Mat Latos Incites Bench Clearing Brawl After His Catcher Got Run Over
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Mat Latos, who appeared in three games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season, is still trying to keep the dream alive by throwing down in the Minors, double entendre don’t even ask me how. I feel like a lot of guys who think they should still be in the Show don’t really give a fuck about the guys they’re currently playing with, thinking they’re better than their teammates and are just waiting for that call back up to the Bigs. Or maybe I’ve just seen too many baseball movies and episodes of Eastbound & Down. Either way, I respect Latos for having his teammate’s back in this situation. His catcher got run over, and while it certainly was not the most violent collision that’s ever gone down at the plate it’s the type of play baseball has been trying to get rid of ever since Buster Posey broke his leg, so it is what it is. The benches cleared, some chirping went down, and that is when the magical unwritten rules of the game kicked in.
Latos had no choice but to throw at the next batter. You know he had no choice because even the guy in the stands is calling out exactly what’s going to happen before it all goes down. What separates minor league fights from major league fights, to me, is that the first punch could come from anywhere. I can’t remember the last MLB fight that started with a pitcher throwing at a batter that didn’t have the first punch come from someone directly involved with that transaction. In the minors? Better have that head on a swivel. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Tex was at this game and he somehow got in the mix of this dust up.
What I really appreciate about this specific fight is two things: first, the PA system blaring the Draft Express player prospect strengths and weaknesses pump up music while the brawl is still going on. That’s the type of showmanship and pizzazz you don’t get with major league fisticuffs. Secondly, the batter using his whole body as a battering ram to protect his teammate from the first basemen coming in hot to protect Latos. I’ve seen strikes in bowling with less knockdowns than this clip.
Pure carnage. Total disregard for the well being of other human beings. A legitimate brawl. Something we can all appreciate on a Sunday morning.