I had missed this until earlier today but apparently Aroldis Chapman threw a couple pitches at Nick Swisher late in yesterday’s Reds-Indians game. They were likely inside on purpose and Swisher and Chapman stared each other down over it.
Indians broadcaster Tom Hamilton, however, took it to the next level, saying the sorts of things that normally get players fined if they say it:“What you’d love to see Swisher do here is knock it right off the temple of Chapman and see how much fun it is to have a ball coming at your head,” Hamilton said. “That is bush league.”
Later, Hamilton predicted the Indians would retaliate during the series, which moves to Cleveland for two games on Wednesday and Thursday.
“You just can’t be throwing at people’s heads,” Hamilton said. “The first one may have gotten away, the second one did not. And there are three more games to go with the Reds. This isn’t over yet.
“I’ll guarantee you one thing: (manager Terry) Francona will make sure that this is settled on the field.”Hamilton is not a player, of course, so he can say whatever he wants and/or whatever his employer allows. And I agree with him that throwing at a player’s head is serious business. But it does seem a bit much for a broadcaster to be basically asking for revenge to be paid, does it not?