benitez v. The Yankees
The beauty of this big league brawl is that it drags on. At first glance, it appears to be one of those gatherings I had mentioned way back at the start, but the more you watch, the more you unfold. You have guys like Graham Lloyd and Jeff Nelson throwing haymakers, Scott Brosious squaring off, Darryl Strawberry, Tino Martinez – heck, this resembled the Royal Rumble more than it did an MLB brawl.
As a result of this brawl, five players were suspended. Benitez, who some could argue received punishment enough on the field, got eight games. The remaining players received no more than three games.
#2 – San Diego Padres v. Atlanta Braves
I’m not sure whether to label this a big league brawl or simply just several big league brawls. It is after all, as the announcer proclaims, “five brawls” in one. Things got so bad in this brawl, the even fans got involved. And as soon as that happened, much like a wrestling match, the players who were at one point unloading on each other came together to go after the fans.
Once the coast seemed to be clear with the fan involvement, the Padres and the Braves go back to square one and commence to fight… again. The best part about the whole thing is that the victim in this whole fiasco, Pasqual Perez, never threw a punch.
He simply took his bat and walked back to the dugout as the madness unfolded around him.
Come to think about it, neither did the perp, Craig Lefferts. He literally exits, stage left, as the opposing teams traded blows on the pitchers mound.
#1 – Juan Marichal v. John Roseboro
Can you imagine a brawl that features a group of future hall of famers like: Juan Marichal, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Don Drysdale? Oh yeah, and the guy who took arguably the worst beating in baseball history, John Roseboro?
In this day and age, that alone would be the story. This brawl, however, was so brutal that all of the superstars involved in the melee were secondary to what actually happened.
We’ve seen bats involved in big league brawls before, but never like this. According to the clip, Marchal claimed, through Orlando Cepeda, “that John Roseboro hit him in the ear with the ball when he threw it back to pitcher, Koufax”. In retaliation, Marichal proceeded to literally pummel Roseboro with his baseball bat before the benches cleared and took the hall of fame pitcher down.
According to Bob Costas, who narrated the clip, the brawl lasted an astonishing 14-minutes. Things got so bad that Willie Mays describes pushing Roseboro’s eye back into his head.
John Roseboro, to his credit, emerged from the “riot” bloodied up, but still standing.
Feel like I missed a brawl that deserved some attention, comment below or send me a tweet @mannygo3. Also, check out Call to the Pen’s very own Bill Ferber’s book “A Game of Brawl”
