Associated Press NEW YORK -- Boston Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez should have been arrested for throwing 72-year-old Yankees coach Don Zimmer to the ground during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sunday.
"If that happened in New York we would have arrested the perpetrator," Bloomberg said. "Nobody should throw a 70-year-old man to the ground, period. You start doing that pretty soon you're going to throw a 61-year-old man to the ground, and I have a big vested interest in that."
"You just cannot assault people, even if it's on a baseball field," added Bloomberg, who was asked about Saturday's bench-clearing matchup before marching in the Bronx Columbus Day Parade.
Bloomberg was referring to a fourth-inning melee in which Zimmer lunged at Martinez and Martinez grabbed the older man by the head and tossed him to the ground. Zimmer was taken to a hospital after the game as a precaution; he was later released with a small cut on the bridge of his nose.
The mayor did not comment on the ninth-inning scuffle between two Yankees players and a member of the Boston grounds crew. Boston police said Sunday they were seeking witnesses to that fight.
The Yankees won Saturday's game 4-3.
[this message was edited by riskbreaker on Mon 13 Oct 14:38]
Replies:
OYashiroForever
557th Post
New Red Carpet Member
"Re(1):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Mon 13 Oct 15:31
quote: Zimmer got what he deserved for charging at Pedro. It was a natural reaction for the most part IMO.:)
Agreed... Pedro was wrong for taunting the Yankees bench and headhunting, Zimmer was wrong to charge the field.
"Only two things are infinite the universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the former."
"Your denial is beneath you and thanks to the use of hallucinogenic drugs I see through you."
Grave
727th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member+
"Re(2):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Mon 13 Oct 16:34
quote:Agreed... Pedro was wrong for taunting the Yankees bench and headhunting, Zimmer was wrong to charge the field.
Taunting the Yankees is never wrong.
Phoenix 103th Post
Regular Customer
"Re(2):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Mon 13 Oct 18:13:
I used to respect Pedro as a pitcher...but I must say that throwing a 70 year old man to the ground is pretty pathetic. What a loser. I mean never mind the respect your elders bit, but throw your elders to the ground? lol...that's about as impressive as beating up your grandparents.
"My only enemy is myself...and my ex-girlfriend and..."
[this message was edited by Phoenix on Mon 13 Oct 18:16]
DarkZero
369th Post
Silver Customer
"Re(3):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Mon 13 Oct 18:35
quote: I used to respect Pedro as a pitcher...but I must say that throwing a 70 year old man to the ground is pretty pathetic. What a loser. I mean never mind the respect your elders bit, but throw your elders to the ground? lol...that's about as impressive as beating up your grandparents.
Did you see the video? I think his motivation was less "Hey, I bet beating up this old man will impress the fans!" and more "Holy shit, that's some guy's fist coming toward my jaw." I can't believe that anyone is actually defending an old man that tried to slug some guy at a baseball game, especially while vilifying a guy that defended himself in a way that couldn't even hurt a seventy year old man. He could've cracked that old man in half, but all he did was push him away.
Phoenix 106th Post
Regular Customer
"Re(4):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Tue 14 Oct 08:53:
I didn't see the video, so Zimmer tried to punch him? I heard that Zimmer just rushed at him...I guess a punch is different. But still inappropriate. I mean seriously how much could your grandfather's punch hurt? heh.
"My only enemy is myself...and my ex-girlfriend and..."
[this message was edited by Phoenix on Tue 14 Oct 09:24]
TiamatRoar
517th Post
New Red Carpet Member
"Re(5):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Tue 14 Oct 09:26
quote: I mean seriously how much could your grandfather's punch hurt? heh.
If it's a crotch punch, it could hurt a lot :P
Although seriously, I think a punch to the face could hurt a bit (not too much, but still hurt) if done by a 70 year old man that was i reasonably good health (which I imagine was the case, here).
quote: I didn't see the video, so Zimmer tried to punch him? I heard that Zimmer just rushed at him...I guess a punch is different. But still inappropriate. I mean seriously how much could your grandfather's punch hurt? heh.
While he was rushing at him, his right arm and hand were definitely taking the slugging position, and Pedro would've taken a nice one to the face if he hadn't dodged and pushed the guy away.
And my point wasn't just that it was alright to fight back if someone tried to punch you, but that blocking is a natural reaction when you see a fist flying toward you. In the video, the old man came out surprisingly fast and I don't think that Pedro was even looking at him when he did it. He probably just saw someone coming at him and reacted, probably without even realizing who it was.
Phoenix 108th Post
Regular Customer
"Re(6):Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be ar"
, posted Tue 14 Oct 17:59:
I'm surprised to hear that Zimmer moved that fast since he's a fat 72 yr old with white or no hair. I didn't see the video so I'll take your word for it. As for taunting the bench...eh- what's important is the game.
"My only enemy is myself...and my ex-girlfriend and..."
[this message was edited by Phoenix on Wed 15 Oct 01:04]
"Mayor Bloomberg says Pedro should be arrested" 
the universe and human stupidity
