I think this qualifies as “fun,” given that the more attention this ridiculous plot gets, the less likely anything is to actually happen. Because if the Royals actually made good on this, it would be stupid, dangerous, and not at all fun.
Let me step back and set the stage. It’s Game Three of the World Series, and Noah Syndergaard says and does his own stupid thing: he tells everyone that he’s got “tricks up his sleeve” for handling Royals leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar, notorious for jumping on first pitches.
And, on the first pitch, he does this:
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The intent there obviously was not to hit or hurt Escobar, but it was definitely supposed to be alarming. The Royals were very angry.
So angry, it seems, that they’re carrying it into this year’s Opening Day game against the Mets. Marc Carig reports, according to sources, that the Royals are planning “payback” against the Mets for that pitch. It’s all rather vague, and any conclusions you draw would be guesses. But, given the way baseball works sometimes, those guesses would probably be reasonable.
Retaliation is a tricky topic, because, on the one hand, it’s dangerous and unnecessary. On the other hand, it’s only unnecessary if everyone in baseball agrees – which is to say, it may not actually be unnecessary if the team you’re facing subscribes to the theory of eye-for-an-eye and you need to protect your teammates.
But doing this kind of thing the next year just seems so silly. Perhaps the fact that it’s being telegraphed a week in advance means that nothing will actually happen, and this is all about getting in the Mets’ collective head.